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Extracting money from a pension

No matter how your clients access their pensions, they may face income tax.

Retired clients wanting tax-efficient pension withdrawals can consider investing in a Venture Capital Trust (VCT) for enhanced financial benefits.


Kate needs a tax-efficient way to extract money from her pension

Kate has saved up a sizeable pension pot after having paid into her defined contribution pension for many years. She has been retired for five years and is financially comfortable in her retirement.

Her daughter has recently had her second child and, following pension freedoms reforms, Kate would like to take some money out of her pension to put towards the future education of her grandchildren. Despite the grandchildren not reaching school age for several years, she is keen to plan ahead and is investigating options to take money out of her pension in the most tax efficient manner.

Kate’s financial adviser suggests investing in a Venture Capital Trust

Kate talks to her financial adviser, who makes an assessment based on:


  • Her risk profile.
  • Her investment time horizon: more than five years.
  • Her attitude towards investing in smaller companies.

Based on those factors, Kate’s adviser suggests investing in a VCT.

With a VCT, Kate can claim up to 30% income tax relief on up to £200,000 invested in any single tax year, provided she holds her VCT shares for at least five years. Kate can also benefit from tax-free dividends, and no capital gains tax to pay when she sells the shares. Kate can not claim more relief than the income tax she has paid.

Tax benefits of investing money extracted from a pension in a VCT

The flow chart below illustrates how Kate can use VCT investments to reduce her pension income tax bill. There are two scenarios based on her tax rate: basic or higher. VCTs involve higher risk and differ from pensions and ISAs. They may not be suitable if an adviser needs to offset income or immediate access to funds. However, their tax benefits make VCTs an attractive option for some retirees. Individual circumstances vary, so suitability varies as well.

Useful for clients who:

  • Are retired.
  • Don’t need immediate access to the money in their pension.
  • Are looking for tax-efficient extraction options.

Keep in mind

  • Nothing in this scenario should be viewed as advice on investments, taxation, legal matters, or anything else.
  • Any suitability decisions should be based on a client’s objectives and needs, as well as their attitude and capacity for risk.
  • You should consider the value, eligibility and timings of tax reliefs and liabilities.
  • You should consider the impact of relevant product charges (including initial and ongoing) like administration fees and annual management charges.
How it works
Risks

Risks to remember when investing in a VCT

  • VCTs aren’t suitable for everyone. They’re high-risk and should be considered long-term investments. The value of an investment, and any income from it, can fall or rise. Investors may not get back the full amount they invest.
  • Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and tax rules can change in the future. Tax reliefs also depend on the VCT maintaining its qualifying status. Tax relief is available on investments of up to £200,000 per year.
  • VCT shares could fall or rise in value more than other shares listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. They may also be harder to sell.

Interested in VCTs?

We’re the largest provider of VCTs in the market, offering three types of investments that can provide attractive tax reliefs.¹

¹By funds under management, The Association of Investment Companies. December 2023.