THE MIDDLE ROAD FOR PENSIONS!

For the last few years those with personal pensions have found that they have a wide freedom of choice as to how they can take their pension benefits from age 55.

The new Flexi-Drawdown Pension arrangement allows you to keep your pension fund invested indefinitely and still have the option of taking out money from the pension at any time – whether that means taking it all at once, or monthly, or annually, or just bit by bit as needed. By leaving it invested in this way there is a chance of making a good return on your pension investment so that it lasts longer (although the value of the fund can go down as well as up, so it could also shorten the time the pension fund lasts).

The traditional way of taking pension income – the Lifetime Annuity, is also still available. In this way you can secure an income for life by exchanging some or all of your pension fund for a guaranteed income for life with a fixed rate of return. This provides the certainty of income for those who need that sort of certainty, but does mean that the lump sum used to “buy” the annuity is gone forever. There is a middle road option which not everyone is aware of. This is the “Fixed Term Annuity”.

This arrangement guarantees an income for a period of time – usually 5 years – with a guaranteed lump sum at the end of the fixed term. This provides the certainty of income for the fixed period which, for example, might be needed to cover a shortfall of income until one’s State Pension comes into payment. Additionally it guarantees a fixed lump sum on maturity. At that point you have the chance of making your choice all over again – whether that choice is to put the lump sum in a Flexi-Drawdown pension or purchase a Lifetime Annuity, or even purchase another Fixed Term Annuity. So this middle way provides some of each – guaranteed (!) – some income and some lump sum.

All of these choices have their advantages and disadvantages and so it is important to choose the one that best matches your income and investment needs. We can assist you to choose the option that best suits your situation.

LIFETIME MORTGAGES

For those over 55, Lifetime Mortgages offer what is probably the greatest level of flexibility, including:

• Option to make no payments at all

• Option to make payments of interest regularly, or when you choose to do so

• Almost any past adverse credit can be considered

• There is no fixed term for the mortgage. It can last for life (or until the owner goes into care).

• There is a guarantee of no Negative Equity. So even if you choose to make no payments, the amount that has to be repaid at the end can never exceed the sale price of the property on the open market, regardless of how many years you have had the mortgage.

• You can take the maximum amount from the mortgage at the start, or take some to start with and have a reserve facility for drawing more when needed.

• You can use a Lifetime Mortgage to re-mortgage an existing property or to buy a new one.

• No income requirements or affordability calculations at all – the borrowing is based solely on the property value and the age of the borrower (note: where there are two borrowers on the mortgage, the lenders will use the age of the younger).

Here are examples of what the maximum borrowing could be currently (assuming a property value of £300,000):

Age 55       25% of value £76,000

Age 60       32% of value £97,000

Age 65       37% of value £112,000

Age 70       42% of value £127,000

Age 75       48% of value £144,000

Age 80       52% of value £156,000

(Note: there cannot be another mortgage on the property along with a Lifetime Mortgage so any existing mortgage must be paid off.)

Note: There are also options to have a Lifetime Mortgage on a rental property and on properties of unusual construction. However, the percentage of borrowing for a Lifetime Mortgage on a rental property is much less than that shown above.

WHY DO PEOPLE TAKE OUT A LIFETIME MORTGAGE?

A recent survey was done for those taking out Lifetime Mortgages as to how they used the monies raised:

55% to help their family

63% to pay for home improvements or renovations

17% to take a holiday

19% for getting care provided at home

57% to meet a shortfall in income

We have also seen a number of people taking out a Lifetime Mortgage to clear an existing mortgage – particularly an interest-only one which is reaching the end of its term and where the money is not available to pay it off, and where the people do not want to have to sell their property.

MORTGAGES WITH NO MINIMUM INCOME

The Lifetime Mortgage provides a facility for borrowing based solely on your age and the value of the property. The older you are, the more you can borrow and you have the options of either paying just the interest for as long as you wish; making payments now and then; making regular payments so as to reduce the amount borrowed (as with a standard repayment mortgage); or letting the interest build up and be paid from the eventual sale of the property. Here is a sample of the maximum borrowing possible at various ages on a property with a value of £200,000:

Age 55       21% of value £42,000

Age 60       26% of value £52,000

Age 65       31% of value £62,000

Age 70       36% of value £72,000

Age 75       41% of value £82,000

Age 80       46% of value £92,000

Note: These are not guaranteed levels of borrowing. In some cases it may be possible to borrow

somewhat more than shown above, and in other cases, the borrowing may be less.

