Pensions - Articles - 30% of pensioners still in debt

 Mortgage debt is most common, with 21% of people still owing money on their house when they retire. 14% owe money on credit or store cards, whilst 6% have unsecured loans.

  

 The pension reforms that came into force in April 2015 provided savers with greater flexibility in how they accessed their pensions.

  

 The average amount withdrawn in cash from pension funds by retirees since the reforms is £28,000, with 19% of retirees using some of that money to pay off debt.

  

 However, 58% of those who had debt at the point of retirement are still in debt now. 30% still have mortgage debt and 28% still owe money on credit or store cards.

  

 The probability of carrying debt into retirement may come as a surprise to those approaching retirement now, as only around 17% expect to owe money when they decide to retire. Those who do expect to have debt at retirement anticipate the amount to be around £33,500, but only 9% expect to owe money on their house.

  

 Adrian Walker, Retirement Planning Manager at Old Mutual Wealth, comments:

 “We have become a nation comfortable with debt and this follows many people into retirement. I imagine most people would hope to be releasing themselves from the shackles of debt before they retire, particularly the debt attached to their home. This new data shows the harsh reality that many will not be able to release themselves from those ties immediately, as levels of debt are higher than they perhaps imagine.

  

 “The new pension rules do give people the option of using some, or all of their pension savings to pay off debt, however the amounts being withdrawn are not enough to cover the average that is owed and there could be a detrimental effect on the amount of longer term income available to these consumers. The data shows that debt planning is just as important as saving and investing in relation to how much income people will have in retirement. Putting a plan together that includes how debt will be managed in the run up to retirement can be best managed with the help of financial advice ”