31 March 2026
Creating a retirement income strategy: the different routes to considerWe all work hard during our career to put money away for later in life, with a key focus on growing wealth over time. Hitting retirement often calls for a shift to the investment strategy that might have been in places for decades.
It’s easy to say you move from growth to income, yet the way you pivot depends on your age, risk appetite, life...
11 March 2026
What the Iran conflict means for your retirement and spendingGiven the scale of the instability we are seeing in the Middle East – and specifically the knock-on impact on oil supplies and global confidence – it is inevitable there will be a short-term impact (at the very least) on people who are invested in global markets.
If you have a defined contribution (DC) pension – either set up through your employer...
19 February 2026
Should you be investing more in your pension or ISA?As much as we may want to invest, for most of us, there’s only so much money left over each month to put in the market. This means needing to pick and choose what we invest for, and how to make those investments. Fortunately, the UK offers two tax-efficient wrappers for investments through pensions and ISAs which can be a good starting point for...
11 February 2026
Will you be impacted by the state pension age increase?The state pension is the bedrock upon which millions of Brits build their retirement plans. However, the sands are shifting, with a long-trailed hike in the state pension age to 67 kicking off from April this year and completing in 2028.
In the short term, that is a recipe for confusion – many of those affected during the transition will inevitably...
2 February 2026
The most popular investments in AJ Bell ISAs and pensions in 2026It is natural for someone who shares an interest with their friends or family to want to know what relevant choices they make – whether that is the outfits they bought, the paperbacks on their bookshelf, or even the records in their music collection. The same applies to investments and where people have put their money.
We all have different tastes...
30 January 2026
You might be closer to achieving your pension plan than you thinkWhen it comes time to hang up the boots, it’s common to face anxiety about our savings being enough for the retirement we imagined.
Preparing for retirement, we often think about how much we plan to spend, whether that’s continuing a similar lifestyle to your current one or abandoning the UK winters for sea-side sun. Depending on the plans, this...
28 January 2026
How to choose the right investment accountChapter three of our ‘Investing for beginners’ series sees Charlene Young give a run down of the different account options available, and what investing goals may be best suited for each account.
3 December 2025
What to do if you took your pension lump sum pre-BudgetIn the lead up to the Budget, many retirees opted to take a tax-free lump sum from their pension after a series of rumours that there would be cuts to the allowance.
But tax-free lump sums were not changed in the Budget, leaving some in an awkward position of now having a chunk of cash sitting in their accounts, with no need to spend it right away...
19 November 2025
How could changes to salary sacrifice affect you?Reports suggest reform of salary sacrifice pension schemes could be on the cards as the Chancellor chooses to dance around Labour’s manifesto promises to boost the public finances.
Although clamping down on salary sacrifice isn’t an explicit tax rise, many employees will see less in their pay packets and ultimately their pension pots too. And...
13 November 2025
How much do you need to save in your pension?Setting yourself up for retirement is one of life's biggest goals, and one of the hardest to plan for.
It's impossible to know exactly how much you’ll need in retirement, because you can’t anticipate every life event or how inflation might change prices by the time you get there. However, having a number in mind can be a helpful goal to aim for...
13 November 2025
The fate of tax-free cash in the BudgetA slash of tax-free cash is said to be off the table for this month’s Budget, according to a confirmation by treasury officials to the Telegraph.
Attacking tax-free cash at the Budget would have been a tough sell for the chancellor, raising little money and causing uproar from young and old alike.
It would also likely have led to further industrial...
10 November 2025
How much do I need to retire?Charlene Young, AJ Bell’s Senior Pensions and Savings Expert discusses how much you might need in your pension to fund the retirement you want.
9 November 2025
Pension drawdown – What you need to knowCharlene Young, Senior Pensions and Savings Expert, runs through how pension drawdown works, its advantages, risks, and tax implications.
8 November 2025
How can you access your pension at retirement? Your pension options explainedCharlene Young, Senior Pensions and Savings Expert, runs through the four mains ways that you can access the pensions savings from your SIPP.
