In the UK, we are faced with the challenge of an ageing population. Many of us will live longer than we might have expected. Already, 2.4% of the population is aged over 85. Because of improvements in healthcare and nutrition, this figure only looks set to rise. The Office of National Statistics currently estimates that 10.1% of men and 14.8% of women born in 1981 will live to 100. A demographic shift to an older population brings unprecedented change to the way the country would operate, from the healthcare system to the world of work.
In addition, a long life, and subsequently a long retirement, bring challenges of their own from a personal financial planning perspective.
First, it means you have to sustain yourself from your retirement ‘nest egg’ of cash savings, investments and pensions. You need to ensure that you draw from this at a sustainable rate so you don’t run the risk of outliving your money.
Second, there’s the question of funding long term care. If we live longer, the chance that we will one day need to fund some sort of care increases. Alzheimer’s Research UK report that the risk of developing dementia rises from one in 14 over the age of 65 to one in six over the age of 80. Of course, there are many different types of care, ranging from full time care to occasional care at home, with a variety of cost levels. All require some level of personal funding.
Having the income in later life to sustain long term care really does require detailed planning. Because of the widespread shift from annuities to drawdown, working out a sustainable rate at which to withdraw from your ‘nest egg’ is essential.
There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ sustainable rate at which to draw from your pensions and savings. Every person has their own requirements, savings, liabilities and views on what risks are acceptable.
There are, as always, some unknowns. These include the chance of developing a health condition later in life and exactly how long you’ll live. It is best to plan leaving plenty of room for these to change unexpectedly, improving your chances of having a financial cushion to cope with what life throws at you.
Planning your short, medium and longer term income and capital needs is a cyclical process. Our advice as always is to plan ahead … Noah did!
Remember, we are here to help so please do not hesitate to contact us regarding your financial planning situation – including your estate planning. Reviews are part of our added-value services for our clients.
We have set out above what is only a brief summary of some key points that involve quite complex considerations. Allowances, caps, levels and bases of, and reliefs from, taxation are subject to change and their value to you will depend upon your personal circumstances. Information and data may change after the date of their original promulgation in our Newsletter or this Focus article. Always seek relevant professional advice before taking, or refraining from taking, any action.
Barry Fleming & Partners has grown from a tax advisory background into a broader business that encompasses investment management. Both things matter for wealth management, retention and creation. That expertise makes the company strikingly different from others.
This capability allows Barry Fleming and Partners to use its strength in tax advice to take a 360-degree-view of a financial situation to give much broader, more comprehensive advice.
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Barry Fleming & Partners are an independent financial advisor specialising in ISA’s, Pensions, Tax, Trusts, Estate Planning, Inheritance Tax Planning (IHT) and other Financial Planning areas. Please don’t hesitate to call on 01488 608 686 and ask to talk to one of our financial advisors. Alternatively use the contact form on our home page.