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1. What is a director pension?

A director pension isn't specifically it's own type of pension. It is simply a private pension (in your own name)  and one where you can contribute to it via your company or via personally. 

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As a director, you have access to a number of pension options, these include:

  • Self-Invested personal pension (SIPP)

  • Personal pension

  • Stakeholder pension

  • Small self-administered schemes (SSAS)

2. How much can a company pay into a director pension?

As a company director, your business can contribute the annual allowance to a pension and is not subject to the salary restriction.

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Currently, the annual allowance is £60,000 (for the 2023/24 tax year). 

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If you have a larger amount that you'd like to put into your pension  then you may be able to take advantage of the carry forward rules.

This is where you can make use of any unused allowances from the previous three years. However, please note to qualify for using carry forward, you must've have been a member of a registered pension scheme during that time.

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3. Are company pension contributions tax deductible?

Pension contributions from a company to a director's pension are considered an allowable business expense for corporation tax purposes meaning a pension contribution could significantly reduce your corporation tax bill.

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Example


Alex is a director of FreshFood Services and is considering making a company pension contribution. Let's look at two scenarios.

 

Scenario A) No Pension Contribution

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Scenario B) £50,000 Pension Contribution

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National Insurance on Director Pension Contributions

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Another tax saving is that employers don't have to pay National Insurance on pension contributions. The current National Insurance rate for 2023/24 is 13.8%, so by contributing directly into your pension rather than paying it as salary, you save up to 13.8%!

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Combined, this means you could make a total company saving of 38.8%!

pension contribution tax relief
£50k Pension Contribution Table.png

4. What is the best pension for a director?

As discussed, there are different types of pensions for directors and of those types there are various providers to choose from. The best one for you will depend on your needs and the needs of your company.

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For example, if you own your business premises or looking to do so, a SIPP can buy a commercial property directly. This may be appealing to you due to the tax benefits. Therefore a SIPP that allows commercial property purchases would be the best type for you. For more information, read our blog on on buying a commercial property through a SIPP.

5. How can we help?

If you want advice on pensions for directors then click the link below to have a free consultation call.

This content provides is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personal advice. Should you need advice, please request it. Remember that investments can go up and down in value, you may get back less than you put in.

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