When Is It Too Late To Start Your Pension

If you’re knocking fifty, chances are you’re becoming a little concerned about how you will pay for yourself upon retirement. The problem began in the 1980s really, when rich folks were having such a fantastic time under the Thatcher government that they forgot to start saving for their old age. Because of that, there are now millions of soon-to-be pensioners with no financial backing at all - so don’t worry too much, you’re certainly not alone. 

With that in mind, surely you must realise that even now you still have enough time to start paying into a pension scheme for when you retire. Okay, you won’t be a well-off OAP, but you’ll definitely be in a better position - that much is guaranteed. 

So, if you’re considering starting a late pension, then have a quick read through the rest of this short article and I’ll do my utmost to help you out. 

Find Out What You’re Worth

Before opting to pay into a pension scheme at this late hour, it’s important that you spend some time working out how much money you’re currently worth. You might find that you’re living in a fully paid for property that’s worth over £200,000, and if this applies to you, it might be more sensible to sell the house, downsize, and live off the profits. 

However, if you have no assets and determine your worth to be less than this amount, it probably is worth looking at your options for pension schemes.

Utilise Tax Relief Programs

Okay, so, you might not realise this but the UK government allows for tax relief on pension payments, meaning that if you pay into a scheme during your working life, you are taxed less on your wage. In effect, for every £1 you pay into a pension scheme, it only costs you around 70 pence.

Make Maximum Payments

As you’ll be joining your pension scheme far later than most, it’s vitally important that you opt for the largest payments possible. This will obviously depend on how much you can afford, but if you want to see substantial returns when you finally retire, it’s worth paying as much as you can now. 

Also, don’t forget that if your pension pot is large enough, you could still buy an annuity when you reach retirement age that would provide you with a stable income until the day you die. However, this annuity won’t be large enough to cover day-to-day living expenses if you don’t start saving fast.

Always Seek Impartial Advice

When looking for a suitable pension scheme you won’t really have a lot of time for calling round hundreds of different providers, so make sure you seek out advice from an impartial body who have your best interests in mind. Don’t simply trust the word of the pension provider, as they will nearly always claim they offer the best deal - and they can’t all be right, can they?

My grandmother was in the same boat as you last year, and she chose to get in touch with the annuity specialist, as they offered fantastic advice as well as pointing her in the right direction to find a good provider. 

I hope that helped somewhat and you now feel more confident about making the leap and sorting your pension out before it’s too late. So the answer the question proposed in the title of this article “No, it’s never too late”.