BONUS EPISODE: "Discussing money is a taboo subject"

In this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer Joumana as she shares her pension story. From moving to the UK from Lebanon 13 years ago with no idea a personal pension was even an option, to buying back missing National Insurance years and picking an investment plan that matches her appetite for risk as a freelancer.

We unpack Joumana's pension journey with pensions expert Dani Skerrett from PensionBee, covering:

• why the self-employed pension gap exists, and how flexible contributions can help;
• how to check and fill gaps in your National Insurance record;
• how your pension is protected by the FSCS; and
• the Retirement Living Standards, and what they mean for your own retirement goal.

Episode breakdown

01:04 Meet Joumana

08:58 How your pension is protected

13:03 Self-employed pension contributions

17:24 The Retirement Living Standards

Further reading

To learn more about the topics discussed in this bonus episode, check out these articles from PensionBee:

• Episode transcript (Blog)
• How much should I have in my pension? (Blog)
• How to check your State Pension forecast (Blog)
• Is my pension protected by the FSCS? (Article)
• Pension contribution limits (Article)
• SIPP vs. defined contribution pension: which is the best for self-employed? (Article)
• What is the State Pension? (Article)

Other useful resources

• Check your National Insurance record (GOV.UK)
• Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
• Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

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