Do I need divorce - for tax reasons

Do I need divorce - for tax reasons

Author
Discussion

IJWS15

Original Poster:

1,854 posts

86 months

Thursday 24th June 2021
quotequote all
Been doing some rough calculations and I appear close to the lifetime pension allowance (3 final salary schemes plus some hefty DC contributions. One of the DB schemes is appreciating at 6% pa as I am over pension age (60) and not drawing it.

Now my current contributions are matched by my employer so for every £100 I get £200 in the scheme and by not contributing I would pay 40% tax leaving me with £60 in hand rather than £200 in the scheme but . . . . . If I slip over the allowance I will pay 55% plus income tax on lump sums or 25% plus income tax on pension from the surplus (No wonder Doctors retire early). She isn't working so there is no tax benefit in making contributions into her schemes and we lose the employer contribution.

If we divorce all the schemes get split 50:50 and if we then remarry neither of us will be anywhere near the lifetime allowance as the schemes don't re-combine . . . . .

Comments?

Granted if we make it to 60 years "together" we won't get a card from the Queen as it won't be continuous service.

Should LTA be transferrable within couples to avoid this issue?

IJWS15

Original Poster:

1,854 posts

86 months

Thursday 24th June 2021
quotequote all
I don't think it was what she had in mind when she said she wanted to renew our vows!

IJWS15

Original Poster:

1,854 posts

86 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
Checked the numbers last night and looks like I will reach 95% by planned retirement so I don't need to ask her, yet!

Now if I had worked for the same company for 40 years and half of that had been final salary I would be over the allowance . . is that the people they really want to hit with this?