How your work can shape the pension questions
A doctor may have public-service employment, private-practice profits, company income and pensions from earlier training or overseas work. Those income sources do not automatically share the same pension route or tax treatment.
Pension benefits and arrangements to identify
Separate the public-service scheme benefit from personal or company-funded arrangements. Identify preserved benefits from former employers, AVCs, PRSAs, RACs and any overseas pension. Check how combined personal contributions interact with the relevant earnings and tax-relief limits.
| Decision area | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Income sources | Which earnings are pensionable employment income, private-practice profit or company remuneration? |
| Existing benefits | What public, private and overseas pensions already exist? |
| Company funding | What employer contribution is supportable after salary, existing funding and company needs are reviewed? |
| Retirement plan | Will public and private work stop at the same time? |
Documents to gather before a review
A useful review starts with evidence, not assumptions.
- Public-service annual benefit statement and employment history.
- Private-practice or company accounts and remuneration details.
- Statements for every PRSA, RAC, AVC and former-employer pension.
- Desired work pattern and income before and after full retirement.
How an advisor can help
An advisor can coordinate the different pension routes, avoid double-counting income or relief, compare personal and company funding and build a staged-retirement projection. Tax and accounting advice may also be needed for practice or company decisions.
What the review should produce
Ask for a clear record of the pensions included, benefits that could be lost, all product and advice charges, the assumptions used, the recommended contribution or retirement strategy and the next review date. A personal recommendation should follow a full fact-find and suitability assessment.
Last reviewed: 21 September 2026. Rules depend on your circumstances.
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