A quarter of British adults have nothing in savings. Meanwhile, one in 10 Brits admits they tend to spend more than they earn. As a freelancer, you can’t get caught without a good nest egg awaiting you during retirement. By setting up a self-invested personal pension (SIPP), you can prepare yourself for the year to come. A SIPP will help you save for retirement without worry you’ll spend your savings.
What is a SIPP pension exactly, and how does it work?
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about SIPP investments as a freelancer!
What is a SIPP?
First, what exactly is a self-invested personal pension?
A SIPP is a pension that holds all of your investments until you retire and begin drawing a retirement income. This form of personal pension works similarly to a standard personal pension. The main difference, however, is that a SIPP offers more flexibility with the investments you choose.
Once you have your SIPP set up, you can add regular contributions to your nest egg. You can also make ad hoc payments into your self-employment pension. Then, your pension provider will claim tax relief and add it to your savings.
How Does It Work?
How does a SIPP work and help you save for retirement?
With a standard personal pension, all of your investments are managed for you. They’re controlled within the pooled fund you selected. With SIPPS, however, you have the freedom to select and manage your own investments instead.
You can also pay an experienced, authorised investment manager to make the decisions for you.
SIPPs are best for people who want to manage their own funds. By giving you control, your self-invested personal pension also allows you to switch investments as you’d like. That way, you have the peace of mind that you’re making investments with your own best interests in mind.
Why Is It Important as a Freelancer?
The majority of Brits between the ages of 22 and 29 have no more than £1,000 tucked away in savings. If your self-employed, it’s up to you to start a pension on your own.
Unfortunately, many self-employed people struggle to make ends meet as they grow older. By planning for SIPP investments now, you can prepare yourself for any rocky roads ahead.
There are a few benefits to choosing a SIPP, including:
- You can receive pension tax relief from the government
- A strong pension plan will give you low-cost access to professional investment managers
- The right investment manager can help you invest your money in a range of assets
- Choosing the right assets can help you manage risk in a sensible way
- If you die before you turn 75, your pension will pass on to your beneficiaries as a lump sum
- New pension freedom rules allow you to decide what to do with your pension savings when you reach retirement
As a freelancer, having the freedom to choose what you do with your self-employed pension is essential. Many full-time employees are already paying into a pension. In fact, employers are now obligated to automatically enrol employees into a workplace pensions scheme.
Other Options
If you’re currently self-employed and want to set up a private pension, start by finding any old workplace and personal pensions established in the past. Then, combine them into your new pension. Completing this process will make your new self-employment pension easier to manage in the long-run.
Working with a financial advisor can make this process easier, too. They can help move your pensions over into their system. Then, they’ll combine and transfer your pensions into your new SIPP pension plan.
Otherwise, might need to contact your previous pension providers to get your pension balances on your own.
In addition to a SIPP pension plan, you might decide on other options, including a personal pension or stakeholder pension. Self-employed individuals can also utilise the government scheme National Employment Savings Trust (NEST), too. However, there’s no “best” pension for self-employed workers.
It really depends on your own specific circumstances.
Ideally, try to find a provider who lets you make contributions when you want. As someone who is self-employed, your income might not end up as predictable as you’d like. Having control over the details of your self-employed pension can make it easier to manage.
Investments
Now that you know a little more about how SIPP investments work, let’s review the assets you can choose from. A few include:
- Unit trusts
- Some National Savings and Investment productions
- Commercial property (shops, offices, factories)
- Investment trusts
- Government securities
- Individual stocks and shares (quotes on the recognised UK or overseas stock exchange)
- Insurance company funds
- Traded endowment policies
- Deposit accounts with banks and building societies
However, this is only a shortlist. Speaking with an expert can help you explore your options. There are also different SIPP providers who have different investment options available for you to choose from.
You can’t hold residential property directly within a SIPP with tax advantages that usually accompany pension investments.
However, you can hold residential property in a SIPP through certain types of collection investments. For example, a real estate investment trust would allow you to include the property in a SIPP without you losing tax advantages.
These investments are often subject to restrictions. It’s also important to note that not all SIPP providers will accept this type of investment.
In addition to your self-invested personal pension, make sure to take the time to develop an overall investment strategy. Planning now will help you in the future.
You can access and use your SIPP more flexibly now. According to new rules, you can now access the money in your SIPP at the age of 55.
Take a SIPP: Understanding Your Self-Invested Personal Pension as a Freelancer
Prepare for the future and make the most of your money. By understanding the importance of creating a self-invested personal pension, you can save away money as a freelancer. Then, you’ll have what you need to prepare for the day you retire!
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