Straight answers to the questions people actually ask
Plain-English guides to pensions, inheritance tax and retirement planning. No jargon, no sales pitch, and every figure sourced so you can check it yourself.
Passing on your wealth
The April 2027 change brings most unused pension funds into your estate for inheritance tax. These guides explain what it means and let you estimate your own position.
Pensions and Inheritance Tax from April 2027
What changes on 6 April 2027, who is affected, whether your family could pay tax twice, and the main planning options. Includes a worked example showing what £100,000 of unused pension is actually worth to a beneficiary.
Read the guide 02UK inheritance tax calculator
Estimate your inheritance tax liability in about two minutes, using the nil-rate band, the residence nil-rate band and the pension rules that apply from April 2027.
Estimate your IHTTurning a pension into an income
How much you actually need, what other people really do, and the decisions that are hard to reverse once made.
How much do you need to retire in the UK?
The Retirement Living Standards put a comfortable retirement at £45,400 a year for a single person. What those figures include, what they leave out, and how many people are on track.
Read the guide 04What does everyone else do with their pension?
The FCA publishes exactly what people do. £70.9bn withdrawn, drawdown four times more popular than annuities, and fewer than a third taking advice. The 2024/25 data explained.
Read the guide 05Drawdown vs annuity: which is right for you?
How each option works, the real pros and cons, and what today's improved annuity rates and the 2027 inheritance tax change mean for a decision that is largely irreversible.
Read the guide 06The pension access age is rising to 57
The Normal Minimum Pension Age rises from 55 to 57 on 6 April 2028. Who is affected, how protected pension ages work, and what to do if this lands in the middle of your plan.
Read the guideGetting the help you need
What financial planning actually involves, whether it is worth paying for, and how to pick someone good.
Cashflow planning: will your money last?
Modelling your income, spending and assets year by year to answer the three questions that matter: when can I afford to retire, how much can I spend, and will it last?
Learn more 08Is financial advice worth the cost?
A balanced look at the published research, the areas where advice tends to add real value, and the situations where it may not be worth paying for.
Read the guide 09How to choose a financial adviser in Southport
An honest checklist: how to check the FCA Register, independent versus restricted, what advice really costs, and where to find advisers other than me.
Read the guide 10Financial advice through divorce
Pension sharing orders, settlements and rebuilding a plan afterwards. What to think about when the finances have to be untangled.
Learn moreGot a question these guides don't answer?
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