The pension pot power is now in your hands!

First and foremost, we are business accountants for business people, but with the introduction of auto-enrolment, ‘Pensions’ are going to be a big concern for some business owners (for both them and their employees). In today’s blog we take a look at the Chancellors latest Budget update and the radically relaxed rules on when you can take your pension.

From April 2015, pensioners will be given more freedom with their retirement savings, with all restrictions on access to pension pots removed. At present, savers can take 25% of their pension pot tax-free when they retire. This will remain in place, but the tax on withdrawing the rest of the cash will be cut, making it easier for people to use their entire fund as they wish.

On the one hand you will have complete freedom over the management of your retirement fund, but on the other hand you will be burdened by the responsibility and discipline of spending it wisely and making sure there is enough money left to cater for your living expenses.

According to the BBC, Pensions minister Steve Webb said “if people do buy a Lamborghini but know that they’ll end up just living on the state pension, that becomes their choice”.

The point he is making is that the money is yours; how you spend it is up to you. The big question is how do you get a pensioner into (and out of) a Lamborghini? And more importantly; what happens when the pensioner has spent all their savings?

We welcome your answers to both questions below.

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AIMS Accountants for Business are the largest independent association of professionally qualified accountants in the UK specialising in accountancy for small, local and independent businesses. AIMS are no ordinary accountants and we are more than just number crunchers! Find your local AIMS Accountant.