6 November 2025
Find out why the Treasury response to AJ Bell’s pensions petition mattersMPs from the Petitions Committee have told the Treasury its response to an AJ Bell petition was not up to scratch after the Government refused to commit to current policies on pension tax-free cash or tax relief.
The Treasury’s response followed a petition raised by AJ Bell, which called for a commitment to pension tax stability. This primarily...
6 November 2025
What happens to your pension when you die?Charlene Young, AJ Bell’s Senior Pensions and Savings Expert answers a question lots of people might want to ask but few feel comfortable talking about: what happens to your pension when you pass away?
30 October 2025
Will Gen Z pensions need millions to fund retirement?How much money you need to save in your pension is an age-old question, and notoriously hard to answer.
Even those that are at retirement age aren’t able to perfectly estimate what they’ll need. There could be unexpected health issues, home expenses, or market volatility that you weren’t able to anticipate.
These numbers get even more vague when we...
22 October 2025
Pensioners account for nearly half of taxpayers hit by cash savings tax trapPensioners account for almost half (44%) of all taxpayers facing an HMRC bill for interest earned on their cash savings, new data obtained by AJ Bell shows.
A freedom of information request from the investment platform shows HMRC expects 1,160,000 people over state pension age to incur an income tax liability on savings this tax year (2025/26).
It...
17 October 2025
How to manage higher capital gains taxLast year’s increases to capital gains tax (CGT) were perhaps not as bad as feared, but calls for reform have restarted as another budget looms. It’s a good time to consider the financial planning threats and opportunities arise.
Higher rates of capital gains tax were an unwelcome addition to the burden shouldered by investors, who already faced...
15 October 2025
What to do when you’re laid off – right as you’re nearing retirementThe last years of your career aren’t something that’s usually associated with uncertainty. In many cases, you’ll have been at the company for years and bring a wealth of knowledge that has earned you status as a senior member of staff.
But often, a senior status comes with a fatter pay cheque. And in the event of a round of layoffs, this might push...
3 October 2025
Your chance to call on the government for pension reassuranceAJ Bell is petitioning the government to make a public commitment not to alter key pension tax incentives – tax free cash entitlement and tax relief – for at least this parliament.
If you share this view, add your name to AJ Bell’s petition, with 10,000 signatures forcing a government response.
When people save in a pension they enter a tax pact...
2 October 2025
What should pension savers consider before taking their tax-free cash?With the Budget fast approaching, the rumour mill is going into overdrive over whether there will be changes to pensions tax incentives from November.
Those who have built up larger pension pots must feel somewhat caught in the headlights. But trying to make decisions based on policy rumours becomes a guessing game.
Whether and when to take tax...
2 October 2025
Do I pay tax on the state pension?Even though you receive the state pension from the government, it still is classified as taxable income. The full state pension is currently £230.25 a week, equivalent to £11,973 a year. This is based on 35 full qualifying years of National Insurance contributions. What you'll get will depend on your own record, and the number of qualifying years...
22 September 2025
Annuities are paying out more: why are pensioners still avoiding them?Annuity rates are looking much juicier than they were thanks to rising bond yields, but retiring pension savers don’t seem to be taking much notice. When George Osborne introduced the pension freedoms a decade ago, the proportion of people buying an annuity at retirement plummeted from 90% to around 10%. It has remained close to that level ever...
17 September 2025
State pension expects 4.7% increase to beat inflationPensioners will be rejoicing at the prospect of an inflation-busting rise to the state pension from April next year as a result of the triple lock guarantee, with the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) earnings growth figure coming in at 4.7% for the period between May and July of this year.
The triple lock guarantee means that the state...
11 September 2025
Saving for retirement when you’re self-employedWhen you work for yourself, you don’t have the luxury of auto-enrolment and a HR department to sort a pension for you. Competing pressures on your time and the fact income can be lumpier than a regular salary can mean that saving looks different for you.
