Pension Release is the process of taking a Tax-Free cash sum from your UK pension. Traditional pensions have been under-performing in the last few years, with all UK pension funds having declared a shortfall because they are invested in stocks, bonds, trusts and funds. UK Pension funds are now considered a toxic debt with insufficient money to meet their pension liability. Falls in stock markets mean that many funds are worth a quarter less than two years ago †despite a recent share price rally. If your pension fund(s) are still invested in one of these old-style traditional pension funds and have been performing badly, now might be a good time to consider moving to a different investment vehicle such as a Self Invested Pension Plan (SIPP). And in many circumstances, moving your pension-fund can also hold the key to releasing part of your fund and releasing cash tax-free from your pension. You may consider releasing money for many reasons, such as; â€for further investment elsewhere â€to clear existing debt â€as a debt consolidation program â€as an alternative to taking a loan â€to make a beneficial financial settlement â€to clear a mortgage or other loan For example - in certain circumstances, another loan is the last thing you want. Furthermore, if you have financial difficulties then it's not uncommon for loan companies to take advantage, with higher rates or security demands. So as part of a sensible financial-planning exercise, releasing cash from your pension could be a real option for you. Especially if you have been paying into a pension scheme for more than five years. Pros and Cons. Transferring your fund will almost certainly incur setup fees (which are normally taken from the value of the fund when transferred, not as upfront charges), and it is not uncommon for pension companies to try and discourage investors from leaving their scheme by fining from or withdrawing accrued bonus payments from the final value of the fund. Although in such cases, for most investors loss of bonuses counts as little disincentive when they have already seen the value of their pension fund decimated, and look set to see its value plummet even further when they can just move ahead and get their fund in a better performing pension investment vehicle, such as a SIPP offering guaranteed yearly returns to get their pension fund working for them again. Not to mention the opportunity of getting some of their fund released in the process as an added bonus. How Long Does it Take? The first step is to obtain a transfer value from your existing pension provider. This is usually a quick and simple process. Send your pension company the required form and wait for them to reply, or this can be done on your behalf by your advisor with a signed Letter of Authority. If you decide to go ahead and begin the process of transferring the fund away from your current provider, then depending on your provider the transfer process can take anywhere between 2-3 months.
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