Some More Details of the Lifetime Mortgage

Because of the potentially very long term of the mortgage, the maximum amounts that can be borrowed are generally less than you would be able to borrow with the usual residential mortgage. Here are examples of the maximum amount of borrowing possible based on age. (Note: in the case of a couple the age that the lender’s operate on is that of the younger of the two.)

Age      Loan To Value        Maximum borrowing on property worth £300,000

55          25.5%                           £76,500

60          31.0%                           £93,000

65          36.0%                           £108,000

70          41.1%                           £123,300

75          47.0%                           £141,000

80          51.5%                           £154,500

Note: These are examples only but do represent a reasonable estimate of the maximum borrowing possible at the ages shown. In the event that there are serious medical conditions a higher level of borrowing may be possible.

Looking Inside a Lifetime Mortgage

A Lifetime Mortgage is a mortgage like any other mortgage. You borrow money against the security of the property. You remain the owner of the property and benefit from any increases in the property value. You also remain responsible for keeping the property in a good condition. Usually the interest rate is fixed for the term of the mortgage which can be as long as you live or until you go into care.

You can pay off the mortgage at any time, although in the initial years there may well be early

repayment penalties – just as there are with most fixed rates with the usual residential mortgages. With a Lifetime Mortgage you can either choose to repay the interest being charged, or make no payments of interest – letting the interest build up and be repaid by the eventual sale of the property.

Other Solutions - The Lifetime Mortgage – A New Flexible Mortgage Tool for the Older Generation

In many ways the new Lifetime Mortgages provide the sort of flexibility that was a feature of mortgage borrowing many years ago.

The level of borrowing is determined in most cases not by affordability calculations, but by just the borrower’s age and value of the property. The older you are and the more the property is worth, the more you can borrow.

This can provide an escape from an older interest-only mortgage arrangement. It can also open the door for using the value in the property for any other reason – whether it is for one’s own projects or to help family with problems they may have. The Lifetime Mortgage interest rates have also been inching downwards in the last few years as competition has increased. Past credit problems also usually do not present a barrier.

An Important age – 55!

In today’s financial world reaching 55 carries with it certain opportunities. 55 is the minimum age at which one can take most pension benefits (with the key exception being the State Pension which is no longer age 65 for most people).

It is also the minimum age at which a person can take out a Lifetime Mortgage.

Lifetime Mortgage Options

Whether you have an interest-only mortgage coming to the end of its term, or simply want to raise funds for other reasons, a Lifetime Mortgage could be a good solution.



Based only on age and property value, they are not dependent on income or affordability or credit status. Money can be raised for virtually any reason. You can choose to make payments or let the interest roll up. The minimum age for a Lifetime Mortgage is 55. For a couple the youngest has to be at least 55 years old. Note: Any mortgage already on the property must be repaid; it is not possible to have a Lifetime Mortgage in addition to an existing one.



Contact us for quotes or with any questions you may have.

USING OUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

“Service is, as ever, unbelievable.”

Mr CE of Crawley

“Very professional and helpful service.”

Mr JG of East Grinstead

USING OUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

“Thank you so much for all your help with these pensions.

We couldn’t have done it without you.”

Mr & Mrs KC of West Sussex

“Friendly and accurate advice.”

Mr AO of East Sussex

Sovereign Finance

Sovereign Finance enters its 36th year of trading in 2017. We look forward to a busy year helping our clients achieve their objectives and enjoy financial security.

It will be an interesting year. We still have to see how BREXIT will progress and affect the economy, and we have a new US president who, for better or for worse, is not an experienced politician. While these matters are not within our control, we can continue to work hard and flourish and prosper on our own and together with others in companies or groups in which we are involved.

The basics of a successful and happy life remain the same.

RETIREMENT MENU

Cash please

Those who are 55 and older can now draw out all (!) of their pension fund as cash. So you can ask to have it all as cash (!)   BUT…

Tax! The downside is that with each pension only 25% of the fund can be taken tax-free.