But pensions are not just for employees and the powerful tax perks they come with can turn even...
11 September 2025
HMRC toughens checks on pension tax relief: could you be missing out on extra money?From 1 September, HMRC has made it tougher to claim pension tax relief, requiring everyone to evidence their claim for higher amounts. Previously, the requirement to evidence a claim was only placed on those paying in more than £10,000.
Those who have a pension in a ‘relief at source’ scheme or a personal pension like a Self-invested personal...
11 September 2025
How to invest in your pension during your 30sLife tends to take shape in your 30s, with career progression, the start of a family, and perhaps your first home. And while there’s a lot going on in the here and now, it’s also a vital time to start investing in your future self.
One of the easiest ways you can do this is through a pension. For many, a pension will be their main source of income...
10 September 2025
What to do with your pension in your 60sWhile lots of people in their 60s will either have retired or plan to retire imminently, this is by no means a given. Brits are living longer, healthier lives than ever before and many choose to keep working – either full or part-time – well into their 60s, 70s and even 80s.
Whatever your intentions, it’s important to keep up with pension policy...
10 September 2025
How to claim pension tax reliefLearn how pension tax relief works and how to claim it. Understand the benefits, limits, and steps to ensure you're getting what you're entitled to.
10 September 2025
This is what AJ Bell’s investors are holding in their SIPPsSelf-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) allow plenty of choice when it comes to investment options. This is a perk that many AJ Bell customers have taken advantage of, putting their savings into a variety of stocks, funds, investment trusts and ETFs instead of the cookie cutter pension investment options.
However, choosing investments for your...
10 September 2025
What to do with your pension in your 20sPlanning for your retirement is likely not your top priority in your 20s. You might be facing hefty university loans, trying to support yourself on an entry-level salary, and figuring out how you want to set up your life. But ironically, your 20s can be the most impactful working years for creating a comfortable retirement.
Thankfully, you can...
10 September 2025
Managing your pension in your 50sIn your 50s, retirement might be just over the horizon. All the years of saving for a goal in the distant future will suddenly start to pay off for avid investors. But now, there will be a new consideration: How do you manage your retirement savings, and when and how can you access them? Here are the main things you need to think about with...
10 September 2025
How to claim the state pensionYou’ve worked out your state pension age, checked for any gaps in your National Insurance record and know what amount you’re due to receive. But how do you get your state pension paid and is there any benefit to deferring it?
Although you should get a letter with an invitation code around four months before you reach your state pension age, you’ll...
10 September 2025
Investing your pension in your 40sIt’s easy to move retirement planning and saving in pensions to the bottom of your to do list, before suddenly feeling you’ve missed the boat. But the good news is that there are plenty of things that savers in their 40s can do to build their retirement pot.
Getting startedWhether you are well into building your pension or just getting started...
9 September 2025
How your pension can lower your tax billLike the sound of keeping more of what you earn and beating the worst tax traps in the UK system? Then read on to discover the power of pension contributions.
Rising incomes coupled with frozen thresholds and allowances mean the taxman is set to rake in an extra £20 billion this tax year, according to HMRC statistics. A further 500,000 people will...
8 September 2025
The state pension - everything you need to knowThe state pension forms a big part of lots of people’s retirement plans, with the money helping to bolster any income from personal or company pensions. But with the age being extended and worries about the rising cost of it for the government, there are concerns it could be trimmed back.
For those nearing retirement it’s important to know all the...
3 September 2025
When can I access my pension?Many of us start saving into a pension from the age of 22 or even earlier. This is the age from which your employer usually has to automatically enrol you into a pension scheme. If you choose to pay into a pension, then your employer also has to chip in with their own contributions.
It’s natural that as you start to approach retirement you will...
14 August 2025
Is dividend tax taking a toll on your gains?The number of people that will pay tax on their dividends across all income brackets has doubled over the past four tax years as the dividend allowance shrinks.
