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Parents face smaller state pension over failure to fill in child benefit form

Thousands are facing a poorer retirement as a result of innocent mistakes over paperwork. Nandia Needham, pictured with husband Martin, could be £20k out of pocket over a 20-year retirement.




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Can I inherit my ex-husband's pension?

My ex-husband says he has left me to inherit his NHS remaining pension in case he dies. We both have never remarried and have two children in university. Lawyer Jacqueline Major replies.




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Grandparents providing childcare are urged to claim state pension credits

Hundreds of thousands of grandparents and other family members could be missing out on valuable credits towards the state pension worth around £250 a year in old age, new research reveals.




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State pension age: What is the retirement age in the UK?

We explain forthcoming changes to the state pension age, so you can find out when you will be allowed to retire




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Should I fake a divorce with my wife so we can split my pension?

This is Money columnist Steve Webb and lawyer Fiona Wood jointly tackle a reader question about shamming a divorce to dodge tax. Find out the pitfalls here...




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Critics slam 'absurd' Government stance on backdating state pension credits

Gaynor Seymour, pictured with husband Andrew, lost state pension credits over an innocent paperwork error - but she can prove she looked after their daughter during the disputed period, she says.




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Give mums their state pension credits back, say Treasury tax experts

In a stinging report, tax officials said people 'can easily disadvantage themselves' in a system that 'appears illogical', and told the Government to find a way to restore lost credits to parents.




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I am 30 and on £50k: How much should I save in a pension to retire at 60

How much do I need to be saving into my pension to achieve this, assuming I achieve returns of 7% a year and that I live until 85. Financial planner Kay Ingram (pictured left) replies




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Can I retire early at 58 with £420k in savings and £6k pension?

I had an £84k pension but cashed it in when I was 55 to pay off debts. Since then, I have come into an inheritance so I have £420k in savings and have rejoined my company's pension scheme.




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Thousands of savers lose up to £10billion in rogue pensions schemes sanctioned by the government

Workers have lost their savings after transferring their nest eggs to rogue schemes because they were enrolled with the UK's HMRC and Pensions Regulator - making it appear above board.




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DWP does not hold records of people who do not claim state pension

Financial services firm Responsible Life submitted a Freedom of Information request and learned the DWP does not keep track of how many people fail to claim the state pension.




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How do I save properly in a pension while in my 20s?

Getting your head around how your pension works, whether you're saving enough and finding out about how your money is invested can be a daunting prospect for young workers.




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Pension firms should send customers 'birthday card' forecasts, says Ros Altmann

Standard wording should be adopted and made compulsory to prevent firms using 'obfuscatory' jargon that baffles savers, argues Lady Altmann




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What you need to know about pensions in 2020: Brexit, social care and tax

The newly re-elected Government now has a majority that gives it the opportunity to solve major issues affecting retirement finances. Here's what you need to know.




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The shameful pension blunders: Warning signs ignored by HMRC

HMRC refused to warn people it had launched investigations into fraudulent pension schemes registered with it, enabling the scammers to continue to fleece hundreds more victims.




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Time to keep your pensions promise, Boris! PM pledged to help victims

After meeting workers fleeced of their futures in the scandal, the now Prime Minister, pictured with victims with David Burgess, left, Sue Flood and Micky Nettle, pledged to take up their case.




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Are you missing out on pension tax relief by not claiming it on your annual return?

Thousands of taxpayers are not including correct information about their pensions on their annual returns, according to mutual insurer Royal London.




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Prudential sparks anger by delaying pension payments

Pat Savage, 73, has been waiting since October for a compensation payment of around £3,500. The retired construction health and safety manager bought a standard annuity with the Prudential when he retired.




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My ex is offering me a fifth of his pension in the divorce - is that fair?

If I accept my husband's offer I would have less than half of the income that he is receiving, along with a five-year wait for my state pension. Lawyer Fiona Wood, pictured left, replies.




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Rumoured new fix for doctor pensions crisis could mean windfall for ALL higher earners

The Treasury is reportedly considering raising a key threshold where the controversial 'taper' kicks in from £110k to £150k, but pension experts think this will be ineffective or 'a sticking plaster'.




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A new permanent pensions commission is needed to solve 'unfinished business' of reform

Pensions Minister Guy Opperman and shadow pensions minister Jack Dromey have called for for a new independent 'arms-length' government body in a think-tank report.




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Tempted to cash a pension before 55? You are at serious risk of fraud

Reputable firms don't encourage savers to take money out of pensions before they are 55, in the form of a loan or any other kind of cash payout, due to the stiff tax penalty.




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Could YOU be a victim of the pension payback scandal? 

Sweeping reviews of pension calculations have uncovered tens of thousands of errors that have seen pensioners overpaid, and underpaid, for decades.




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Prudential promises victims of IT glitch will get pension payments

We reported last week how Peter Burgess (pictured) had been unable to access his pension pot, while Pat Savage had been waiting for a compensation payment for nearly three months.




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Have you got a silver start-up idea to profit in your pension years?

Lorraine Johnson-Rosner, 70, makes £10,000 to £15,000 a year selling similar rooms and gardens for dolls, plus vintage dolls and clothes for them.




