Taking Pension at 55?
Taking Pension at 55?
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Discussion

gileso

Original Poster:

25 posts

86 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
I need some help with a bit of man maths.

I have a deferred DB pension I can take at 55 (in 2022) that pays £20k a year, or at 67 for £36k pa (or any age in between for a pro-rata value).

A quick bit of maths tells me that the total amount I receive will be roughly equal by the time I am 85 (and taking it later is obviously more beneficial after this age).

I intend to keep working until 67 or beyond, so I know I will be paying more income tax if I take it early, but I'm tempted to enjoy additional income whilst I can still enjoy it.

I do have other pensions that will kick in at 67, so I'm not going to be destitute either way.

What do you think I should do?


randlemarcus

13,646 posts

260 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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What age do you have hopes of getting to? biggrin

anonymous-user

83 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
To have accrued that pension, I would assume you are earning a salary somewhere in the higher rate tax bracket.

If so, if you take your pension early at 55, you are going to be paying at least 40% income tax on it. So you would only receive net something like an extra £1,000 per month.

Whereas if you delay the pension, you are probably going to be able to take most, if not all, at the lower rate of tax (depending how much longer you continue to work after that point).

Because of the extra income tax you would pay if you take it early, unless you really need the extra £1,000 per month, you would be better to delay it.

megaphone

11,649 posts

280 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
As above, you will be paying more tax on the pension payouts if you have other income. Why do you want to continue to work to 67? Why not stop at say 60, take your pension and have some quality years whilst you can?

LeadFarmer

7,411 posts

160 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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Assuming the OP pays 40% tax, could he reduce his hours at work so his salary and pension combined falls just under the 40% rate? Sacrifice some income but be at work less?

LeadFarmer

7,411 posts

160 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
gileso said:
A quick bit of maths tells me that the total amount I receive will be roughly equal by the time I am 85 (and taking it later is obviously more beneficial after this age).
Im lead to believe that's how pensions work, there's a typical age the pension companies expect us to live to. If we draw the pension early we get less each month but are claiming it for a longer period. Drawing it later pays you more each month but you are claiming it for shorter period of time. At the time we reach the typical age we will have received the same amount. Live longer than the typical age and we gain ££.

GT3Manthey

4,745 posts

78 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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I’m taking mine at 55 & using a combination of Isas and cash .

I figure I may as well have some quality years before things slow down as I figure I’ll need/spend less the older i get .

Working whilst taking pension is a conundrum.
I guess being self employed and using a company name might avoid the issue of paying more tax ?

TwigtheWonderkid

48,990 posts

179 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
gileso said:
I need some help with a bit of man maths.

I have a deferred DB pension I can take at 55 (in 2022) that pays £20k a year, or at 67 for £36k pa (or any age in between for a pro-rata value).

A quick bit of maths tells me that the total amount I receive will be roughly equal by the time I am 85 (and taking it later is obviously more beneficial after this age).
I make it break even at 82.

By not taking the pension from 55 to 67, you're losing out on £20K a year for 12 years, so at 67 you're £240K down. From 67 on, you get an extra £16K a year, so in 15 years you'll have made up the lost £240K.

Unless I've misunderstood, which is entirely possible.

anonymous-user

83 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I make it break even at 82.

By not taking the pension from 55 to 67, you're losing out on £20K a year for 12 years, so at 67 you're £240K down. From 67 on, you get an extra £16K a year, so in 15 years you'll have made up the lost £240K.

Unless I've misunderstood, which is entirely possible.
And if it is the case that the initial pension would be paid at the higher rate of tax (at least until the OP actually retired), it probably moves the breakeven point to something like 78 years old.

paddy1970

1,466 posts

138 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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Another option is to go part-time.

cavey76

430 posts

175 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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TwigtheWonderkid said:
I make it break even at 82.

By not taking the pension from 55 to 67, you're losing out on £20K a year for 12 years, so at 67 you're £240K down. From 67 on, you get an extra £16K a year, so in 15 years you'll have made up the lost £240K.

Unless I've misunderstood, which is entirely possible.
Looking at a similar conundrum for my wife who has a few more years to go in a teacher pension. The calculation there is similar to above but as her DB is index linked to some degree the gain isnt as simple as 12 x 20K as the 20K will grow. There are numerous videos on YT which point to it being worth taking sooner at the reduced rate in the teachers case.

YMMV

TwigtheWonderkid

48,990 posts

179 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
cavey76 said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I make it break even at 82.

By not taking the pension from 55 to 67, you're losing out on £20K a year for 12 years, so at 67 you're £240K down. From 67 on, you get an extra £16K a year, so in 15 years you'll have made up the lost £240K.

