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40% of employers challenged with supporting high earners’ needs

According to new research from Smarterly, a savings and investments platform, 96 percent of companies have had to come up with employee benefit initiatives to deal with higher earners - including offering cash alternatives.

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More than half of employers allow higher earners to put excess pension contributions into an ISA
More than half of employers allow higher earners to put excess pension contributions into an ISA

The platform said the need has come about since the 2016 regulation change came into play - meaning that anyone earning over £150,000 finds themselves limited in the amount they can contribute to a pension scheme, unless they want to pay a higher tax charge.

 

The research found that nearly 40 percent of employers said the issue of pensions tax relief, for their higher earners, is now a challenge and they have had to look for other products to support and satisfy the financial needs of their employees.

 

It also found that more than half of employers now allow their higher earners to put excess pension contributions into an ISA in a bid to help grow their tax-free savings. Interestingly, less than three percent of employers said they do not have any employees who are affected, so the impact of the higher tax bracket is far reaching.

 

The introduction of the tapered annual allowance means that adequate retirement funding for higher earners is unlikely to be satisfied with just pensions and going forward, a retirement fund should consist of a pension supplemented by other savings vehicles. Splitting contributions between a pension fund and an ISA avoids a potential tax charge without the employee losing out on employer pension contributions. It also allows for more accessible retirement funding.

 

Steve Watson, head of proposition at Smarterly, said: “From our research, only four percent of employers are not doing anything for their higher earners, so it’s clear that the majority of employers recognise that alternative arrangements have to be in place. The problem for higher earners who aren’t offered alternative arrangements, is that they either accept a tax charge or lose out on employer pension contributions.

 

“Regardless of how the employer decides to deal with the issue, the message should be the same. A reduced annual allowance is a tax issue not a retirement planning issue. In other words, restricted pension contributions are probably not going to be enough to build up an adequate retirement fund.

 

“Smart employers should consider a dual approach; reduce pension contributions and look for a different product to run alongside creating a much more effective and rewarding retirement funding solution for all levels of employees.”

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