Pensions: WTAF a podcast brought to you by Pen-gage Ltd: Recent Episodes
Laura Bowler & Nigel Heaton
Pensions: Working with the actual facts.A public sector pensions podcast brought to you by Pen-gage Ltd, pension communications, engagement and guidance experts. Looking at all aspects of public sector pensions including NHS, Civil Service, Teachers', Fire and Police, Local Government and so on... A Podcast no-one will want to listen to because it’s about pensions. But you should listen to it. It’s a bit fun, it’s relatable, it’s kind of important…. This is not financial advice, but guidance to help work through some of the practical and emotive issues that cause pensions procrastination.So, we basically take the complicated stuff and make it not complicated. With Laura Bowler.
Laura is joined today by Paul Gordon of Atomos Financial Advisors to discuss NHS Pensions and in particular what is Choice 2, contingent decisions and a little bit on partial retirement!
For more information or any help around any of the topics discussed today, please get in touch
Meet The Financial Planners Team | atomos
Contact | Pengage
Nigel asks Laura some key questions around pensionable pay, including what happens to the pension benefits if hours are reduced or the pay band is reduced.....
Some key things to be aware of and consider
Following a huge amount of engagement with the Facebook group: NHS and Public Sector Pensions Support - and the recent webinar we thought a quick flick through of some of the most common questions might be helpful..... ready set go...
Laura is flying solo this week!
Following questions and queries through our Facebook Group we felt it was worth having a short and sweet cast explaining a little bit about the annual statements:
- What are they telling you?
- What factors do you need to consider?
- What should you do?
- McCloud and the statements
Apologies to all the non NHS Pension scheme listeners. The flexible retirement options are taking over as it is such a significant change to the scheme.
We have a special guest today, NHS Pension Geek - Graham Crossley of Medifin Tech!
If you are not an NHS member listen anyway, some of the partial retirement rules and options also apply across the other schemes. Do make sure to check your own scheme rules though before making any decisions
On this episode of the podcast Laura has a chat with Anna Heaton - who is Nigel's wife.
Anna has worked in the NHS for 30+ years as a nurse and in early 2023 Anna took her 1995 pension as part of a retire and return option.
Both Anna and Nigel have jumped into this episode to talk about their own experiences and considerations.
Welcome to Season 3!
During this session Laura and Nigel talk about new additional retirement flexibilities which have and are being introduced into the NHS Pension Scheme.
The cost of living is a hot topic at the moment. Increasing costs and inflation are hitting individuals in a very obvious and difficult way.
Where do and should pensions fit into all of this?
Balance of living for now v saving for later ?
We had a request!
Can we please talk about the Minimum Pension Age changes. Aye - here you go!
Short but sweet.
Earliest age at which you can access your pension benefits.
So short, Laura is flying solo.
With the McCloud Ruling coming into law from 1 April 2022, the countdown is on.
Pen-gage have run many webinars for Public Sector employers and individuals over recent weeks to explain what these changes mean.
Given the proximity to the 1 April - this podcast is dedicated as another recap of what this ruling is, picking up on some of the FAQ and discussing any action that people do or do not need to take.
Short but sweet!
Laura & Nigel are discussing an underutilised salary sacrifice option to help individuals obtain pensions guidance and 'advice'. Saves money through tax and NI savings and also the cost can be spread across 12 months, making it a lot more accessible.
EPISODE 10!!
Warning This episode is 45 minutes long (Laura was two cups of coffee in before she started!)
Just over 4 months until the new legislation kicks in which will effect the McCloud Ruling/remedy. Over the last few weeks we have heard some awful and frightening rumours about what people think this change means.
We have had a go a dispelling some of those myths and re-explaining the concept as succinctly as we can!
We also decided to touch on this thing called the 'cost cap' which some of the unions are heavily involved in at the moment.
Have a listen.
13 September 2021 marks the start of Pensions Awareness Week. In this episode of the Podcast Laura and Nigel discuss the pros and cons of awareness weeks.
What is really meant by awareness? Strategies to improve awareness - the five point plan and Bacon. Also Bacon.
Laura is flying solo in this episode. She is explaining a little bit about:
- Pension tax reliefs
- What the Annual Allowance is
- How pension growth is measured
- Options for paying any pensions tax due
- How this position can arise
This does not contain all information pertaining to the allowance and you will need to ensure that you understand your own circumstances. It might however provide some insight and some tips.
Not financial advice.
Nigel grills Laura on what gives her a bee in her bonnet on social media - in pensions.
On the day of Eng vs Ger, what's Laura most agitated about?
Particularly NHS Pensions, opts outs and early retirement positioning along with pensions tax.
How to understand your pension statement for defined contribution schemes - which are personal pensions, AVCs and most private sector pensions.
What options will you have at retirement?
Nigel won. He mentions that a couple of times. Think he made the chickens up though.
It's coming up the annual pension statement time.
Join Laura and Nigel on a game of Pensions Bingo. This episode we look at some of the key pensions terms that you will see on your pension statement and try and explain what they mean in easy to understand language.
Albeit with a slight bingo spin....
Pensions. Employers. Employees. Self Employed.
Melissa Middleton - a business adviser from PNE - joins Laura on today's episode, talking through some of the real issues for employers and self employed savers.
More jokes are also available...
Keep a look out for Mel's zoo
Sort of pensions sort of a bit not really.
In this episode Laura and Nigel both tell awful jokes, look at some of the issues around engaging with money. Rattle off a list of hints and hacks and take a dip into some thoughts around savings and pensions.
So, if you want to find out how to get a cheap MOT, or how to get free money and listen to the rather disturbing money hacks some of our listeners have (stay on till the end)... take a listen.
During Episode 2 Laura and Nigel discuss some of the critical factors which we should be considering as part of retirement planning - and it isn't all about money - how self aware are you?!
Nigel confirms he does not in fact know everything but does love a goo analogy.
Nothing is more relatable than individual experiences and Laura's dad!
Spoiler alert: No Nigel jokes this week, but we do bring some fun facts to the table.
Also as an added bonus 'Travel Tips with Nigel'
Happy Listening.
This is the first of our podcasts and we are starting off gently with some of the wider pensions issues. First things first, people just don't like to love their pension. #headinthesand
Nigel and Laura discuss some of the reasons people do not actively engage with their pension.
Nigel makes a terrible dad joke, talks about his dad - who has been in retirement longer than he was at work and reads the results of a recent poll we undertook.
Laura expresses her discontent at the use of pensions jargon, the fact that her husband has only ever sent three emails in his entire life and drops some in pension cliches.