Pension planning
Pension planning is fundamentally about retirement planning. Our expert financial advisers can help ensure that your pension will provide you with the income you’ll need in retirement.
Pension planning experts for your retirement goals
When you’re planning your pension, you’re really planning a significant aspect of your retirement. The places you want to go, the hobbies you want to pursue, the lifestyle you want to have – all the exciting plans you have for your retirement are influenced by your pension and the financial decisions you make today. Financially planning for that future – whether it’s still in the distance or right around the corner – can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to.
At Flying Colours, our independent financial advisers are here to help you navigate the complexities of pensions to set a course to a happy, comfortable, and financially secure retirement. Whether you’re considering consolidating old pensions, protecting your retirement income from inflation, or building a tailored asset strategy, we can guide you towards the best financial decisions.
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Understand your pensions
We’ll help you identify what pensions you have and whether they’re still suitable for you and your family.Clarify retirement plans
We’ll work with you to clarify what you want from your retirement and how soon you can make it all happen.Create a retirement plan
Once we understand your retirement goals, we’ll recommend the best course of action. As part of this, we’ll ensure your current pensions are fit for purpose.Take control of your pensions
Most people have several jobs in their lifetime, which can make it hard to keep track of all their individual pension plans. Are you in control of all your pensions?
To add to the problem, the UK government has a habit of tinkering with pensions. Frequent changes to taxes and allowances, along with inflation, can erode their value over time.
Our financial advisers can help you to assess whether your current pensions are right for your retirement objectives and ensure your money is working for you. Most importantly, we can help to ensure that you have a sustainable income in retirement.
What’s the difference between pension planning and retirement planning?
Pensions are a product designed to help fund your retirement. Planning and managing your pensions effectively can have a big impact on your income once you are retired, but ideally it should only be part of your financial plans.
Retirement planning is much broader. It’s about looking ahead to your retirement and the lifestyle you want, the finances you need, and utilising all of your different savings, assets and financial products in a tax-efficient way to fund it. These plans also need to factor in care and accommodation in later life, as well as your financial legacy.
Comprehensive and independent pension planning services
At Flying Colours, we offer a wide range of pension and retirement solutions tailored to your needs.
We can help you to set up, manage or consider whether consolidating existing pension arrangements is right for you. State pensions are also a small but relevant part of retirement planning, and we can help you understand your entitlement, the shortfall between your state pension and desired income, and how this should fit into your overall strategy.
Importantly, we don’t just look at your pensions in isolation. We recognise that they are only one part of the path to financial security during retirement and encourage our clients to explore a more diverse plan for retirement.
Why trust Flying Colours for pension planning?
We’ve built a reputation for reliability and expertise, having helped clients to secure their financial future since 2017. Our team members have decades of experience in pension and retirement planning, and have enabled thousands of clients to fund a happy and financially secure retirement. Our access to the whole market means that you get unrestricted advice, allowing us to shape individualised plans that work perfectly for you.
Don’t take our word for it. Take a look at our Awards and Accreditations.
Why consolidating your pensions could be right for you
Keeping track of multiple pensions isn’t just inconvenient: it could cost you. Every pension plan comes with its own fees, and in some instances outdated investment strategies could limit your returns. Consolidating pensions could help simplify management, reduces costs, and could help you optimise where your pension monies are invested.
Building a clear retirement roadmap
Knowing what you want and need from your retirement is the first step toward achieving it. This is partly about lifestyle and enjoying your wealth in early retirement, but you also need to consider the later phases, too. What income will you need to support you during the quieter middle years of your retirement, or the later years when you may need to consider care and support either in or outside of your home? How do you plan to fund emergencies or household maintenance from your retirement income?
Pension planning is only one aspect of preparing for retirement. A bespoke financial plan from Flying Colours can factor in your pension alongside your savings, assets and other complementary tax-efficient products, to create a retirement pot that’s ready to fund a financially independent and secure future.
Let’s build your financial future
Retirement should be a time to enjoy your life in comfort, not worry about money. With our expert pension advice, you’ll know you’re making the best financial decisions that you can today, to support a stress-free retirement in the future.
Contact Flying Colours today to get started on your tailored pension plan.
Book your free initial chat
Ready to start planning for a brighter financial future? Book now for a free, no-obligation chat with one of our independent financial advisers.
book nowReal stories, real financial outcomes
We’re proud to work with clients who value clear, personal financial guidance. In these short videos, they share their experiences of working with Flying Colours, and the difference expert advice has made to their lives.
Prefer to read? You’ll find full transcripts below each video.
What’s the best piece of advice your Flying Colours adviser has ever given you?
What’s the best thing about working with Flying Colours?
What words would you use to describe Flying Colours?
Would you recommend Flying Colours to other people?
Our other services
Investment planning services
Retirement planning and advice
Inheritance tax and estate planning services
Protection and insurance services
Tax optimisation services
Later life and long-term care planning
Annuity Bureau
Which? Partnership
A huge thank you to Liviu for helping us with our insurance needs. I'm so glad I listened to his advice and took out income protection. Not long afterwards, I fell down the stairs, my back gave way, and I was unable to work. Thankfully, the income protection payments were a lifeline, helping keep our finances afloat during a very painful and difficult period.
