Can I Take a Cash Lump Sum From My Final Salary Pension? :: Drewberry™ (2024)

Can My Final Salary Pension Provide a Lump Sum?

Taking a cash lump sum from your final salary pension is not as simple as it would be if you had a defined contribution or money purchase pension.

That’s because a money purchase pension has a defined pot of money you can draw a lump sum from, whereas this isn’t the case for a defined benefit pension.

While you are technically able to take 25% of your pension as a tax-free lump sum after the age of 55, the regulations surrounding taking a final salary pension lump sum are complicated. They’re also dependent on the rules of your pension scheme.

Remember, withdrawinga lump sum from your final salary pension will reduce your final annual pension, so doing so means you’reforgoing a sum of guaranteed, index-linked income each year for the rest of your life.

Consider carefully whether you’ll be able to live on a reduced pension after taking a final salary pension lump sum. Is having ready cash today really worth having to tighten your belt in the future?

Final Salary Pensions and Commutation Factors

Withdrawing a cash lump sum from your final salary pension is known as commutation. How much you can take out of your defined benefit pension and how this will affect your final pension allowance is a complex calculation, but it’s based on acommutation factor.

For a commutation factor of 16, you’d have to sacrifice £1,000 of income for every £16,000 you got as a cash lump sum.

So if you were due a defined benefit pension of £30,000 per year but wanted to take a lump sum of £16,000, your annual pension entitlement would fall by £1,000 to £29,000 in exchange for you taking the £16,000 lump sum.

Remember that you can withdraw a 25% cash lump sum from your final salary tax-free, but again even working out what constitutes 25% of your DB pension isn’t a simple calculation.

The permitted lump sum you can take out of your final salary pension is broadly calculated as 25% of the total value of your crystallised pension benefits. It’ssometimes known as a pension commencement lump sum.

You’ll need to know your commutation factor and your expected annual pension benefit to perform the calculation. However, thecomplexity in this area means that it’s recommended you getpensions adviceand have an adviser crunch the numbers for you before you consider taking any money out of your final salary pension.

Be aware that cash lump sums withdrawn from your pension above the tax free limit are added to your other income and could push you up an income tax bracket, landing you with a larger than expected tax bill.

Can I Transfer My Final Salary Pension?

Taking cash lump sums from your final salary pension using commutation rules is tricky business.

The rules for taking cash lump sums out of a defined contribution pension are much simpler and you have a far greater level of flexibility with a money purchase scheme today than you do with a defined benefit plan.

If you’re still keen to take a lump sum out of your defined benefit pension, you might want to considera final salary pension transferinstead. This wouldturn your defined benefit pension into a defined contribution pension andgive you greater freedom with regards to how you take your pension benefits.

However, a final salary pension transfer won’t be right for most people. Doing so purely to take a 25% tax-free cash lump sum is not by itself a reason to transfer.

You might have received a cash equivalent transfer value or CETV from your pension provider, which is the first step. If you haven’t had one, why not use the Drewberry Final Salary Pension Transfer Value Calculatorto see how much you could get?

Alternatively, if you want to discuss transferring your defined benefit pension, our pensions advisersare available.They can request a pension transfer value for you, so why not pop us a call on 02084327334for further advice?

We’re able to advise on all final salary pension transfers, and can also help you plan for retirement with your new pot of cash.

Before considering a final salary pension transfer, you should get pensions adviceto make sure it’s suited for you. If your scheme is worth more than £30,000, it’s a mandatory requirement.

Can I Take a Cash Lump Sum From My Final Salary Pension? :: Drewberry™ (2024)

FAQs

Can you take a lump sum out of a final salary pension? ›

With a Final Salary pension, you can 'commute' (or give up) some of the guaranteed income in exchange for a tax-free lump sum. The amount of income you have to give up is dependent on something called a commutation factor.

Can I cash in my pension for a lump sum? ›

Take cash lump sums

You can take your whole pension pot as cash straight away if you want to, no matter what size it is. You can also take smaller sums as cash whenever you need to. 25% of your total pension pot will be tax-free. You'll pay tax on the rest as if it were income.

