How to Take Control of Retirement Planning in 2021 and Beyond

What does your dream retirement look like? What kind of lifestyle do you imagine? Maybe you’re planning to travel more, or perhaps you’re thinking of going back to school. Maybe that passion for photography could become a new business, or perhaps you’re simply looking forward to taking a break and enjoy spending more precious time with those you love.

Whether retirement will see you bungee jumping in South Africa, or trampoline jumping with the grandkids, Steve Pennington, Head of Wealth Planning at Private and Commercial Bank Arbuthnot Latham discusses how planning your retirement now will help bring those dreams the chance of becoming reality.

There are so many “what if’s” and unknowns to take into consideration that retirement planning can feel daunting.  What kind of retirement lifestyle can you actually expect? What if I want to (or need) retire early? What if I or my partner needs care in older age? What if my children or grandchildren need financial support? What if I want to buy a Jaguar E Type? What if my investments fall?

2020 has only added to these concerns, so what can you do to feel more in control?

Understanding what you want to achieve is the first step. Is the key goal to maintain your lifestyle in retirement, or do you have different priorities? By looking at your cash flow today and modelling a range of anticipated cash flow scenarios in retirement, you can immediately visualise your future financial position. Through building in key personal milestones such as a change in lifestyle, travel, downsizing, buying that car, or selling a business, you can build a clearer of picture of what you’ll need and when.

More than 10 years until retirement

Look at your current later life provisions. How do you intend to use your non pension assets in retirement? How and when do you actually intend to use your pensions? Are you planning to stop working before you’re eligible to access your formal pensions? Do you have a personal or company pension? If you’ve worked for a number of companies, you may have several. Have you considered consolidating your pension arrangements? Have you checked how your retirement funds are performing, and if your circumstances and ambitions have changed since you last reviewed them?

If you are earning more than you spend, it’s also worth thinking about what you’re doing with your excess income. Inflation erodes the value of savings over time, meaning your purchasing power in the future is reduced. Of course, everyone needs cash reserves, but could you invest more now, using tax advantages, so that your retirement ambition has a more certain outcome?

Less than 10 years until retirement

If you’re approaching retirement, you probably already have a rough idea of your retirement plan. It’s also likely that you’ve experienced some investment turmoil over the years which may have caused unease and uncertainty. When you have financial plans in place it can be tempting to just stick with your current investment arrangements, whether they are performing or not, or perhaps you have been thinking about making some changes but need guidance and advice. Professional advice at this time can help you feel in control of your finances and your future.

If you’re feeling unsure about the state of your investments, or how your finances are arranged, it’s important to find an adviser who can review your circumstances and discuss suitable options in order to address your objectives. As you near retirement, it’s even more important to review your appetite for risk, capacity for loss and complete a financial health check to assess whether you are on track.  Often Investors are happier to take fewer risks as retirement approaches, but this is not always the best course of action. Consider that pensions may need to provide you with income for the rest of your life.

Already retired

If you’re already retired, you’ll already be using your assets to fund your lifestyle. It’s certainly worth reviewing how you are using your assets to provide income. At this stage of life, many people’s financial goals change from investing for growth to investing for income. However, as people live longer, retirement is often broken into different stages, allowing you more control over how you structure your finances and access your wealth at a future date to deliver different benefits at different times.

To find out if your retirement dream is achievable take this short quiz here:  https://www.arbuthnotlatham.co.uk/insights/retirement-quiz