While the allowance used to be £2,000, it has now fallen to just £500, with the rest categorised as income. Now, 3.7 million people are paying tax on their dividends, and it’s not just...
11 August 2025
How much can savers have before hitting their tax-free limit?Even though the Bank of England cut interest rates this week, millions of savers will still be hit with a tax bill for their savings interest.
Our FOI this week showed that one in 15 taxpayers are expected to pay some tax on their savings in the current tax year. And HMRC estimates that Brits will earn around £20 billion from interest on non-ISA...
11 August 2025
Government highlights ‘chronic’ pension crisis: do you have enough to retire?More than two-fifths of working-age Brits are under-saving for retirement, equating to 14.6 million people, according to new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions.
The data found that fewer than 1-in-4 people are on course to hit trade body Pensions UK’s ‘comfortable’ retirement income level, and more than 1-in-10 won’t even reach the...
5 August 2025
Are you owed back tax on your pension? HMRC quirk eating into retirees’ incomeRetirees making flexible withdrawals from their pension have been temporarily shortchanged by nearly £1.5bn due to a quirk in HMRC’s systems.
New figures showed that in April, May and June this year Brits reclaimed £49 million of money where they have overpaid tax on their pension withdrawals. During the period nearly 13,000 reclaim forms were...
25 July 2025
How to make gifts from your pension incomeFrom 6 April 2027, pensions will be included in your estate for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. There’s no doubt this aims to raise tax revenue, but the government clearly wants to encourage people to use their pensions in retirement, rather than leaving them untouched as a way of passing on wealth free of inheritance tax.
In this article, I’ll...
25 July 2025
Government confirms pensions will face inheritance tax: everything you need to knowThe government has confirmed it will press ahead with plans that mean most unused pensions will be subject to inheritance tax from April 2027.
How you are affected will depend on the value of your pension when you die, your other assets and who you plan to leave them to.
The government expects the changes to impact 8% of estates. While that is a...
24 July 2025
Why you may have to wait longer to claim the state pensionThe government has launched a new review of the state pension age, which may mean that it rises to the age of 68 sooner than planned.
Currently both men and women can claim the state pension from the age of 66, but this is already planned to rise to 67 and to 68 for future pensioners. However, the government has launched the third review of the...
16 July 2025
How to invest on a £30k salaryI started my first job in London on a salary of £30k. It wasn't the lowest salary among my friends, but every month still ended with dinners of a hodgepodge of pasta noodles from the back of my cupboard and sauce that was a few days past the best by date.
It didn’t feel very possible to set money aside for the future when it felt so necessary for...
4 July 2025
What voters think of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax rises after a year in officeSubjecting unused pension funds to inheritance tax (IHT) on death is the most unpopular tax measure announced by the government since entering office, according to a new survey* conducted on behalf of AJ Bell
Just a fifth of Brits (21%) say they support the pension IHT policy, due to come into force from April 2027, while 44% say they’re against...
17 June 2025
Gifting money: how inheritance tax works on different assetsLabour’s 2024 Budget contained proposals to bring more assets into the clutches of inheritance tax (IHT) for the first time as well as an extended freeze of the tax-free allowances and thresholds. Currently around one in 20 estates pay IHT, but this is expected to narrow to one in 10 by the end of this parliament.
What is in my estate?Your ‘estate...
17 June 2025
Planning your income for retirementYou’ve spent your working life building up your savings and investments across different pension, investment accounts and ISAs. When the time comes, it’s worth having an eye on the way different income sources are taxed.
By understanding how your tax-free allowances, you can make your wealth last longer through retirement and keep more of what you...
16 June 2025
How your pension can save you from paying too much taxWhile a promotion or new role often comes with the benefit of extra money in your pocket, you may be surprised when you receive your first pay check by how much of that extra income has been gobbled up by tax.
This is especially true when that new role pops you into a higher tax bracket, and suddenly, some of your income is being taxed at a rate of...
