Tuesday, 13 May 2014 09:35
Doctors, lawyers and dentists fear insufficient retirement income
Most professionals are worried that they will not be able to adequately fund their retirement, research has suggested.
A study by specialist financial services provider Wesleyan focused on its core customer groups of doctors, lawyers, dentists and teachers in coming to the conclusion.
The average respondent thought they would need £39,350 a year to live on in retirement, compared to the average pension income of £14,376.
Only 27% were relying just on a pension for retirement income, with more than half having plans to use their property for additional support.
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The survey also showed 67% didn't know how much income their pension arrangements would generate and 61% were worried they wouldn't have enough to live comfortably in retirement.
Only 27% said they were planning to retire early, down from 34% in 2011 and over a quarter felt they would have to work past their retirement age.
Some 46% reviewed their retirement planning less than once a year and of those more than half either couldn't remember the last time they reviewed their plans, or hadn't done so since joining their pension scheme.
Samantha Porter, Wesleyan's group sales and marketing director, said: "People often have a blind spot when it comes to planning for their retirement income.
"They also often over-estimate how much they will need once they stop working.
"The key thing is to have a goal and then work out how to achieve it. Pension planning should be part of a regular financial review as changes such as the fall in pension tax allowances and the initiatives announced in the Budget recently could all have an impact.
"We'd recommend that everyone gets into the habit of reviewing their finances at least once a year."
A study by specialist financial services provider Wesleyan focused on its core customer groups of doctors, lawyers, dentists and teachers in coming to the conclusion.
The average respondent thought they would need £39,350 a year to live on in retirement, compared to the average pension income of £14,376.
Only 27% were relying just on a pension for retirement income, with more than half having plans to use their property for additional support.
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The survey also showed 67% didn't know how much income their pension arrangements would generate and 61% were worried they wouldn't have enough to live comfortably in retirement.
Only 27% said they were planning to retire early, down from 34% in 2011 and over a quarter felt they would have to work past their retirement age.
Some 46% reviewed their retirement planning less than once a year and of those more than half either couldn't remember the last time they reviewed their plans, or hadn't done so since joining their pension scheme.
Samantha Porter, Wesleyan's group sales and marketing director, said: "People often have a blind spot when it comes to planning for their retirement income.
"They also often over-estimate how much they will need once they stop working.
"The key thing is to have a goal and then work out how to achieve it. Pension planning should be part of a regular financial review as changes such as the fall in pension tax allowances and the initiatives announced in the Budget recently could all have an impact.
"We'd recommend that everyone gets into the habit of reviewing their finances at least once a year."
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