Q. My brother (who was single) died recently, leaving his estate to me (his only sibling) and my two sons. By far the biggest asset in his estate is his house, which was mortgaged. I also stand to benefit from a life assurance policy that my brother had written in trust for me, which he intended… Read more »
Q. I am due to retire shortly after the introduction of the new single-tier state pension in 2016. Please can you tell me how my state pension entitlement will be calculated under the new system and how will my National Insurance Contributions, paid under the current regime, be taken into account? A. Yes. The new flat-rate state… Read more »
Q. I work in local government and I am a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme. A colleague has told me that the pension scheme is set to change. Is this correct? A. Yes. Regulations were introduced recently that will govern how benefits are accrued and administered under the Local Government Pension Scheme (“LGPS”), with effect… Read more »
Q. I am approaching retirement and I have modest pension savings. I had intended to purchase an annuity from the insurer who administers my personal pension, however I saw a newspaper headline recently that suggested annuity rates can vary significantly between insurers. Is this correct and, if so, what can I do to ensure that… Read more »
Q. I am approaching retirement but I do not feel ready to give up working just yet. I had planned to continue working beyond my normal retirement age, deferring both my occupational and state pensions in order to receive a higher pension when I do decide to retire. However, my wife has suggested that, due… Read more »