Any amount that you take over and above this tax-free 25% will be taxed as if you had earned it in the Tax Year in which you draw it out. That amount is added to your other income and is taxed accordingly.
Example:
A person aged 55 is earning £20,000 per annum and paying about £1,800 in tax on those earnings. He has a pension fund worth £40,000 and he wants to take it all out. He would get the first £10,000 tax free. The remaining £30,000 would be added to his £20,000 other earnings and he would be taxed

as if he had earned £50,000. This would result in him paying £9,200 in tax instead of £1,800. So he would lose £7,400 of his £30,000 pension to the taxman. A person already earning enough to put him in the higher rate tax bracket (40% tax where the total income exceeds £43,000) could lose 40% of the money he takes out over and above the tax-free amount. In our example of a £40,000 pension fund, he would still get the £10,000 tax-free but lose £12,000 of the remaining £30,000 in tax). Therefore it is important to take tax into account when working out when to take money out of the pension.

(Note: this article refers to personal pensions only; the rules are different for a Final Salary Scheme where the benefit is based on the salary and years of service and some other special types of  pensions.)

Income Options

(Note: all these options assume that you take out the tax-free cash.)

Option 1: Leave the balance invested with the option to take out further funds in the future – either when your need is greater or when your tax position is more advantageous. This is called a Flexi-

Drawdown arrangement as it provides the flexibility for you to draw out whatever sums you want at any time you want them. But remember that once you have drawn out the tax-free element, any other monies you take out will be taxed. Such an arrangement also involves investing your pension fund so you would need to consider both the risk that comes with such investments as well as the provider’s charges for running the pension.

Option 2: Use the balance left over to set up a guaranteed income for life (an “annuity”). The amount of income received would depend on your age – the older you are, the more you would get. The amount of income you would get also depends on your state of health – the worse off you are health-wise, the greater the income you are likely to receive. You can set it up on just your life or so that it covers both you and your spouse/partner. The idea of guaranteed income is attractive but the current annuity rates are quite low so the amount of money you can obtain may be a bit disappointing.

Option 3: Take a short-term guaranteed income (a “temporary annuity”). This pays out a guaranteed level of income for a fixed number of years and then pays out a guaranteed sum on maturity – which can then be used again in Option 1 and 2 above or to repeat this Option 3 for a further term of years.

STRIVING TO MEET EXPECTATIONS

By survey what our clients value, and why they continue to come back to us, is our independent and unbiased advice on financial matters and mortgages, utilising our extensive knowledge and know-how gained over the last 35 plus years.

Here are a few recent client comments:

“Thank you so much for being super quick and efficient and guiding us through this. I have already recommended your services to 2 of my friends and am sure we will have some more work coming your way in the near future.”  – Mr RW and Ms NF of Kent

“Many thanks for all your patience, guidance and expertise in arranging this for us, your help is much appreciated.”  – Mr & Mrs PL of Redhill, Surrey

“Usual thanks and best wishes for excellent service.” – Mr IB of Leeds

“As ever your advice is clear and constructive; we will certainly come back to you as and when we decide to take the next step.”   – Mr & Mrs AM of Uckfield, East Sussex

 

UTILISING THE VALUE IN YOUR HOUSE – EQUITY RELEASE!

For those aged 55 and over it is possible to access some of the value in your property. There are no income requirements and the older you are, the more you can take out. The funds taken can be used for any purpose. There are three general approaches to Equity Release:

1) making interest-only payments indefinitely (Interest Only);

2) borrowing without having to make any repayments at all until the property is sold (Lifetime Mortgage);

3) trading ownership of the property for a lump sum and the right to life-long tenancy of the property (Home Reversion Plan).

A NEW RETIREMENT MENU FOR PERSONAL PENSIONS!

RETIREMENT MENU

Minimum age 55

(Note: different rules apply to Final Salary/Defined Benefit Pensions and some other schemes)

Cash please

You can have it all as cash but only 25% of it tax-free. You will be taxed on whatever else you take out in the same way as if you had earned it in that Tax Year.

