3 June 2026
How you can show your pensions some loveIf you’ve seen our report into the gender pension gap, you’ll know that we’ve identified that it...
About the expert
Charlene Young is AJ Bell’s Senior Pensions and Savings Expert. She joined AJ Bell in 2014 from a wealth management firm where she worked with private clients and small businesses as a financial planner.
Charlene has over 15 years’ experience in financial services, holding Chartered Financial Planner status and Chartered membership of the Personal Finance Society (PFS). She's also an associate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has a degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Bristol.
She's a core member of our team who create content and information to help you invest - from how to map out your financial goals and which accounts can help you on your investing journey, to making sense of the more intricate parts of the tax and pension rules.
Pensions are Charlene's thing, and her goal is to make them less daunting and complicated for everyone. She does this by writing articles for our website and investor newsletters, as well as recording podcasts, videos and webinars for our website, apps and social media channels. She’s been instrumental in the delivery of AJ Bell’s 'Learn' area – a hub of educational content for those newer to investing.
You’ll also see Charlene representing AJ Bell at our investor events and providing comments for national press and adviser publications. She’s a director of AJ Bell’s pension trustee companies.
Latest articles from Charlene Young
2 June 2026
Crunching the numbers on how much you need for the retirement you wantRising prices for food, essentials and leisure have hiked what people need from their pensions in retirement, according to the latest Retirement Living Standards from Pensions UK.
A ‘comfortable’ lifestyle is now priced at £45,400 a year for a single person, with the ‘moderate’ and ‘minimum’ lifestyles coming in at an annual cost of £32,700 and £13...
26 May 2026
Withdrawing money from an ISAAre you wondering how withdrawals from ISA accounts work? Learn more about the rules around ISA withdrawals and how you can withdraw money out of an ISA.
26 May 2026
What is a UFPLS and how does it work with a SIPP?Learn how to use UFPLS with a SIPP, including eligibility, tax implications, and key considerations for flexible pension withdrawals with AJ Bell.
19 May 2026
SIPP withdrawals and accessYou now have greater flexibility than ever when deciding how to take your pension. Withdraw 25% of your SIPP fund tax-free or explore alternative options here.
15 May 2026
Five pension pitfalls and how to avoid themYou’ve spent your working life building up your savings. Hopefully making the most of the tax incentives pensions have to offer and compound returns over the long term. But retirement is the point where the impact of financial decisions can actually start to compound in reverse, if you take a wrong turn.
Here are five common pension pitfalls that...
12 May 2026
Gender pension gap: the big change that happens at age 28Read the full report from the AJ Bell Money Matters team
There is no hiding from the gender pension gap. But looking at how and when it starts could provide valuable insight into the best ways of working towards closing it.
New research from AJ Bell Money Matters shows that among retail investors, men and women’s pension contributions start taking...
23 April 2026
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...
21 April 2026
How much cash should I hold before investing?If you’ve read any tips or checklists to help your get started with investing, you’ll have seen sorting a cash buffer or emergency fund mentioned.
Having a decent chunk of money readily available in an easy access account is a vital part of any financial plan. But there’s a balance to be had between holding too much cash, which might mean you never...
17 April 2026
Withdrawing your pension in fullIf you’re 55 or over, you can choose to withdraw all your pension pot in one go - but what are the implications? We list the main things you should think about.
