Financial Advisors/LTD Company Director Pensions

[Al U]

Good afternoon,

I am a limited company director and want to start contributing directly from my limited company into a pension. I've done some research and from what I understand I have a couple of options -

Get a SIPP.
Get a stakeholder pension.

I notice that with a SIPP I have to decide where the money is invested. This doesn't really appeal to me to be honest, I don't follow financial markets, share prices etc. and really what I would like is to just pay into a pension that is managed by fund managers that are going to choose the investments that will give good returns based on their experience rather than mine.

I think a stakeholder pension would do this, although I understand it is generally lower risk with lower returns.

Also I have seen a lot of references to getting a financial advisor and while I think I do sound like the sort of person that needs one I just wondered if people have experience of paying these advisors £500 for advice which seems a bit steep just to get a pension set up.

[Countdown]

As with a lot of things in life the more you can do (or are able to do) yourself the cheaper and more satisfying it is. If you aren’t able to do it yourself you can pay a professional but there’s no guarantee that they’re any good or that you’ll get value for money. That applies to plumbers, mechanics, of financial advisors.

In your shoes I’d try to get somebody you know to recommend an IFA.

[98elise]

With a SIPP you can invest in a fund (or multiple funds) which will be actively managed by a fund manager.

My SIPP is with Hargreaves and Lansdown (one of the big providers) and I've spread my cash out over a variety of funds for extra diversity. I've chosen funds from H&L's Wealth 150. Also they are amongst the most popular on the H&L website.

The first fund I chose was Lindsell Train Global Equity

http://www.hl.co.uk/funds/fund-discounts,-prices--...

They have had good returns over the past few years and the managers seem to be well respected.

Obviously this isn't advice, it's just to show you that you can have a SIPP but don't need to choose your own shares.

Edited by 98elise on Sunday 11th March 14:56

[Al U]

98elise said:

With a SIPP you can invest in a fund (or multiple funds) which will be actively managed by a fund manager.

My SIPP is with Hargreaves and Lansdown (one of the big providers) and I've spread my cash out over a variety of funds for extra diversity. I've chosen funds from H&L's Wealth 150. Also they are amongst the most popular on the H&L website.

The first fund I chose was Lindsell Train Global Equity

http://www.hl.co.uk/funds/fund-discounts,-prices--...

They have had good returns over the past few years and the managers seem to be well respected.

Obviously this isn't advice, it's just to show you that you can have a SIPP but don't need to choose your own shares.

Edited by 98elise on Sunday 11th March 14:56

HL have quite a poor rating on trust pilot, that's the only thing putting me off really. The thing I like about their website compared to others it that they are constantly warning you at every stage what you are getting yourself into which some of the others seem not to.

A part of me wants to get a SIPP with them and go for their balanced risk managed fund or whatever it's called.

[Jockman]

You can also look at a SSAS.