Can you cash out lump sum pension? ›

If you take the distribution before age 59½, you may also owe a 10% early withdrawal tax penalty. You can use some or all of the lump sum to purchase an annuity—typically, an immediate annuity—which could provide a monthly income stream, as well as inflation protection or other optional features built into the cost.

Can I withdraw a lump sum from my pension account? ›

You can make a lump sum withdrawal from your pension account: if you're 65 or over; if you're between preservation age and 64 and have permanently retired; if you have unrestricted non-preserved benefits*; or.

What are the disadvantages of taking a lump sum pension? ›

What Are the Disadvantages of Taking a Lump Sum? Perhaps the greatest risk of cashing out a pension early is the prospect of running out of money. A monthly payment offers a steady income for the remainder of one's life, and in some cases can also be passed on to a spouse.

How long does it take to receive a lump sum pension? ›

How long does it take to receive a pension lump sum? Usually it will take around four to five weeks from the date of your request for your pension provider to release your lump sum.

Is it better to take pension or lump sum? ›

A monthly pension payment gives you a fixed amount every month over your whole life, so you don't have to worry about changes in the stock market. In contrast, a lump-sum payout can give you the flexibility of choosing where to invest or save your money, and when and how much to withdraw.

How to avoid taxes on lump sum pension payout? ›

Investors can avoid taxes on a lump sum pension payout by rolling over the proceeds into an individual retirement account (IRA) or other eligible retirement accounts.

Can I get a lump sum payment on my pension? ›

Increasingly, employers are making available to their employees a one-time payment for all or a portion of their pension. This is known as a lump-sum payout option.

What is the 6 rule for pension lump sum? ›

As a general guide, you can use the 6% Rule when evaluating the two options. It's a straightforward tool to help assess which choice makes more financial sense over time. Here's how the 6% Rule works: If your monthly pension offer is 6% or more of the lump sum, it might make sense to go with the guaranteed pension.

Can I transfer my pension to my bank account? ›

For most pension schemes, it is not possible to access your pension until you are at least 55. You can, however, transfer to a new provider at any time. But if you're 55 or older, you can move your pension into your bank account. Even then, though, it is unlikely to be a good idea to take all of your pension in one go.

Can I take money out of my pension without penalty? ›

If you collect your pension early—before age 59½—you may not have to pay the early distribution tax if any of the following apply: You choose to take substantially equal periodic payments. You are at least 55 years old when you leave your job. You become disabled.

Can I withdraw money from my pension account? ›

Contributors cannot withdraw money except at retirement or upon temporary loss of job and in all cases, withdrawals are subject to approval by the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

Can I withdraw my pension amount? ›

You can take your pension home early if you have worked for ten years and reached 50 years. However, in that circ*mstance, you will only receive a reduced pension. The rate of pension decreases by 4% every year till you reach the age of 50.

How much can you draw down from your pension? ›

With Pension Drawdown, you can access up to 25% of your pension pot tax-free while leaving the rest invested. You can then take the rest of the money when you need it, giving you flexibility to manage your income in a way that suits your lifestyle.

Can you still transfer a final salary pension? ›

You can transfer out of your final salary pension scheme if: You are aged 55 or over. You are seriously ill you can access your pension earlier than 55. You are not currently paying into or receiving your final salary pension.

Can a lump sum be paid from a pension account? ›

If you're retired or over 65 years of age and have a retirement phase pension you are also eligible to take lump sum withdrawals.

Can I withdraw lump sum from my retirement account? ›

CPF Withdrawal Rules Unchanged The CPF withdrawal rules remain unchanged. 3. Members turning age 65 from 2023 onwards can withdraw up to 20% of their RA savings as at age 65, in a lump sum.

What is the surrender value of a pension? ›

What does Surrender value mean? The surrender value is the amount paid when an insurance policy is cancelled before it reaches the agreed maturity date. The sum is calculated by taking into account the total premiums paid and the return on investment earned.

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