Unless I've misunderstood, which is entirely possible.
Looking at a similar conundrum for my wife who has a few more years to go in a teacher pension. The calculation there is similar to above but as her DB is index linked to some degree the gain isnt as simple as 12 x 20K as the 20K will grow. There are numerous videos on YT which point to it being worth taking sooner at the reduced rate in the teachers case.

YMMV
Sure, there are other variables, but I was just looking at the base line figures. He could buy £50K of premium bonds with your first 2.5years of £20K/year from aged 55, and no doubt you would have regular £25 wins over the following 9.5 years. Maybe even a big win.

rfisher

5,063 posts

312 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
Take the £20k from 55 and stick it all on black annually until you're 67.

Be a great day out at the Casino, win or lose.

Make it your wedding anniversary or birthday for extra fun.

Someone better than me at maffs will be along soon to let us all know what the odds are that he'll be up by 67.

And have had 12 years' more playtime.

What's not to like?

LeadFarmer

7,411 posts

160 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
rfisher said:
Take the £20k from 55 and stick it all on black annually until you're 67.

B
Nice idea biggrin

I'll even act as the casino for him. gileso, if you send me the £20k I'll spin the roulette wheel. In fact I've just spun it, and it was red. Hard luck. I'll pm you my bank details to send me the £20k.

Catch ya next year smile

gileso

Original Poster:

25 posts

86 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
Thanks for all the constructive replies - even the idea of an annual casino trip appeals!

A couple of things. Income tax - yes, well aware the actual cash I take will be reduced by the higher tax rate whilst I'm still working. I'll still be wqrking because previous issues mean I've got a mortgage that lasts all the way up to retirement age - although the pension would cover that on an annual basis.

The 'breakeven point' in gross income terms is a bit higher than 82 years due to index-linking of the payments.

I suppose the main point is that I my only reference for potential longevity is that my Mum has early onset dementia at 72 (no paternal reference due to complicated family issues) - no point having a higher pension if I can't enjoy it.

Thanks again. Still got time to think about it...

anonymous-user

83 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
gileso said:
....
The 'breakeven point' in gross income terms is a bit higher than 82 years due to index-linking of the payments.
..
I presume that is because you are accounting for the index-linking in the pension from the point it begins to be paid. But wouldn't there also be some uplift in the deferred pension before it begins to be drawn?

Mogul

3,066 posts

252 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
So you have one DB scheme that you could access at 55 but no other pension pots that are accessible before 67?

You could take your DB pension from 55 and this would not trigger the MPAA meaning that you could continue to make contributions in excess of £4K pa for longer and get full tax relief on these contributions (assuming you have available Annual Allowance).

This could help you ‘bank’ additional assets within a personal pension which you could then flexibly access at some later date (25% tax free, with the balance held in drawdown plan to be used at some later date - income tax due as and when you take it).

Eg.

If you pay 40% tax and receive £12k of DB pension income…. Pay £12k into your SIPP > get 40% tax relief > SIPP is boosted by £20k > you then take £5k PCLS and leave £15k in FAD.

End result is that £12k of gross pension paid by your DB scheme, which would have been worth just £7.2k net after 40% tax, has been converted into £5k of tax free cash and £15k added to your SIPP….

mike9009

10,823 posts

272 months

Monday 13th September 2021
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
gileso said:
I need some help with a bit of man maths.

I have a deferred DB pension I can take at 55 (in 2022) that pays £20k a year, or at 67 for £36k pa (or any age in between for a pro-rata value).

A quick bit of maths tells me that the total amount I receive will be roughly equal by the time I am 85 (and taking it later is obviously more beneficial after this age).
I make it break even at 82.

By not taking the pension from 55 to 67, you're losing out on £20K a year for 12 years, so at 67 you're £240K down. From 67 on, you get an extra £16K a year, so in 15 years you'll have made up the lost £240K.

Unless I've misunderstood, which is entirely possible.
What is the break even after tax considerations? I know there are many considerations but I would hate giving 40% of my pension income to the taxman....

Personally, I would take a more balanced approach and look at taking the pension at about 61 years with a view to full retirement then.

gileso

Original Poster:

25 posts

86 months

Saturday 18th September 2021
quotequote all
Mogul said:


If you pay 40% tax and receive £12k of DB pension income…. Pay £12k into your SIPP > get 40% tax relief > SIPP is boosted by £20k > you then take £5k PCLS and leave £15k in FAD.
Isn't this what the pension recycling rules were meant to prevent happening?

Vasco

18,009 posts

134 months

Saturday 18th September 2021
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I'd be rather concerned at the assumption that anybody will live to 82, or even 67. The stats may well support that it's highly possible but I'm also aware of many who have died, or become seriously ill, well before that time.
Personally, I'd want to properly live my life while I'm both alive - and fit enough to do whatever I want.