Our frequently asked questions can help answer some of your queries about our service, advisers and organisation. If you have other questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
The value of pensions and investments and the income they produce can fall as well as rise. You may get back less than you invested.
Tax treatment varies according to individual circumstances and is subject to change.
Pension Advisory Service has financial advisers in Scotland and England, with dedicated support in London. Our Pension Advice London advisers are qualified to provide financial planning services, including pensions, investments, bonds, ISAs, Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning, advice on capital gains tax and much more.
Advice is provided face to face, over the telephone and/or with virtual meetings (Teams/ Zoom etc).
We prefer to meet people face to face as it helps to build trust and you can ask more questions. At every stage of the journey we’re focussing on how we can help you achieve your financial goals.
It’s important that you feel comfortable with your pension adviser and you shouldn’t have to pay money to meet an adviser and discuss your requirements. It’s important you can trust your adviser and feel confident in sharing information, so we never charge for initial meetings.
We start by gathering information, understanding your needs then present our findings and recommendations. You are under no obligation to proceed with our recommendations.
If you choose to proceed after the initial meeting, then fees will be explained. We strive to keep our costs affordable and follow Consumer Duty regulations to ensure we’re treating every customer fairly.
Definitely! You should ask to learn more about any advisers qualifications when you speak to them about financial planning. It’s your money, so it’s essential you know you’re dealing with a qualified adviser.
We would be happy to evidence our advisers qualifications and entry on the Financial Conduct Authority Register.
Of course, we love to meet with clients, so we often insist on meeting in person. This is particularly true at the beginning so we can build a relationship, you can trust our advice and we can get to know what matters to you.
For our longer term clients who don’t necessarily want to meet regularly, we conduct telephone and virtual meetings.
We have administrators, paraplanners and customer service advisers but you will speak directly to a qualified financial adviser. The adviser will start by understanding your needs and then talk you through the initial process. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask as we’re all very friendly and supportive of your needs.
You’re not alone in forgetting about pensions or being unable to access your statements. We help lots of people to trace their pension and update their details so they receive annual statements.
From the 6th April 2015, you can access 25% of your pension fund tax-free if you were 55 years of age or older (this is set to rise in 2028). This meant you could take your tax free money straight away or access it over a number of years. You do not need to take your tax free money – you can leave your pension to grow – but if you do want to access the money and your fund you may need to seek financial advice from a qualified adviser.
