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Retirement & pension advice service

Our retirement and pension advice service helps you tackle retirement with confidence

Speak to one of our friendly advisers today

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0800 032 9301
Lines open: 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday
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What is retirement and pension advice?

Friendly, non-judgemental advice for your retirement and pension plans

Before you claim your pension, it’s worth seeking retirement advice to see how hard your pension can work for you.

With retirement a huge milestone in our lives, we all need to make sure we’re as prepared as possible. That’s where retirement and pension advice comes in.

A retirement adviser will cover everything from preparing your pension to investing it in other retirement products, like an annuity. They’ll help you visualise where your income will come from and offer advice on ways to plan for a secure financial future in retirement.

What does retirement and pension advice offer?

Retirement and pension advisers take the hard work of finding and setting up a pension or retirement product so you don’t have to

As part of our retirement advice service at LV=, we offer the following to our customers.

  • Non-judgemental, friendly advice that helps you understand how your pension can work smarter for you.
  • Assistance in preparing your pension (or pensions), as well as other finances, such as savings, so you can retire with ease.
  • Advice on other pension or retirement products, including annuities, and which is best for you.
  • Support to help you understand and manage any risks your pension or retirement products pose.
  • Free initial consultation. The advice report and explanation are also free in most cases.

Why use our retirement advice service?

Simplify retirement and understand your circumstances, no jargon included

Getting professional pension advice could be the best way to ensure you’re ready for retirement.

With our golden years ahead of us, we want to ensure we’re prepared to enjoy them. After all, we’ve worked hard, supported our families and deserve the rest. And that’s where retirement and pension advice comes in.

Instead of navigating the complicated world of retirement products and pensions, our retirement advice service does it all for you, selecting the appropriate products to suit your circumstances. You’ll be working with experts who can help you make the most of your retirement years and get maximum value from your pension savings.

What’s more, you’ll never have to deal with pensions, savings or retirement jargon, we promise.

Why get retirement and pension advice with us?

At LV=, we believe in simplified products that give you financial security when it comes to retirement

Here are some reasons to get in touch.

  • We help you make the right decision.
    There are many different ways to access your pensions when the time comes to retire. You may need to rely on the income from these for the rest of your life, so we help you feel confident that the products you choose feel right for you.
  • We remove the confusion leaving you feeling confident.
    At LV=, we pride ourselves on 25 years of experience supplying retirement and pension advice and supporting retirees. As such we’ll guide you through the advice process and explain the pros and cons of the different options available, leaving you feeling comfortable and confident in your choice.
  • We put your needs first. 
    We’ll provide a personalised plan based on your circumstances, needs and ambitions for the future. You’ll also receive recommendations from us on the pension products that could be right for your retirement needs.
  • We offer peace of mind. 
    We say it a lot, but there’s nothing more important than peace of mind when you hit retirement. To deliver the best pension advice service to you, we’re strictly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. That means we’ll help you safely make the most of your retirement money and only ever have your best interests at heart.
  • We’re here to help. 
    We’ll be by your side each step of the way, from research, recommendation, decision and the application process. You’ll also have our help and ongoing support. Whenever you have decisions to make, we’ll explain things clearly in language that’s easy to understand and avoid technical jargon.

Our pension advice process

Our tried and tested process follows three simple steps

It all starts with a chat about your retirement plans

We’re here to answer your queries and help you understand what you need from retirement. That begins with a call to our team who’ll get to know you, your circumstances and your plans. We’ll listen to understand what you’re hoping to achieve with your pension and what your plans for retirement are. Your first consultation with us is free and no-obligation.

If you’re happy with our suggestions, you’ll be allocated your own adviser to work with you from start to finish.

Our fees will be explained to you clearly and simply, ensuring you know what to expect.

We’ll send you a welcome pack and some simple questionnaires to read and complete, this will help us get to know you even better. Once that’s done, you’ll share your answers with us and we’ll start exploring your retirement options.

    We’ll research relevant retirement products and offer recommendations

    After you’ve completed your questionnaires, your adviser will be in touch to gather your answers and discuss your needs and objectives in detail. We want to make you feel as comfortable as possible with your pension products, so it's important you’re honest with us. This will give us a clear picture of your circumstances and what you are trying to achieve.

    We’ll fully review all your personal, financial, and pension information. Then, we’ll gather all this information to research and recommend the most suitable solution for you.

    Your personalised plan will be presented and explained in a report, which is sent out to you.

    It’s important that you fully understand our recommendations, so we’ll arrange a time to explain the report and ensure you are clear about what we are advising you to do. It’s always ok to ask us questions and we always welcome them.

      We’ll set up your pension and savings products

      When you’re ready to proceed, we'll action any recommendations we’ve made that you agree with. Your adviser will take care of the hard work for you. They’ll also talk you through the chosen solution so you understand what it is, how it works and answer any questions you have.

      At LV=, we want to ensure you feel secure and have peace of mind. That’s why we take care of everything; we’ll set up your products for you whilst keeping you informed along the way. You’ll be able to feel rest assured knowing your future pension products are being set up by safe hands.

        Fees and charges for our retirement and pension advice service

        Your initial consultation with our team is free.  Your advice report and explanation are also free, in most cases.

        The fees for our service will depend on what it is you want to do and your individual circumstances. Your adviser will explain these clearly to you and agree them with you right at the start. 

        For most retirement advice, it’s usually only once you’ve gone through your report with your adviser and chosen to proceed with our recommendations that you’ll be required to pay the fee.

        We’re pleased to say that we can usually deduct the fee from your pension; this is tax-efficient and can be more convenient than paying the fee directly.

        There are some specific circumstances where we do charge an upfront fee, if this applies to you it will be explained clearly when you contact us.

          Why choose LV= for retirement and pension advice?

