Pension Advice in Kent
Independent pension and retirement planning advice from a Chartered Financial Planner. Whether you are consolidating pensions, planning your retirement income or deciding between drawdown and annuity options, we help you make confident, informed decisions about your financial future.
Independent pension advice in Kent
Pensions are one of the most tax-efficient ways to save for the future, but they are also among the most complex financial products available. Rules around contributions, tax relief, annual allowances, drawdown and death benefits change frequently — and the decisions you make in the years leading up to retirement can have a significant and lasting impact on your financial security.
As independent advisers, we are not tied to any pension provider or investment platform. We assess your full retirement picture — existing pensions, State Pension entitlement, savings, property and other assets — and build a personalised plan that reflects your goals, your tax position and how you want to live in retirement.
Based in Hartley, Kent, we advise clients across Gravesend, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Tonbridge and the wider South East. Meetings can be held in person or by video call.
The April 2027 pension IHT changes
From April 2027, unused pension funds will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes. This is a significant change for anyone with substantial pension savings. It makes reviewing beneficiary nominations, withdrawal sequencing and overall estate structure increasingly important. If this affects you, we would recommend seeking advice sooner rather than later.
Pension and retirement planning we can advise on
Pension planning is not a single decision — it is a series of connected choices that span decades. The right approach at each stage depends on your age, income, tax position, other assets and how you want to structure your retirement.
Pension consolidation
Many people accumulate multiple pensions from different employers over their career, each with different charges, investment options and death benefit rules. Consolidating into a single, well-structured pension can reduce charges, simplify management and improve investment options — but is not always the right decision. We assess each pension individually before making any recommendation.
Pension drawdown
Flexi-access drawdown allows you to take your tax-free cash (typically 25% of your pension fund) and draw a flexible income from the remainder, which stays invested. This gives you control over the timing and amount of withdrawals. Managing drawdown sustainably requires careful planning around investment strategy, withdrawal rates and tax efficiency.
Annuities
An annuity converts your pension fund into a guaranteed income for life or a fixed term. Rates vary significantly between providers and the decision is irreversible, so choosing the right annuity type and shopping around for the best rate is essential. We advise on whether an annuity is appropriate and compare the open market to find the most suitable option.
Contribution planning and tax relief
Pension contributions attract tax relief at your marginal rate — 20% for basic rate taxpayers and 40% for higher rate. We advise on the optimal level of contributions given your income, annual allowance position and any carry forward available from previous years. For business owners, employer contributions can also be highly tax-efficient.
State Pension planning
The full new State Pension (2025/26: £11,502.40 per year) requires 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions. Many people have gaps in their NI record that can be filled voluntarily. We consider your State Pension entitlement as part of your overall retirement income picture.
Pension investment strategy
The way your pension is invested has a significant impact on your long-term outcomes. We help design and manage an investment strategy aligned with your time horizon, risk tolerance and retirement goals, including asset allocation, diversification and ongoing review.
How we approach pension advice
As a Chartered Independent Financial Adviser, Kris Dabner provides pension advice that starts with your retirement goals and works backwards to a structured plan. We assess your full financial position — not just your pensions — to ensure your retirement income strategy is coherent, tax-efficient and sustainable.
- Understand your retirement goals
We explore when you want to retire, what income you need, what you already have and what the gap is between the two — giving you a clear picture of where you stand and what needs to change.
- Review your existing pensions
We gather details of all your pension arrangements — workplace, personal and defined benefit — and assess their charges, investment strategy, death benefits and any valuable guaranteed features before making any recommendations.
- Model your retirement income
We use cashflow modelling to illustrate how your retirement income might look under different scenarios — different retirement ages, withdrawal rates, investment returns and tax strategies — so you can make decisions with confidence.
- Recommend a tax-efficient strategy
We advise on the most tax-efficient way to draw your retirement income, including the sequencing of withdrawals from pensions, ISAs and other assets, use of personal allowances, and how to minimise exposure to higher-rate tax in retirement.
- Review and adapt over time
Retirement planning is not a one-off exercise. Investment returns fluctuate, legislation changes and personal circumstances evolve. We offer ongoing reviews to ensure your plan remains suitable and your retirement income stays on track.
