Trustnet Magazine Issue 6 April 2015 | Page 25

PLATFORMS UNTIL FAIRLY RECENTLY, PENSIONS WERE DARK, MYSTERIOUS THINGS THAT WE PAID INTO UNTIL WE RETIRED AND RECEIVED AN AMOUNT OF MONEY BACK AGAIN retirees have faced a crash at the point of retirement when they have had to buy an annuity, so not having to cash in your pot at a certain point seems to be a red herring. Most investors have seen their portfolio rise and fall in the accumulation phase so it is sensible to assume it will happen while you are decumulating. Then there’s the elephant in the room – when will you actually die? MONTHLY INCOME OF AN ANNUITY VS. DRAWDOWN 3,000 Annuity rate 3,000 Drawdown 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 £75,000 £100,000 £250,000 £500,000 £750,000 £1,000,000 PENSION POT AT RETIREMENT AGED 65 £75,000 £100,000 £250,000 £500,000 £750,000 £1,000,000 Annuity rate 308 418 1,046 1,882 3,039 4,053 Drawdown 560 750 1,900 3,800 5,700 7,600 Assumptions: Bar charts show monthly income in retirement at 65 years old. Annuity rates courtesy of Saga website, 15/03/2015. Standard annuity rates quoted, as opposed to enhanced annuity. Drawdown assumptions are that non-drawn down money remains invested and grows at 8 per cent per annum net of all fees, taxes and charges. Lastly, we assume that your drawdown pension pot will be exhausted at 90 years old. State pension not included in either figure. trustnet.com 23