Further Pension fund planning

[snow hope]

I have taken the drastic position of converting nearly everything into land.

I looked into this via a SIPP as I would very much like to buy some woodland / agri land, but found the initial costs and ongoing costs to be quite high. I am too young to draw any pension yet so couldn't buy outright.

Did you do it via a pension? If so, maybe you could tell us how? Or pm me if you prefer. Thanks

[biffvernon]

This all ogres well for Gold and silver imo.

While gold and silver can usefully be considered as ogres, I think you meant 'augurs well'.

[UndercoverElephant]

Sooner or later, Biff Vernon, you are going to have to eat your words regarding precious metals.

[stumuzz]

Did you do it via a pension? If so, maybe you could tell us how? Or pm me if you prefer. Thanks

No, not through a pension for three reasons. First, the land suddenly came up for sale close to home and had to snapped up. Two, I have a feeling pensions are going to be a target of raids ( Hungary nationalised all personal pensions) Argentina basically nicked them. Three, the purchase of the land could be put against a tax bill because there was a nominal rent charged.

[snow hope]

This all ogres well for Gold and silver imo.

While gold and silver can usefully be considered as ogres, I think you meant 'augurs well'.

LOL - yes, augurs....

[snow hope]

I have a feeling pensions are going to be a target of raids ( Hungary nationalised all personal pensions) Argentina basically nicked them.

Hmmmm, we should all note this and take appropriate action......

[Little John]

Guys, I know a lot of people think that Pensions aren't going to be worth zippo in the future and I can see this viewpoint all too clearly, but I do have a small pension fund that I have built up over the last 20 odd years and I am doing my damndest to protect it as much as I can!

Through good advice gleaned from this forum in the past I have managed to transfer the fund out of a general managed fund at the top of the stock market in May 2007 (which dropped 30% in the last year) into a Corporate Bond and Govt Gilt fund. Which had stayed stable until a few months ago when it dropped about 10%. It has since climbed up a few percent.

With all the discussion on UK Govt debt and the impact this may have on Gilts and also the recession and the impact this may have on even some large companies who may have issued Bonds, I am considering transferring my fund again.

Can anybody enlighten me as to what might happen with Gilts and Bonds if the current environment continues and indeed worsens and the impact this may have on investments in Gilts and Bonds?

Thanks!

My pension isn't going to be worth zippo because I don't have one.

It'll be the workhouse for me.

[Catweazle]

I asked myself what I will need when I'm older. The answer was shelter, water and food, energy and a small income to cover things I just can't produce myself. Smallholding and simultaneously running a couple of small sideline businesses fits the bill, I don't think many people my age (50) will be able to actually retire in comfort but at least I won't be hungry.

Pension funds and savings look too vulnerable for my liking, the Govt could of course confiscate land or the produce from it but I think it's more likely they'll seize money first.

[stumuzz]

I have a feeling pensions are going to be a target of raids ( Hungary nationalised all personal pensions) Argentina basically nicked them.

Hmmmm, we should all note this and take appropriate action......

Some further reading http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-04-1 ... re-screwed

[stumuzz]

Smallholding and simultaneously running a couple of small sideline businesses fits the bill, I don't think many people my age (50) will be able to actually retire in comfort but at least I won't be hungry

Having bought and run a smallholding for about four tears in my late twenties it is incredibly hard work. I mean hard work!
We did pigs, sheep, chickens,veg,and fruit. Used what we needed sold some of the surplus in local shops for a pittance. We as a family had great fun doing it but I was a very fit young man. I really could not see myself in my fifties (which is only four years away) running a smallholding and relying on it.

The thing i learnt most was the fact that a person can get by on quite modest amounts of food. A large garden with some chickens for meat and eggs will go a substantial way to satisfying your needs. The skills to store and find seasonal food is almost a pension in itself.

Your idea about running a couple of small businesses is a very good one. Value adding goods or services is a lot easier than running a smallholding every time!

[sam_uk]

Bear in mind that I suck with money (Brought my first Gold a month ago for example)

But there might be something in this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fail-Safe_Investing

25% in U.S. stocks, to provide a strong return during times of prosperity. For this portion of the portfolio, Browne recommends a basic S&P 500 index fund such as VFINX or FSKMX.

25% in long-term U.S. Treasury bonds, which do well during prosperity and during deflation (but which do poorly during other economic cycles).

25% in cash in order to hedge against periods of “tight money” or recession. In this case, “cash” means a money-market fund. (Note that our current recession is abnormal because money actually isn’t tight — interest rates are very low.)

25% in precious metals (gold) in order to provide protection during periods of inflation. Browne recommends gold bullion coins.

More:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1088961 ... ket-stages

Personally a bit uncomfortable in stocks for ethical reasons.

I guess you could substitute some clean energy stocks: http://commodityhq.com/2012/the-best-an ... s-of-2012/

And perhaps some peer to peer lending for the 'growth' scenario, however unlikely that may seem. http://uk.zopa.com/

You could wait until the current Gold correction bottoms out and then get the 25% in Physical gold?

[woodburner]

Sooner or later, Biff Vernon, you are going to have to eat your words regarding precious metals.

But not yet as metals are falling, so maybe others (no names mentioned) may have to eat their words, eh?

[RenewableCandy]

Smallholding and simultaneously running a couple of small sideline businesses fits the bill, I don't think many people my age (50) will be able to actually retire in comfort but at least I won't be hungry

Having bought and run a smallholding for about four tears in my late twenties it is incredibly hard work. I mean hard work!

Even our little RenewablePlot is hard work, so I can back that up. Emphasis there on the word "back"

"tears" yeah I love the Plot, but I wouldn't want to have to rely on it unaided, especially when old. A garden and high-value stuff might work better. We're doing that too.

[biffvernon]

Sooner or later, Biff Vernon, you are going to have to eat your words regarding precious metals.

Why?

Watch this report from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22128957

One small area, 450 children killed and thousands more brain-damaged and otherwise permanently maimed. That's the direct cause of our obsession with gold.

We have tonnes of gold in bank vaults doing nothing and yet the gold buggers' demands result in this dreadful carnage. Buy gold and you share the responsibility for the death and injury of children on this literally industrial scale.

[snow hope]

I keep hearing that pensions are dead and in the long term I agree.

But my pension pot has increased by 14% in the last year and 6% in 2011 and 6% in 2010 (ignoring additional contributions). By careful selection of investment funds I think there is still some growth to be had yet.

My hope is that I can get a further 3 years without any major hiccups in the value of it until I am 55, then I think I can take at least some of the pension out in cash and use it to purchase tangible things such as some woodland, etc.

Does this not make sense?