Investing your pension

When you open a Retirement Account with Scottish Widows online, they take out the hassle of choosing individual funds and have designed investment choices to suit you.  Firstly you need to think about is how you feel about the risks associated with investing i.e. are you a cautious, balanced or adventurous investor?

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.

 

What are my options?

The below table shows you how each Governed Investment Strategy (GIS) could potentially perform and whether it is right for you. A GIS is a type of investment that automatically adjusts how your pension is invested over time, gradually moving into lower risk funds as you get closer to your retirement.
 

Investment choice

How your pension pot could perform

Investment choice

Cautious 

You’re cautious with your investments and don’t feel comfortable taking much risk with your money.

How your pension pot could perform

You can expect your pension pot to have some ups and downs in value. While there’s potential for some growth, there’s also potential for some losses.

Investment choice

Balanced

You’re a balanced investor and feel comfortable taking some risk with your money for, potentially, more reward.

How your pension pot could perform

You can expect your pension pot to go up and down in value. While there’s potential for growth, there’s also the potential for losses. 

Investment choice

Adventurous 

You’re an adventurous investor and feel comfortable taking high risk with your money for, potentially high rewards.

How your pension pot could perform

You can expect your pension pot to have a lot of sharp ups and downs in value. While there’s potential for high growth, there’s also potential for significant losses.


Default option

Our default investment strategy is a balanced Governed Investment Strategy (GIS) that targets flexible access at retirement.
 


How your pension is invested?

Depending on how you feel about the risk you want to take, they will invest your pension in one of their Governed Investment Strategies.

Governed Investment Strategies are the only choice available when you apply for a Retirement Account online. If you would like to look at other options for investing, you should seek independent financial advice. Please be aware you will be charged for this service. 
 

Your questions answered 

Want more detail?

Don’t forget investments can go down as well as up, if you want more information on how your money is invested please read the guide below.
 

Investment guide (PDF, 1,212 KB).


If you don’t feel comfortable making an investment choice yourself, you can speak to Scottish Widows for guidance or, if you’re looking for advice, our financial advice service offered by Schroders Personal Wealth or alternatively an Independent Financial Adviser (unbiased) . Bear in mind Financial Advisers will charge for the advice they give.
 

Before you start

If you’ve decided that transferring is right for you and learnt about how your pension can be invested, you now need to understand your retirement options. This will help you complete the application form.
 

Find out more

Ready to transfer?

If you’ve already reviewed and decided transferring is right for you and read about your investment and retirement options you can start the application. You’ll need the following

  • Your National Insurance number
  • Your existing pension providers name
  • The policy numbers of each pension you want transfer
  • The Scheme name if it’s a workplace pension
  • A recent transfer value for each pension