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As a part of your application we’ll ask you to choose how you want your pension invested. Scottish Widows have taken the hassle out of choosing individual funds when you take out your pension and designed investment choices to suit you.
If you’re not sure of your risk appetite or how to take your pension at retirement, you can choose the default option. This is a balanced Governed Investment Strategy (GIS) that targets flexible access at retirement. This could suit a typical customer and reflects what we most commonly see in terms of risk appetite and retirement options. The default strategy is not personalised to you, and it may not meet your needs at retirement, so please consider this when making a decision about your investment options.
If you’re unsure what to choose, you can always seek financial advice. There will be a charge for this service.
Investment choice |
How your pension pot could perform |
Is this the right choice for you? |
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Investment choiceCautiousYou’re cautious with your investments and don’t feel comfortable taking much risk with your money. |
How your pension pot could perform
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Is this the right choice for you?
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Investment choiceBalancedYou’re a balanced investor and feel comfortable taking some risk with your money for, potentially, more reward. |
How your pension pot could perform
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Is this the right choice for you?
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Investment choiceAdventurousYou’re an adventurous investor and feel comfortable taking high risk with your money for, potentially high rewards. |
How your pension pot could perform
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Is this the right choice for you?
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Our default investment strategy is a balanced Governed Investment Strategy (GIS) that targets flexible access at retirement.
Depending on how you feel about the risk you want to take, they will invest your pension in one of their Governed Investment Strategies.
Quite simply each strategy (Cautious, Balanced and Adventurous) is a blend of funds known as Pension Portfolios. They suit your attitude to risk and the length of time you will be invested. With GIS, your pension pot is gradually moved into lower risk investments as you get closer to retirement.
Get more details about how your money is invested, download the guide (PDF, 1.2MB).
Your money will be invested in bonds and shares (known as 'equities'). These are shares within the UK, emerging markets and developed markets overseas.
Shares are considered riskier investments than bonds, so a portfolio investing in a large percentage of shares will carry more risk than one investing in a large percentage of bonds.
Get more details about how your money is invested, download the guide (PDF, 1.2MB).
Quite simply a Portfolio is a range of assets that are managed as a group or as one. Our Pension Portfolio’s are a way to invest in more than one type of investment. The technical name for them is a ‘multi-asset fund’.
Each portfolio invests in a different mix of investment types to aim for a different level of return. This is aligned to the level of risk you choose to take. Cautious, Balanced or Adventurous.
Get more details about how your money is invested, download the guide (PDF, 1.2MB).
If you don’t feel comfortable making an investment choice yourself, you can speak to Scottish Widows or a financial adviser, or you can speak to an Independent Financial Adviser. Bear in mind Financial Advisers will charge for the Advice they give.
Halifax is a division of Bank of Scotland plc. Registered in Scotland No. SC327000. Registered Office: The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ. Bank of Scotland plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 169628.
Eligible investments with us are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). For further information about the compensation provided by the FSCS, refer to the FSCS website at www.fscs.org.uk/. You can also visit our Financial Services Compensation Scheme page for more details.