The Great Pension Treasure Hunt
Experts estimate there could be:
Could one of those missing pension pots be yours?
Join us on National Pension Tracing Day, Sunday 29 October, for our Great Pension Treasure Hunt.
The clocks go back, so you’ve an extra hour to spend looking for lost pension treasure. Get your family and friends on board too!
Use our hashtags to tell everyone on social media how you’re getting involved. Let’s get pensions trending!
#NationalPensionTracingDay
#GreatPensionTreasureHunt
Share your stories now:
Your treasure map
Start here
Download our handy checklist with a step-by-step guide to start you off on your pension treasure hunt.
Retrace your steps
Fish out your old CVs, or head down memory lane, and list all the places you’ve worked. Did you have a pension at any of them?
Search your papers
Have a good hunt through your paperwork for old pension papers – and check you’ve got a pension statement for each workplace you listed out. Are there any gaps?
Check for pensions
Use the government’s free Pension Tracing Service to check for pension schemes at your old workplaces.
Get in touch
… with the pension provider(s) you’ve found details for, contact them and ask if they’ve got any pension records for you. If they have – you’ve found treasure!
Time to celebrate!
You can post your success on social media using our hashtags.
- #WheresMyPension
- #NationalPensionTracingDay
- #GreatPensionTreasureHunt
Should I collect all my treasure together?
Even if you didn’t find any lost pension treasure, you’ve probably got more than one pension pot. Many people have four or five pension pots from different jobs. Could you benefit from collecting all your pension pots together (known as ‘consolidation’)?
What’s good about consolidation
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All your retirement savings in one place
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Easy to see how much you’ve got
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You could save money on fees with only one provider
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Could give you more choice
What’s not so good
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You could lose guarantees or promises on some types of pension
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You could be charged for moving your pensions
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Small pots can have tax advantages
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You’d need to watch out for pension scams
If you are unsure if consolidating your pensions is the best option for you, you should consider taking financial advice.
Beware of the pension pirates!
Pension scammers want your money. The pension pirates are always on the look-out for landlubbers to con out of their pension treasure. Don’t let them on board! Find out how to scam-proof yourself with our top tips for staying scam-free.
Build on your retirement vision
It’s time to build your newly-found pension treasure into your retirement vision. Even if you didn’t find any lost pensions, it’s always good to check your retirement plans are on track.
Checkpoint 1. Check your retirement ages
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Do all your pensions have the same retirement age? Or, do you need to get them in line with when you plan to start taking your benefits? -
Some pensions have a ‘normal’ retirement age, but you don’t have to retire at this age if it’s not right for you. Instead, you can choose your own ‘target’ retirement age. Do you need to do this for any of your pensions?
Checkpoint 2. Look at your investment choices
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Check the investment choices for each of your pensions. Do your current choices line up with how you feel about investment risk, and your retirement vision? Or, do you need to change any of those choices?
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Are you in an automatic ‘lifestyling’ investment option that switches your savings into lower-risk investments as you get closer to taking benefits? If yes, does this still work with your current retirement plans? Or do you need to change anything?
Protect your loved ones
Would you like to nominate who receives the money in your pension pot when you die?
- Fill in an expression of wish form (it could also be called a ‘nomination’ or ‘nomination of beneficiaries’ form) for each of your pensions. You use this form to name the people (or organisations) you’d like to get the benefits that are paid if you die before you start taking them.
- Your pension scheme trustees/provider have the final say over who gets the benefits, but they’ll usually follow your wishes.
- If you’ve filled in an expression of wish form before – is it time to update it?
Help and support through Pension Potential
As part of your employer’s partnership with Aspire to Retire, you have access to Pension Potential.
If you’re planning to start taking your benefits – now, or in the near future – Pension Potential can help. Pension Potential are experts in helping people maximise the income they can get from their pension savings.
Pension Potential is a free-to-use, no obligation online hub which gives you the power to maximise your Pension Potential.
Explore your Pension Potential today
Compare your retirement options
Go to the Pension Potential hub to get a
free retirement pack with personal
insights just for you.
Shop for guaranteed income (annuity)
If guaranteed income (annuity) appeals to you, use the Pension Potential annuity finder to shop around for your own tailored annuity.
>Go to the Pension Potential hub to access the annuity finder
Get expert help
Once you’ve looked into your options ask for a call with one of Pension Potential’s friendly retirement experts.
