Retirement planning, modelled honestly

The questions worth answering early

'How much is enough?' is the most consequential question in personal finance, and it has no universal answer. It depends on the life you want, the guarantees the State will provide in your case, and what your existing pensions and ISAs can realistically support.

We start with the State Pension – what you are currently forecast to receive and when – then map your workplace and personal pensions, ISAs and other assets against your intended spending. The gap between the two is the number the whole plan revolves around.

We stress-test the plan against the questions that keep savers awake: what if markets fall 30% in the first two years of retirement? What if inflation runs hot through your sixties? Sequence-of-returns risk is real, and a plan that ignores it is a hope, not a plan.

What the work includes

A written analysis of your position: projected State Pension entitlements, a consolidated view of pension and ISA assets, and a modelled sustainable income range under conservative assumptions.

A comparison of the drawdown routes – keeping funds invested and drawing income, buying an annuity for a guaranteed floor, or blending both – explained in terms of what each protects you from and what it costs you.

A decumulation order strategy: which pot to draw from first, in which tax year, and why the sequence can change the total tax you pay by thousands of pounds across a retirement.

An annual review point: your plan is a living document, and the assumptions deserve re-checking each year against reality.

Common questions