The return of "Carry Forward"

HMRC have now confirmed that an individual can carry forward unused annual allowance from any year (2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11) during which they were a member of a registered pension scheme, regardless of whether they made any contributions during that year or had a nil pension input amount during that year.

They have also confirmed that contributions must be paid into the same pension scheme and to obtain tax relief, earnings must support the contribution in the tax year that it is made.

Compulsory pension contributions - NEST

From 2012, millions of workers will be auto-enrolled into pension schemes to which employers and employees will have to contribute.

Pension contribution tax relief and lifetime allowance

From tax year 2011/12 tax relief on pension contributions will be restricted to an annual allowance of £50k pa. The annual allowance will be "frozen" until at least 2016/ 17. Tax relief will be available at your highest marginal rate of tax. You will be able to "carry forward" unused annual allowance from the previous 3 tax years, including 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 (£50k pa).



The new lifetime allowance (LTA) of £1.5 million will start from tax year 2012/13. Transitional provisions will be introduced for those individuals who:

• Have primary protection
• Have no transitional protection, but have pension benefits currently valued in excess of £1.5 million
• With pensions currently valued at less than £1.5 million, but who feel that the investment growth/benefit revaluation may take their pension value over £1.5 million
• Enhanced and primary protection will be retained, but enhanced protection will no longer be exempt from the AA test.

The rules relating to trivial pension commutation will be de-coupled from the LTA, therefore the existing limit of £18,000 will not be reduced.

Tax allowable pension contributions reduced from April 2011

From April 2011 the limits on tax allowable pension contributions will reduce from £255k to £50k. From 2013 the lifetime allowance will reduce from £1.8m to £1.5m. Hopefully, the Treasury will publish the details behind their proposals shortly.

The 250% tax on pension contributions

High earners with occupational pensions beware!

Pre Budget Report - Pension contributions for high earners

My understanding of the latest change is that if you earn/ have income of £150k + the tax relief on contributions will be restricted if contributions exceed £20k or in certain circumstances £30k per annum. Employer pension contribution were not included in the calculation of earnings/ income.

The amendment in the PBR states that for those earning £130k + employer pension contributions will be included in calculating the £150k level.

Simple.

High earners and pension contributions

The 2009 Budget introduced changes which will affect high earners (earning £100,000 or more) and the pension contributions that they might make. The reduction in the personal allowance and increase in income tax rate make pension contributions an attractive planning option. However, contributions may need to be carefully planned to avoid tax charges under so-called "anti-forestalling" measures.

AEGON Scottish Equitable have produced one of the clearest and most user-friendly explanations of the changes and its implications we have found.