Why work with KMD Financial Planning for pension advice?
No provider bias
We are not tied to any pension provider or investment platform. Every recommendation is assessed whole-of-market against your specific circumstances, goals and tax position.
Highest professional standard
Chartered Financial Planner status goes significantly further than the regulatory minimum — requiring advanced examinations, demonstrated experience and a formal commitment to ethical practice. It is the profession’s highest accreditation, held by fewer than 10% of advisers.
Pension within your wider plan
Your pension does not exist in isolation. We consider how it fits with your ISAs, investments, property, State Pension and estate planning to build a retirement income strategy that is coherent and tax-efficient across all your assets.
What working together looks like
Pension planning can feel complex and daunting. Our process is designed to be clear and structured, with every step explained before you commit to anything.
- Free initial conversation
A no-obligation call to understand your retirement goals, existing pensions and concerns. We confirm whether and how we can help before any work begins.
- Fact-find and pension review
We gather full details of all your pension arrangements, including scheme statements, transfer values, guaranteed benefits and death benefit nominations.
- Retirement income modelling
We model your projected retirement income under different scenarios to show you clearly where you stand and what options are available to you.
- Written recommendation
We present a clear written suitability report covering our recommendations, the reasons behind them, costs, risks and any alternatives considered.
- Implementation
We arrange any consolidation, transfers or new pension plans, handle the paperwork and liaise with existing providers to ensure a smooth process.
- Ongoing review (if required)
We offer annual reviews to monitor your pension, adjust investment strategy, review withdrawal rates and keep your retirement plan on track as legislation and circumstances change.
Frequently asked questions about pension advice
When should I start thinking about pension advice?
The earlier the better, but pension advice is particularly valuable in the ten years before your target retirement date. This is when the key decisions — how much to contribute, whether to consolidate, what income you can sustainably draw and in what order to access different assets — have the greatest impact on your retirement outcome.
Should I consolidate my old pensions?
Consolidation can simplify your arrangements, reduce charges and improve investment options — but it is not always the right decision. Some older pensions contain valuable guaranteed annuity rates, guaranteed growth rates or enhanced death benefits that would be lost on transfer. We assess each pension individually and will only advise consolidation where we are satisfied it is genuinely in your interest.
What is the difference between drawdown and an annuity?
Drawdown keeps your pension invested and allows you to take a flexible income, with any unused funds continuing to grow and passing to your beneficiaries on death. An annuity converts your pension into a guaranteed income for life, regardless of how long you live or how markets perform. Many people use a combination of both. We assess your health, income needs, other assets and attitude to risk to advise on the right approach.
How much can I take as tax-free cash from my pension?
Under current rules, most people can take 25% of their pension fund as a tax-free lump sum, up to a maximum of £268,275. Some older pensions have protected tax-free cash entitlements that exceed 25% — these are valuable and should be checked before any transfer or consolidation.
Can I still contribute to a pension after I have started drawing from it?
Once you start taking flexible income from a drawdown pension, the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA) is triggered, reducing your annual contribution limit to £10,000 (2025/26). If you plan to continue working and contributing after accessing your pension, it is important to take advice before triggering the MPAA.
How will the April 2027 pension IHT changes affect me?
From April 2027, unused pension funds will be included in your estate for inheritance tax purposes. If you have substantial pension savings and an estate that may be subject to IHT, reviewing your withdrawal strategy, beneficiary nominations and overall estate plan before 2027 is increasingly important.
Do you advise clients outside Hartley and Longfield?
Yes. Whilst based in Hartley, Kent, we advise clients across Gravesend, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Tonbridge and the wider South East. Meetings can be held in person or by video call, whichever you prefer.
Talk to us about your pension
Whether you are approaching retirement, reviewing existing pensions or planning how to draw income sustainably, we can help you understand your options and build a clear, structured retirement plan.
Book a free initial callImportant Information
The information on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute individual financial advice. Please seek regulated financial advice tailored to your personal circumstances before making any decisions about your pension.
Pensions are a long-term investment. You may get back less than you put in. The value of your pension can go down as well as up and is not guaranteed.
Pensions can be and are subject to tax and regulatory change. The tax treatment of pension benefits can and may change in the future.
THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE TAXATION ADVICE.