Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

I’d like to look into taking my pension early, maybe to semi retire but not sure where to begin..

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

Email your pension provider and ask them what the earliest age is that you can take it. You can also ask them for an illustration for taking it now (if that's possible) or taking it in say 5 years time, however check with them first to see if they would charge you for such an illustration. Some allow you 1 free illustration a year and then charge for subsequent ones.

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

Thanks, I’ll look into that

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

I was a postie.

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

God bless our Posties - walking miles in all weathers!

I took early retirement from the NHS at 60 instead of 65. Financially it was a bit of a culture shock at first - but soon adjusted and have never regretted it.

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

So was I for a while - SW1

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

I was a postie, too ..... but only a Christmas temp .....

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

I was full time but I actually found I enjoyed it. I needed money to get back to god's own country and as an electronics/communications technician I was being offered about £35/week as a postman I started on £50.

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

Christmas, the best time to be a postie. Christmas Pressure, once over the ground, job and knock....I miss that.

I loved the actual job, I left because the people I had to work with/for were complete a***holes

Re: Taking workplace pension at 55

After he died (he was 51) I was left with the proceeds of the 4 pensions he'd taken out during his working life, plus the firm he worked for paid me a years basic salary tax free, a Death in Service payment.

I couldn't touch that money, if I could I would have retired years ago, so I was careful with it and tried to make it work as hard as I could without taking any risks with it. I am not averse to using the interest that money made though, my opinion is I made it work so the interest it earns is mine. I did manage to save a small amount as well.

It's that interest and savings plus the lump sums from the my own 2 pensions that are financing my retirement. The original cash is still there, still earning interest.

If there was a problem with the house, or the dog needed expensive treatment or if I needed to replace my car I would be happy to dip into the original cash but I just can't use it to finance me sitting on my arse when I'm still fit enough to work. That would feel...wrong, just wrong.

And really, given a choice, I'd give it all up and have him back like a shot