However, our survey of retirees in June 2024 shows that older people are feeling the pinch too, with one third more worried now about their financial future than they used to be.
Here we explore the financial challenges you could face in retirement and what you can do to deal with them.
1. Running out of money
Instead of paying a guaranteed income for life, like DB schemes, it's your responsibility to make sure the money in your DC pension lasts throughout your retirement.
You'll need to be careful about withdrawing too much - especially when markets are falling, as this can make it harder for the value of your pot to recover.
You can combine different options, either at the same time or to cover different phases of your retirement.
If you take out an annuity as a result of using the service from HUB Financial Solutions, Which? will earn a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission2. Having to pay for healthcare
Some 63% of respondents in our survey of over 13,500 retired and semi-retired Which? members agreed that paying privately for dentistry, healthcare and long-term care now has to be considered part of normal retirement planning.
Between 2011-13 and 2020-22, healthy life expectancy - defined by The Office for National Statistics (ONS) as an estimate of lifetime spent in ‘very good’ or ‘good’ health, based on how individuals perceive their general health - dropped from 63.2 to 62.4 for men and from 63.9 to 62.7 for women in England.
These numbers have also fallen in Wales (to 61.1 for men and 60.3 for women) and Scotland (60.4 for men and 61.1 for women).
Find out more: undefined3. A large tax bill
Spreading withdrawals from your pension across tax years can help keep your tax bill to a minimum, as you'll be making use of more than one year's tax-free allowance.
When you first take a lump sum from your pension, you might be hit with an unexpectedly large tax bill due to a quirk with HMRC's systems.
Between 1 July and 30 September, HMRC repaid a total of £44.m to pension savers who had been overtaxed.
Find out more:4. A wait for the state pension
The age at which you qualify for the state pension is currently 66 and will rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
But you won’t necessarily get the headline amount. Those getting the new state pension receive an average amount of around £190 a week.
Under normal rules, you can only fill gaps in your NI record from the past six years.
But if you reached state pension age after 6 April 2016 (or are yet to reach it), you have the option to plug gaps going back to 2006 - although the deadline to do this is April 2025.
Find out more:5. Rising prices
Rising prices can be particularly tough on retirees as their incomes are more likely to be fixed.
Winter fuel payment: Pension credit:Travel discounts:Which? Limited is registered in England and Wales to 2 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4DF, company number 00677665 and is an Introducer Appointed Representative (FRN 610689) of the following:
1. Inspop.com Ltd for the introduction of non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide advice and arrange non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN310635). Inspop.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide advice and arrange non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN310635) and is registered in England and Wales to Greyfriars House, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, South Wales, CF10 3AL, company number 03857130. Confused.com is a trading name of Inspop.com Ltd.
2. LifeSearch Partners Limited (FRN656479), for the introduction of Pure Protection Contracts and Private Health Insurance, who are authorised and regulated by the FCA to provide advice and arrange Pure Protection Contracts and Private Health Insurance Contracts. LifeSearch Partners Ltd is registered in England and Wales to 3000a Parkway, Whiteley, Hampshire, PO15 7FX, company number 03412386.
3. HUB Financial Solutions, for the introduction of equity release advice, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) to provide advice and guidance on financial products for those who have retired or are approaching retirement (FCA Firm Reference Number: 455713). HUB Financial Solutions is registered in England and Wales to Enterprise House, Bancroft Road, Reigate, Surrey RH12 7RP, company number 05125701.
4. Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers Ltd (FRN 301), for the introduction of non-investment landlord insurances, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide advice and arrange insurance contracts. Alan Boswell insurance brokers Ltd is registered in England at Prospect House, Rouen Rd, Norwich NR1 1RE, company number 02591252.
Other financial services:
Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), Unit 26 (2.06), Newark Works, 2 Foundry Lane, Bath BA2 3GZ. London & Country are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
We do not make, nor do we seek to make, any recommendations or personalised advice on financial products or services that are regulated by the FCA, as we’re not regulated or authorised by the FCA to advise you in this way. In some cases, however, we have included links to regulated brands or providers with whom we have a commercial relationship and, if you choose to, you can buy a product from our commercial partners.
If you go ahead and buy a product using our link, we will receive a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission and our campaigns work as a champion for the UK consumer. Please note that a link alone does not constitute an endorsement by Which?.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/5-major-pitfalls-in-retirement-and-how-to-deal-with-them-aVtOm6e5R5ig