This blog was written by Andrew Roberts, one of our Independent Financial Advisors.
We recently had the pleasure of helping long-standing clients, Mr and Mrs S, take an exciting step towards their next chapter.
Early in 2025, Mr S decided he would like to bring his retirement forward and we started to plan for retirement in 2026. Having reviewed the overall financial position, including personal pensions and investments, as well as a final salary pension scheme through his current employer, Mr S had the confidence to know he could retire in April 2026.
Being a couple of years younger, Mrs S was always expecting to work for a further two or three years beyond Mr S.
The foundations were strong. The plan was working. Then an unexpected opportunity arose.
An offer that raised questions
Mrs S was offered redundancy by her employer. While this might sound positive, her first reaction was uncertainty:
- Would accepting affect her final salary pension?
- Would it put pressure on their long-term income?
- Would it mean delaying retirement instead of bringing it forward?
Her initial instinct was to decline the offer and continue working for another two years, simply to avoid taking any unnecessary risk.
Before making that decision, we took a step back and reviewed the full picture together.
Looking at what really matters
Redundancy decisions aren’t just about the headline figure. They’re about how that payment fits into your overall financial plan and your life goals.
Together, we:
- Calculated the net redundancy payment after tax
- Reviewed the projected benefits from her final salary pension
- Modelled their retirement income under different scenarios
- Stress-tested their long-term cash flow position.
When we brought everything together, the results were reassuring.
The impact on her pension was manageable within the context of their wider assets. When combined with the redundancy payment and Mr S’s established retirement strategy, the modelling showed something neither of them had fully expected.
Mrs S could retire at the same time as Mr S — several years before State Pension Age — without compromising their long-term financial security.
More than just numbers
For Mr and Mrs S, this wasn’t simply a financial calculation.
It meant:
- Starting retirement together
- Travelling while they’re both fit and well
- Spending more time with family
- Moving into the next stage of life with confidence rather than hesitation.
The key wasn’t taking extra risk. It was understanding their position clearly.
Please note:
Financial modelling relies on assumptions about investment returns, inflation and future legislation.
These are not guarantees, and outcomes may differ over time. As part of ongoing advice, plans are reviewed regularly to reflect changing circumstances and market conditions.
This case study is based on a real client experience but has been anonymised and simplified for illustrative purposes. Individual circumstances differ and outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Financial planning and investment values can go down as well as up, and projections are based on assumptions which may change.