I’ve been with Flying Colours for about 8 years. In that time I’ve had really clear advice from Billy that has been very helpful. Billy offers pragmatic and supportive advice as I navigate complex life changes and has helped me feel more confident as I head towards full retirement. My available pension has grown very well which has also been a great help in planning for retirement.
We had such a great experience working with Liv! Navigating our financial arrangements initially felt overwhelming, but Liv made the whole process feel much more manageable. He was kind, clear, and incredibly patient throughout, always taking the time to explain our options in a way that really made sense to us. Thanks to his support, we felt informed and confident in the decisions we were making. We’re really grateful for his guidance and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.
We have been dealing with Flying Colours for many years now. They have sorted my pension payments and investments with great skill. Looking at the growth of our plans it is clear that we have made the right choice going with them. Our Financial Adviser Billy Ambler is always on hand to help with our questions and is always there to guide us, which he does impeccably. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to our closest family and friends.
Great advice having been referred to Flying Colours via the Money Advice Service, during lockdown in 2020. Advised on consolidating personal pensions, and on an Annuity, right up to my retirement this month. Very friendly and knowledgeable team.
John Munton's guidance and advice helped me to exceed my financial goals and I have been able to retire nearly 4 years earlier than I expected. Over the years we have developed a very good rapport and I trust him and his advice completely. Even after my retirement, John tied up all loose ends and was there to help and signpost me when I needed it. He has left the door open to ask for help should I need to. This reduces the stress of coping without proper financial or money management knowledge that I may need later in life.
I have been a client of Flying Colours for more than 8 years. They have consistently exceeded my expectations with their help and advice, and have provided an excellent level of service. Billy is thorough, very generous with his time and has a super level of empathy with his clients. With the help of Flying Colours I am confident that my pension and financial arrangements are now robust and I am confident that my future years are financially secure.
I cannot tell you how much it has meant to have Russell Bruce’s advice. I no longer worry that I’m not doing enough to feel financially secure and confident about the future, and that has made a huge difference for me. I find him very easy to talk to; he has a lovely professional, friendly manner. I’ve already recommended him to a family member.
Liviu has provided us with invaluable help regarding our pensions and how to best plan for our retirement. He has always made time to explain our options and fully answer any concerns we had. He has always gone the extra mile to ensure we were comfortable with the decisions we made and was endlessly patient.
I asked Billy outright, if Flying Colours would make us that fee back in the first 12 months of managing our pensions. He told me it would and I’m happy to say he was right. We’ve got to know him really well and we completely trust the advice he gives us; advice which, over the years, has covered way more than just our pension.
I had several meetings with Fred to discuss my medium‑ to long‑term goals, my appetite for risk, the kind of retirement I would like and at what age. We then walked through my current finances in detail, and Fred presented the gap between where I am now and where I would like to be, and proposed some changes that could help me achieve my goals in future.
Russ guided me through the process of assessing current and future demands on my finances and the selection of appropriate pension investments. Throughout the process Russ has been very patient and explained clearly different options with their risk/benefit profiles. I have found his manner very supportive.
From the initial meeting, George was able to understand my concerns and present options for how I could move forward. At no point did I feel any pressure, and I felt from the outset that I wanted to establish a long‑term relationship with George.
Ross gave me a lot of very useful information. He explains everything in a clear and concise way and doesn’t fill your head with jargon you may not understand. He keeps it plain and simple. Ross helped me understand how I could claim back overpaid tax and money I had been paying for a service with a previous pension adviser that shouldn’t have been charged.
I’ve been a client of Flying Colours for almost 10 years and it’s proved to be one of the best financial decisions I’ve made. The advice, care and detail given to me has always been fantastic both from my adviser Billy and the whole FC team. I have recommended their services multiple times before and wouldn’t hesitate again! A brilliant company!
Client since 2016
Tom expertly guided me through the complex and time-consuming process associated with consolidating several company pensions. Tom has also provided advice on a number of other financial benefits I was previously unaware of.
Liv patiently understood our circumstances and conducted the due diligence required to provide very transparent and exceptionally professional advice. He struck a great balance on long‑term investments, pensions, insurance and retirement. I found Liv very knowledgeable, confident, and personable.
Chris took the time to understand our goals, provided clear explanations of approaches and a thoughtful, well-structured follow up note. Chris' approachable nature and attention to detail was first class. Following our interactions we now have a much clearer understanding of the relevant aspects to our estate planning.
Liviu provided clear, thoughtful pension advice and took the time to explain everything in a way that actually made sense, without any pressure or confusion. I felt like he genuinely cared about helping me make the best long-term decision, not just offering generic guidance. His professionalism, knowledge, and approachable style made the whole process much easier and more reassuring. I now feel far more confident about my pension planning thanks to his support.
Luca encouraged me to take a step back and look at the bigger picture – how much risk am I prepared to take, how much income do I really need for my day‑to‑day expenditures, what are my plans for retirement. Luca worked through all the steps of the process at my pace, patiently explaining all the jargon as we progressed.
I’ve been absolutely delighted with the advice and support I’ve received from Maxine Clarke. She took the time to understand my goals, explained my options clearly, and helped structure my retirement plans. I now feel fully informed, supported, and confident about my financial future.
Chris has provided peace of mind enabling us to now retire early. He has taken the time to get to know and understand us, helping us to develop and adapt our strategy. We have an open and transparent relationship with him which builds trust. He is personable and tailors solutions to our needs.