Income please Option 1: You can still get an income guaranteed for life (Annuity -see further

notes below)

Option 2: If you have health issues you may be entitled to a higher guaranteed income for life (Enhanced Annuity)

Option 3: Draw an income from your pension fund itself (Drawdown)

Option 4: Use a guaranteed fund to protect your investment but still be able to take an income (Guarantees).

State Pension please  The State Pension is increasing but the State Pension age is also going please up. To find out when you will receive your State Pension go to www.gov.uk/calculate-state-pension.

“Side Dishes”

You may have other sources of income to help in retirement. This might be investment income, or rental income from an investment property or income from letting out one or more rooms in your home  (Rent-A-Room scheme allows you to earn up to £7500 tax-free).

More on Annuities 

There are a variety of annuities available. The general concept is that you use all or some of your pension fund to buy a guaranteed income for life or for a specified period. The older you are, the more income you will get for your money. The guaranteed income can be for the person with the pension and a spouse or partner – to go on for as long as the last survivor is alive. The annuity can provide a level income or an increasing income. There are also annuities which are linked to investments so they can go up or down.

More exotic dishes

The pension rules are different for other types of pensions. If yours is not a personal pension, do feel free to contact us for guidance.

MORTGAGE PRISONER?

There are a number of property owners who find themselves unable to obtain a new mortgage due to the new mortgage requirements for proving income and affordability.

In some cases that has left borrowers either unable to move, or stuck with their lender’s Standard Variable Rate when new fixed rates are 1% or 2% better. Just a 1% reduction on a £150,000 mortgage would save £1500 in interest each year (assuming a 20 year repayment mortgage). Here are a few examples of this “mortgage prisoner” problem along with possible solutions:

Problem: Some older people cannot get a new mortgage with a long term because of the new attitude of most lenders to maximum mortgage ages.

Solution: Try your present lender to see if they can provide some flexibility or contact us as there are a number of niche lenders who can take a more enlightened view about maximum mortgage ages — where the deal makes sense.

Problem: Some people were able to take a mortgage out in the past when it was possible to self-certify the level of their income. In virtually all cases now income must be proven and the self-employed will be assessed on their net income as shown by the Tax Office.

Solution: Some lenders are more generous in their income calculations than others and some lenders require only one year’s completed accounts. For those over 55, Equity Release solutions may be of help as these are based on age and property value only. We can make enquiries for you.

Problem: Some people took out interest-only mortgages with a plan of how to repay them, but that original plan is no longer possible.

Solution: For some simply downsizing will be a solution. For others who want to stay where they are, however, there are other options. There are still some interest-only mortgage options available if one is simply looking to extend the time he can continue to stay in the property. It is also possible for those aged 55 or older to use an Equity Release lifetime mortgage or similar solution. We can make enquiries for you.

Note: Lending restrictions are expected to tighten even further by the end of March 2016.

STUCK WITH AN INTEREST ONLY MORTGAGE?

More and more people are having to come to terms with an interest-only mortgage they have which does not have a repayment strategy. There are various solutions available. More and more lenders are willing to negotiate an extended term to enable a solution to be found – whether that be switching to a repayment-type of mortgage over a longer term, or perhaps an equity release type of solution with interest-only payments being continued definitely, or a lifetime mortgage arrangement whereby no payments are made and the mortgage and interest are paid from the eventual sale of the property.

UTILISING THE VALUE IN YOUR HOUSE — EQUITY RELEASE!

The ability to release some of the equity in a residential property has been important in more and more situations currently, such as dealing with interest only mortgages that will not be cleared otherwise, or providing support for children or grandchildren for education or for purchasing a property.

The most popular of the equity release options has been the Lifetime Mortgage whereby money is borrowed as with a standard mortgage, but instead of payments being made monthly, the interest is added to the amount borrowed and is paid off on the sale of the property. For those who do not want to see interest continuing to accumulate there are now options which allow voluntary payments to be made without penalty – usually up to 10% of the amount borrowed each year.

There are also options to take out guarantees to cover a portion of the property so that you can be certain that part of the value of the property will be passed on regardless of what occurs with the rest of the value of the property. Do give us a ring and we can work out what might be available for you.

EQUITY RELEASE CHANGES

With the other changes occurring, there are also some new Equity Release options which permit the individuals taking them out to make payments back into them so as to limit or eliminate any increase in the amount owed.