Pensions - Articles - Cash-hungry generations turning pension into new heirloom


The family heirloom is under threat because younger generations are more interested in receiving a cash inheritance from their parents, say financial services provider, NFU Mutual.

     
  1.   Younger generations would prefer to receive money over things
  2.  
  3.   Millennial savers most likely to use inheritance for house deposit
  4.  
  5.   Almost 4 in 5 adults still not talking to their family about inheritance
 Research conducted among 2052 UK adults found that three-quarters (75%) of adults in their twenties and thirties would prefer to inherit a nest egg of cash or investments over an heirloom – and spending it on a house deposit would be the most popular way to use it.
  
 Pensions can now be passed down to family usually free of inheritance tax allowing them to be treated as an heirloom, this could trigger a rise in the number of people seeking the best way to pass down their pension to relatives when they die.
  
 Sean McCann, Chartered Financial Planner at NFU Mutual said: ‘’Pension freedoms have revolutionised the way many people view their pension, rather than a way of saving for income in retirement, many now see them as a very tax efficient way of passing wealth down through the generations’’.
  
 ‘’Because of the tax benefits, some customers are choosing to spend money built up in other investments which are subject to IHT and leaving their pensions untouched and treating them as the new family heirloom’’.
  
 ‘’There are a number of potential traps with the new freedoms, so it make sense to take advice to maximise the benefit for you and your family’’
  
 Despite the possibilities and pitfalls with IHT, discussing inheritance still remains an unspoken subject for many families.
  
 The financial services provider also found that 79% of people haven’t discussed their inheritance with family.
  
 Sean adds: “When people are planning how to pass on their assets, they often overlook the value of their pensions. We have seen situations where the value of people’s pension funds are larger than the value of their home. The new rules make it easier to pass these on, normally free of inheritance tax.
  
 “Talking to family about inheritance plans can help manage expectations and avoid painful and potentially costly disputes.”              

Back to Index


Similar News to this Story

4 ways completing a tax return can help boost your pension
Missing the Self-Assessment deadline not only risks a penalty for late filing but could cost individuals hundreds, if not thousands of pounds in uncla
DWP holds AE thresholds with GBP90bn of pensions expected
The DWP has issued its review of the Automatic Enrolment Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band for 2025/26, retaining all three thresholds at
Response to Triple Lock means testing comments
Aegon has called for ‘a future focused debate on a sustainable state pension’ following comments on the Triple Lock by Conservative leader Kemi Badeno

Site Search

Exact   Any  

Latest Actuarial Jobs

Actuarial Login

Email
Password
 Jobseeker    Client
Reminder Logon

APA Sponsors

Actuarial Jobs & News Feeds

Jobs RSS News RSS

WikiActuary

Be the first to contribute to our definitive actuarial reference forum. Built by actuaries for actuaries.