A free guide to annuities is being offered by Saga, helping people understand the options open to them at retirement and how to make the best of what is on offer.
The Saga guide is very up to date, with full details of how the OMO (Open Market Option) works for buying an annuity. It explains how it enables people to shop around to find the best annuity to suit them, rather than being tied to their pension fund provider. At the moment only around forty percent of people are actively using the Open Market Option, but it is hoped that this information will prompt more to see how it can be of benefit to them.
The advice from Saga is that anyone approaching retirement should have a look at the guide so they can weigh up their options. It can potentially save lots of money and ensure the package selected best meets customer needs.
A recent survey has shown that those aged 50 and over, the typical Saga Insurance customers, are concerned about how the credit crunch will affect their pensions and investments.
According to the survey, carried out by Millennium, over 75 percent of these Saga Insurance aged respondents believe the credit crunch will negatively impact on their investments, whilst almost 60 percent are expecting their pension provisions to be affected. However it is not all doom and gloom, since over three quarters of the over 50s are also saying they will not give up holidays and eating out.
People aged 50 and over tend to have a good view of the economy, having experienced its ups and downs over their lives. This is why the opinions of the Saga Insurance customers are valuable and worth bearing in mind no matter what age you may be.
According to the Prudential retired people have substantial assets and savings although they are not maximising them to aid their standard of living.
On average retired couples have almost GBP270,000 in assets and savings whilst single pensioners have half this amount. However, even though they have these large funds at their disposal, less than 20 percent of them have sought professional financial advice. A Prudential representative was amazed at these findings, feeling that pensioners were missing out on perhaps thousand of pounds extra by better using their money.
Even ignoring the value that people have in their homes a retired couple still has around GBP135,000 in accessible funds. This money should be made to work harder said the man from the Prudential and deliver a better standard of living.
