The Sunday Times personal finance guide to your pension - Helen Pridham

A comprehensive guide to the various types of pension schemes available and advice on how best to ensure a secure financial future in retirement.

Twenty years ago most people did not give their pensions a second thought. Today, people of all ages are aware that their pension is likely to be the biggest investment they will ever make. The realization that the State is not going to support everyone in old age has forced people to acknowledge that pensions are vitally important. Moreover, increasingly flexible work patterns mean that the onus is on the individual as much as on the employer to initiate plans for future security.

This guide shows how to plan for your income and investments in retirement and tackles the following issues:

State pensions, occupational pensions
Changing jobs and pension options
Topping up company schemes
Choosing a personal pension and options for the self employed
Career breaks/time spent working abroad
Pensions and divorce
Retirement - lump sums, annuity options, income drawdown and phased retirement

Your Pension is a concise and accessible guide which illuminates the way to retirement with a minimum of financial worries.