If you need help calculating your benefits under the STSS or want to find out about maximising your income on retirement.

Call us now on 0345 355 3242 to discuss your pension arrangements further.

The current turmoil surrounding pensions has left people with uncertainty and confusion. However, in the long term, pension funds generally grow in value better than many other forms of investment.

The earlier in life you start a pension fund, the longer you have to contribute to it and the longer the fund has to ride out market fluctuations. When you add in the generous tax allowances from the government, it’s hard to find a better way to plan for retirement than with a pension.

Call us now on 0345 355 3242 to arrange a meeting to discuss your pension planning.

Many people have exciting plans for their retirement – perhaps going on the holiday of a lifetime, moving home or taking up new hobbies. But these plans are unlikely to become reality for the many people who have not made adequate pension provision for their retirement.

If you are a member of the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme you will know that you are making some provision for your retirement, but will it be enough?

Most Teachers will have a shortfall on their maximum possible Superannuation pension. There are a number of ways to reduce this shortfall and your EIS Independent Financial Adviser can help choose the most suitable method for you, tailoring the solutions to your specific needs and objectives.

The key to retirement planning is to start as early as possible. The longer your money is invested, the longer it has to grow! Delaying by even a year or two can make a big difference to the pension you could receive.

Call us now on 0345 355 3242 to discuss your pension arrangements further.

There has been a lot of uncertainty about pensions over the last few years and they are rarely out of the news. Since 2006, the government has changed the face of pension planning dramatically and the Superannuation Scheme is also going through a period of change.

You may have already done something to enhance your pension with Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs), Free Standing AVCs, Stakeholder Pension or a Personal Pension Plan. You may also have pensions from previous employment, out-with teaching.

These plans should be reviewed regularly to ensure that they are still suitable and on track to meet your requirements. A lot of older style pensions do not benefit from “Pensions Freedoms” , new rules that came in to force in 2015 offering more flexibility with regards to accessing certain types of pensions. It may be possible to switch these older style plans to a new more flexible retirement plan.

Call us now on 0345 355 3242 to arrange a review.

Whether you are approaching retirement or you have recently retired, there are often many areas of concern.

It is not always easy to find someone who can help with Superannuation queries, maximising income from AVCs, and offers sound investment advice.
That’s why we have launched a Retirement Advisory service, which is available to all EIS members and their family.

Some of the main issues we deal with involve investing your retirement lump sum for capital growth or to provide a regular income which can be fixed or flexible to help supplement your pension income.

An experienced Independent Financial Adviser with an excellent working knowledge of the Superannuation scheme can discuss your requirements and make a firm recommendation based on your individual circumstances.

Call us now on 0345 355 3242 for a consultation.

There is a lot of information on the EIS website that will be of interest and this link will inform you of the various options and provide information to enable you to see what might apply to you.

You are able to obtain your Annual Benefit Statement from SPPA by logging in or registering via this link.

If the details on your statement are correct you can then use the online calculators to work out your pension.
Please note the figures provided will be based on current legislation.

There are pension changes due to happen as a result of the outcome of the McCloud judgement. Please click on the link to find further information here.

The EIS website will be updated with any further developments as the impact become clear. The administrative and legislative changes required by the judgement should be in place later this year.

If you are thinking about Phased Retirement, you can read about how this works here.

For retirals the SPPA like to have 3 – 4 month’s notice in order that your pension benefits are in place on time. The form you will need to complete and submit to them is available here:

Member guidance for completing application form STSS: (RET) (pensions.gov.scot)

This process also involves your employer.

There is also a word version available on their website Teachers – Forms | SPPA (pensions.gov.scot) (form 25)

You need to check your contract for the required notice period that you need to give your employer. Your employer also needs to fill out Part 2 of the Retirement form after you have completed Part 1. Your employer will then forward the completed form to SPPA for processing.