Pensions
The single most tax-efficient thing most people will ever do.
Pensions are a wrapper, not an investment. Money paid in gets tax relief, grows free of income and capital gains tax, and can eventually be drawn — some tax-free, the rest as taxable income. This topic covers building one up: what you've got, what to pay in, and how to get the most out of the reliefs along the way. For what happens when you start drawing on it, see Retirement income. NHS Pension Scheme members can check the annual allowance taper, carry forward and scheme pays with the NHS annual allowance calculator at /tools/nhs-annual-allowance.
State, defined benefit and defined contribution. What each one promises, and how to tell which you have.
Most people have more pensions than they think, and a few they've lost entirely. Here's how to track them down.
How much you're on track for, how to check, and when topping up National Insurance is worth it.
The auto-enrolment minimum is a floor, not a target. What the gap between them actually costs.
How tax relief actually works, how much you can put in each year, and the traps at both ends.
Unused Annual Allowance from the last three years doesn't have to go to waste.
Giving up salary for pension contributions saves National Insurance as well as income tax. It also has trade-offs.
The old cap is gone. What took its place, and who still needs to care about it.
What a final salary or career average scheme actually promises, and why transferring one is rarely the answer.