A SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) is a type of personal pension for an individual who wants to make investment decisions and manage those investments on an ongoing basis. They are commonly used by individuals when working with discretionary fund managers and financial advisers because of the freedom of investment choices that they offer. These investment choices include funds, discretionary managed funds and commercial property.
A SIPP is offered by insurance companies, investment managers and usually as part of a wrapper / platform to house investments. SIPPs operate under the same contribution rules as other personal pensions, so you can claim tax relief on £40,000 of contributions per year.
There are many advantages of using a SIPP including:
However, there are disadvantages, including:
If you’re someone who wants to make investment decisions and plan for your own retirement then a SIPP could be a suitable pension for you. Likewise, if you generate income from multiple sources or a complex financial position, SIPPs may work favourably for you. They allow you to be efficient in your tax planning and if you’re looking to work with a discretionary fund manager and / or a financial adviser, it will make managing your investments easier, while bringing your pensions together may be easily done within a SIPP.
All of these advantages bring complexity with them though. If you’re looking for something simple and you’re not comfortable with the risk of loss that comes with making your own investment decisions, then a SIPP might not be for you. If you choose to work with a financial adviser, they may recommend a SIPP as the most appropriate vehicle for you, but when you partner with an adviser they will take on the complexity of the SIPP on your behalf.
If you’d like to talk to an adviser about a SIPP you have, or if would like to discuss your pension provision, please get in touch.
Ask an adviser
It can be tempting to look at cash when the markets are volatile, but in the context of long-term returns, historically that has not paid off. Looking back at the worst market conditions in recent memory, our advisers Stuart Johnstone and Graeme Wake explain…
A trust is a method of managing assets, and are commonly used for estate planning, minimising tax payments. Find out more about how they work and why they’re a helpful too in an adviser’s toolbox.
A first-hand account from Jasmit Bahia, about how recent changes have affected his BTL portfolio.
IMPORTANT: SIPPs may not be suitable for everyone, we suggest you speak to an independent financial adviser before you make any decision regarding your own personal circumstances.
The value of your investments may go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount invested.