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Nearly half of over-55s tapping pensions only take their 25% tax-free cash

Of those who start drawing an income, just two out of five do so immediately. Among those who wait, 40% put it off for at least half a year, and 24% delay for more than a year, says Hargreaves Lansdown.




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Redundancy has a 40% drag effect on pension savings

People aged 39-54 who suffered compulsory redundancy have average pensions savings of £120,634 - while those who avoided being laid off have £202,017.




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Threat of frozen state pensions lifted for British expats in EU

The withdrawal agreement under which the UK exits the EU on January 31 provides certainty on future state pension rises for current EU expats.




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Former prison officer hit with a £100k bill after pension mistake

Former prison officer Paul Davidson, 62, pictured, was forced to retire early in 2012 after he suffered a breakdown. He spent a month in a clinic and his wife had to give up work to care for him.




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The pension payback victims who refused to pay back...and won 

Some pensioners, such as Royal Navy veteran Arthur Mullett (pictured) and former Royal Mail delivery driver Chris Slaytor, have refused to accept the huge shock bills, they received after mistakes were made.




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How do I find out how much pension I have saved?

Some 54% said they were unaware of the current size of their pots, and a further 8% couldn't answer, while 38% said they did know.




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I live in Canada but can I get my state pension paid in sterling?

I have been a permanent resident in Canada and had dual citizenship since 1977. I have opened a sterling bank account with HSBC in Canada - can my British state pension be paid into it?




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Would you delay PART of your state pension to get more later?

Savers who want to ease into or delay retirement should be allowed to take part of their state pension and put off drawing the rest, says Aviva.




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The £70 a week state pension adult dependency increase faces axe 

Former Army Major Adrian Furnival, pictured with wife Sheila, will soon have £70 stripped from his £260 weekly pension - yet was only told about the cut in February 2018




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Will pension tax relief be slashed to 20% for all?

A raid on popular pension tax breaks to drum up cash for other Government projects is reportedly on the cards at the upcoming March Budget.




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Pension tax relief cuts would be another bad intergenerational deal

Moves such as cutting higher rate tax relief are often depicted as hitting the wealthy older generation, but that's disingenuous.




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JEFF PRESTRIDGE: New Chancellor Rishi Sunak needs to make his mark...by improving our pensions

With the smell of a spring Budget in the air comes the rumour of yet more restrictions on the tax relief available to boost our pension saving. But how will Mr Sunak treat pension savers?




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Should you start a final salary pension on your birthday or in April?

This case highlights how complicated the rules on final salary pensions can be to navigate. Find out what you should ask your scheme before triggering payments here.




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Pension pots locked as financial advisers can't afford insurance

One financial advice firm has told how its premiums rose from £3,700 in 2009 to £45,000 in 2019. Another adviser says premiums jumped from £22,736 in 2017 to £112,000 in 2018.




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Vanguard's Sipp is the UK's cheapest ever DIY pension

Vanguard says the new self-invested personal pension scheme is designed to cut the 'cost and complexity' of saving for retirement.




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Should you put more cash into your pension in case of Budget changes?

Rookie Chancellor Rishi Sunak was given a month to prepare for the Budget on March 11. Will Government top-ups into retirement savings pots be lowered to the 20 per cent basic rate for everyone?




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Could my ex-husband sabotage a pension before handing it over to me?

What is to stop my ex-husband converting everything to useless shares that are falling in value? Barrister Rhys Taylor explains how pensions are handled when couples divorce.




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How fast should you spend your pension pot? Many withdraw 8% a year

'Cash today, poverty tomorrow must be avoided, as large withdrawals from pension pots could mean later life hardship for many,' says the Association of British Insurers.




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BEN WILKINSON: Freedom can be costly when it comes to pensions

Five years after the introduction of pension freedoms, the Association of British Insurers is warning that many middle-aged savers may not be doing what's best with their pension pots.




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Steve Webb's best pension columns: 12 Christmas crackers

A selection of Steve's top columns can help you avoid being scammed, understand the mysteries of the new state pension, and gain peace of mind by making the most of your pension savings.




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Claim pension credit if you are over 75 and could lose free TV licence

Pension credit is a benefit for the poorest pensioners, and a surge in applications is likely to be underway due to the decision to means test pensioners for the free TV licence.




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Public sector workers are now pensions 'aristocrats' 

According to the Office for National Statistics, 11 per cent of private sector workers who have a pension are in a generous final salary scheme. This compares to 92 per cent in the public sector.




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When will age you can access pension cash rise from 55 to 57?

Anyone aged 47 or under must plan ahead if they want to retire earlier than 57, or will need cash for other purposes like paying off mortgages, home renovations or university fees for their children.




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Budget 2020: High earners get pension tax relief boost to help doctors

The Government's move means most doctors will no longer be hit by tax bills due to the hated 'taper' - but it shunned widespread calls to abolish the complicated pension tax rule altogether.




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Pensions chief warns older workers face delayed retirement after rout

Barry O'Dwyer, chief exec of insurer Royal London, said the catastrophic rout caused by the coronavirus could mean some people nearing retirement age no longer have enough money left to live off.