How your work can shape the pension questions
Professional careers can move through trainee employment, PAYE roles, partnership, sole practice and incorporated businesses. Income may be uneven and retirement can involve selling or winding down a practice rather than stopping on one date.
Pension benefits and arrangements to identify
List occupational schemes from employed roles, personal PRSAs or RACs, company-funded pensions and any partner arrangements. Establish the income source supporting each contribution and the combined personal tax-relief position.
| Decision area | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Career structure | Which pension route applied during each employed, partner or self-employed period? |
| Variable income | How should contributions respond to uneven drawings or profits? |
| Practice value | How much retirement income should be independent of a future practice sale? |
| Governance | Are charges, investment choices and beneficiaries reviewed regularly? |
Documents to gather before a review
A useful review starts with evidence, not assumptions.
- Employment and partnership history.
- Recent payslips, drawings, accounts or company remuneration.
- Statements for all active and preserved pensions.
- Practice exit plan and target retirement income.
How an advisor can help
An advisor can consolidate the financial picture without automatically consolidating the contracts, compare contribution routes and model a phased exit from practice. The professional’s own tax advisor or accountant should verify the tax treatment.
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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