SIPP FAQs

Contributions

How much can I contribute?

To find out how much you can contribute to your pension, please visit How much can I contribute?

Use this free interactive pension calculator to calculate how much your pension could pay you at retirement.

Investments

What if I'm not sure where to invest?

For some investors nothing beats the thrill of choosing their own stocks and shares. Others prefer to entrust the choice of shares to experts and choose funds.

If you don't want to choose your own investments your money will automatically go into the company default investment.

If you want more choice, with the Your SIPP you can invest with the UK's finest fund managers. You'll be sent regular reviews on funds that Hargreaves Lansdown believes have good prospects to help you decide where to invest for yourself.

Where can I invest my pension?

Can I change my investments?

Yes. A SIPP gives you the flexibility to choose and change your investments when you want.

You can do this yourself securely online or on your smartphone whenever you wish. Investments can also be changed over the phone on 0117 314 1795 with your Master Password to hand.

Alternatively if you prefer to manage your investments by post please send a signed letter to: Freepost HARGREAVES LANSDOWN.

Transferring

Can I transfer my existing pension into the SIPP?

Yes. It's free to transfer in existing pensions to the SIPP but you must ensure you won't lose valuable guarantees or incur excessive exit fees by transferring.

Simply submit one simple form and the transfer will be handled by Hargreaves Lansdown for you. The transfer usually takes 4-6 weeks to complete.

You can normally transfer the following types of pension into the SIPP:

• Personal and stakeholder pensions
• Retirement Annuity Contracts (RACs)
• Other SIPPs
• Most Additional Voluntary Contribution plans (AVCs) including Free Standing AVCs
• Executive Pension Plans (EPPs)
• Most paid-up occupational money purchase pensions
• Old protected rights pensions accrued from contracting out of the State Second Pension or SERPS (State Earnings Related Pension)
• Pensions in income drawdown

If your pension is not listed above, please call the Helpdesk on 0117 314 1795 and speak to a specialist for more information.

Retiring

What are my retirement options?

To explore your retirement options, the pros and cons, and discover how to maximise your pension fund when you retire:

Download this free Guide to Your Options at Retirement

Hargreaves Lansdown has a separate retirement service to help you choose the right options for you when you reach retirement. For more information:

Visit the Hargreaves Lansdown retirement service website

What is pension recycling?

Pension recycling is when an individual uses a tax-free cash lump sum from a pension (when they take benefits) to make a pension contribution to receive tax relief.

For more information and to see if you might be caught out, please download our Recycling Factsheet.

What happens to my SIPP when I die?

If you die before age 75 the total fund can normally be paid to your beneficiaries as a tax-free lump sum. If you die after 75, the total fund can be paid to your beneficiaries as a lump sum taxed at the individual’s marginal tax rate (or at 45% if not an individual).

Your SIPP funds can be used to provide an income for your dependants or other nominated beneficiaries. If you die before age 75 this income will be tax free. If you die after age 75 it will be taxed as their income.

SIPP benefits paid after your death are usually free of inheritance tax.

On death before 75 any funds in your SIPP which are not in drawdown will be subject to a lifetime allowance tax charge if over the lifetime allowance.

When you first set up a SIPP, you will be asked to complete a nomination of benefits form which allows you to nominate who you would like us to pay your SIPP to when you die. This is not legally binding, but gives Hargreaves Lansdown an indication of your wishes and can be changed at any point.

If you wish to request a new nomination of benefits form, please contact the helpdesk on 0117 314 1795 or email invest@hl.co.uk.

Independent Governance Committee

How do I know if I’m getting value for money?

Hargreaves Lansdown has established an Independent Governance Committee (IGC) to oversee your HL workplace pension. The role of the IGC is to protect the interests of members in the pension and more importantly, to ensure they receive value for money.

The committee publishes an annual report (located at the bottom of the IGC page) which details their findings.

Find out more about the IGC