          We've been helping customers like you for over 25 years, providing specialist retirement and pension advice that meets your needs

          • Free initial consultation
            It’s important we get to know you first. We usually only charge our fees if you decide to follow our recommendations and request advice.
          • Notepad icon
            Simplified set-up process
            We can arrange all sorts of retirement and pension solutions to meet your needs, including an annuity, income for a fixed term (fixed-term annuity), flexible income (drawdown), or a combination of these.
          • Great selection of products
            LV= offer pension and annuity products from the whole of the market and investment products from the Liverpool Victoria group of companies and a limited number of other companies.
          • Hand holding heart
            LV= member benefits
            LV= is a name you can trust. We’ve been in business for over 180 years and what matters to you matters to us. Depending on the product recommended, you may be entitled to LV= membership and a range of member benefits.

          What are the benefits of professional retirement and pension advice?

          One of the most common issues people face is how to optimally turn pension savings into retirement income. It’s for this reason that many people seek retirement and pension advice to help them prepare for the future.

          • You get the most from your pension pot
            Retirement advice will help you to understand how you can get the most from your pension pot without having to work it out for yourself. 
          • Manage risks better
            Your adviser can help you to manage risks – for instance market fluctuations, inflation, and expenses that could impact your retirement.
          • Get access to more products
            You’ll have access to a greater range of products and services that may not be available to you if you search on your own.  The in-depth market knowledge and expertise provided by regulated financial advisers can give you the best retirement and pension options available to you.

          We offer specialist pension advice

          We're also specialists in providing advice on these complex topics

          Combining your pension pots into one

          If you’ve hopped between a few jobs or set up a private pension for yourself, you’ll likely have a few pensions to your name. You may have lost track of the pension pots you have or may not know you’re paying charges on some. It can be difficult to keep track of them.

          It’s easy to end up with quite a few pensions, but it can be a good idea to combine them all into one. Here are some reasons why:

          • The charges you pay might be significantly less on a new combined pension than on your current pensions.
          • You may find it easier to keep track of what you have and to plan for the future.
          • A new pension may offer other advantages, such as a more suitable choice of investments or more flexible options for accessing your money.
          Our advisers can look at your current pensions, discuss all your needs and priorities and assess the best solution for you.

            Defined benefit pension transfer

            A defined benefit pension is sometimes known as a final salary or career average pension. If you have one of these pensions, it guarantees the amount of income you’ll get when you retire.

            That's why, if you're thinking of transferring out of one of these schemes, you'll be required to seek advice. Take a look at how our qualified pension transfer specialists can help provide advice on your defined benefit pension options.

              Chris Dawson

              Retirement and pension advice

              Ready to get started?

              Have a commitment free chat with one of our friendly advisers today

              Start your conversation by giving us a little more information about your pension and retirement plans
              LV_Heart
              0800 032 9301

              Mon to Fri - 8.30am - 6pm

              TextDirect: First dial 18001

              We may record and/or monitor calls for training and audit purposes.
              Request call back

              Retirement & pension scams

              Beware of pensions scams and investment fraud

              They’re difficult to spot and designed to look genuine. We want you to feel safe when you contact LV= for retirement and pension advice, so here’s what you need to know about pension scams.

              • Online scams unexpectantly contact you and claim to offer free pension and investment reviews.
              • They might suggest ways to release your pension or investment early. If they sound too good to be true, they usually are.
              • While these offers appear to be legitimate, most firms and individuals involved are not authorised or regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority).
              More on protecting yourself from scammers

              Annuity shop

              Looking for the best annuity rate without taking advice?

              If you've already made your decision, we have just the service for you...

              • If you have already decided you want an annuity (a guaranteed income for life) and don’t need advice, then our Annuity Shop will help you make the most of your retirement money.
              • We shop around the whole of the market for you to get the best annuity rate and make sure you understand the options.
              • Enhanced annuity rates are available for those with certain medical conditions and lifestyle factors like smoking.
              • We do all the hard-work for you - we get quotes from all available providers to find the best rate for your circumstances. We'll also liaise with companies to set up your new annuity.
              Visit the Annuity ShopFind out more about annuities

              Find out what your pension income could be with our annuity calculator

              Use our annuity calculator to work out the monthly income you could get in retirement.

              Frequently asked questions about retirement

              Got a burning question? We might have already answered it.

              What’s the difference between advice and guidance?

              Advice is often used to recommend certain products or actions to be taken that help you achieve your goals. For example, you may want to invest your pension so you receive a regular income, and a retirement advice service may suggest an annuity.

              Guidance differs in that it helps to identify and narrow down your choices in an impartial way. Therefore, you’re less likely to see a product recommendation, rather you can make the decision of which product to purchase based on the advice you were given.

              How much does retirement and pension advice cost?

              As you’re buying the expertise of retirement specialists who are best placed to support you, you’re buying a service. At LV=, we offer quality and affordable retirement advice that starts from as little as £995, which is a small price to pay when preparing your income for retirement. We’re dedicated to helping your investments and pensions stretch that little bit further.

              What protection does retirement and pension advice offer?

              When you use our retirement advice service, you’re helping to protect your future and guarantee yourself an income throughout retirement. However, each of us has special circumstances, such as those with safeguarded benefits, which can affect the retirement options available.

              A pensions and retirement advice specialist will help you understand these, protecting you against any products that aren’t suitable for your needs. The financial advice you’re given will also be protected by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). That means you’re protected against any harmful or bad advice that can affect your finances.

              Do you need retirement advice to combine or transfer pension pots?

              It’s best to seek advice when combining or transferring a pension as you may have significant charges to pay. When trading money from one pension pot to another, there’s also a risk to your capital, so you’ll need expert advice to help you fully understand the risks.

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