How Does a Pension Annuity Work?

A pension annuity is a method of taking a regular income from your retirement savings to support your lifestyle after you finish work.

It provides a practical way to manage your finances and make them last for as long as you or potentially your beneficiaries are alive.

In this article, we explore the annuity, its meaning, its benefits and alternatives, and the significance of a 1 million pound pension pot annuity.

 

What is a Pension Annuity?

 

Simply put, a pension annuity is an insurance policy that can be purchased with your retirement funds to provide you with a regular income for the rest of your life or a set period.

 

Buying a pension annuity is relatively simple. The funds in your existing pension are used to calculate your “pension annuity rate” – a set percentage to be paid to you, monthly, quarterly, yearly, depending on the amount you have built up, provider of the annuity, your life expectancy and other factors.

 

At present, the average retired UK resident achieves an income of £15,080 per year, paid from a pension pot of £355,000 in total. However, the ideal figure stands at £34,000 a year, which is only achievable with close to a £1 million pension pot annuity.

 

This means it is vital to ensure that your retirement savings are building as effectively as possible, with immediate effect. Arranging a pension consultation with an established financial advisor can help you do this.

 

The Hilltop Finance pension advisers can help you take the first steps towards understanding how much you’re likely to have saved by the time you retire.

 

What is a Single Life Annuity Pension Benefit?

 

A Single Life annuity is an insurance product that ceases to payout once the annuity policyholder passes away. 

 

Suppose you would like funds to go to any financial dependents. In that case, you can arrange a Joint Life Annuity, which means that any amount that remains in the pension pot after the pension holder’s death will be paid to their spouse, civil partner or any other named individual.

What Happens to a Pension Annuity When You Die?

 

If you pass away, your annuity normally stops, however, there are many options you can take to ensure your pension is not lost all together.

 

As we mentioned, an annuity is an insurance policy whereby the provider gambles on the amount of money you need, how long you will live versus the amount of funds you’ve used to purchase your policy. If you have arranged a basic pension annuity with no additional features, any leftover funds will be lost when you pass away; you cannot request a lump sum payment for the balance of your purchase. Once an annuity is purchased, you cannot change your mind and cash in your policy; they are a fixed, non-flexible product. 

 

Some providers allow pension holders to arrange a Joint Life Annuity – as mentioned above – that will enable the funds to be transferred to another named individual on your death. 

 

You may also be able to organise “Value Protection”,; an approach that sees an amount of the fund used to purchase your annuity to be paid out as a lump sum.

 

There is also the option of a “Guarantee Period”, which will result in a slightly reduced regular annuity income but will see the fund protected for a set number of years, even if you die within that time.

 

If a person’s life expectancy has been calculated to be shorter than average – due to a particular health condition or lifestyle, for example – they may be eligible for enhanced pension annuity rates.

 

This enhanced pension annuity pays out at a higher rate to allow the pension holder to make the most of their savings.

 

Is Pension Drawdown Better Than an Annuity?

 

A pension drawdown is a popular alternative to the traditional annuity. It allows for greater flexibility to manage your money and income withdrawals but also tends to involve higher levels of risk. With a drawdown, you retain control of your withdrawals, and your funds will still be invested, so you can be susceptible to market drops and losing money.

 

With drawdown, your pension funds could grow, unlike an annuity, if managed correctly, and there is slightly less of a reliance on hitting that 1 million pound pension pot annuity amount by the time you retire as you can choose how best to access your retirement income. However, the value of your investments can go down and up, and you might get back less than you invested. 

 

Drawdowns also offer flexibility regarding the amounts you can withdraw and the times at which you’ll have access to your funds. Taking professional advice when choosing pension drawdown is critical to ensure that your money is invested in the right places for you.

 

To find out which pension withdrawal option is best for your unique circumstances, the experts at Hilltop Finance can help. We will be happy to provide you with tailored advice to make sure you get the most out of your retirement savings.

 

The Hilltop Finance team can help you learn more about retirement planning, pension annuities, and pension drawdown, including Single and Joint Life arrangements, guarantees, value protection, and other available withdrawal methods such as drawdown.

 

Contact us today for all of the advice and guidance you require.