TOOLS & GUIDES
Flexible pension calculator.
Built for sole traders whose income doesn’t arrive neatly every month. Shape quieter months, stronger months and one-off lump sums, then see what your chosen scenario could mean over time.
Income that changes month to month
Contribution patterns you choose
Illustrative pot in today’s money
Part of:
Working for yourself
ASSUMPTIONS AND SCOPE
What the illustration assumes, and what it leaves out.
INVESTMENT GROWTH
2% to 8% a year nominal, set with the slider. Default 5%.
PENSION FEES
0.5% a year by default. Editable in the results.
INFLATION
2% a year, fixed. Results are shown in today’s money.
TAX RELIEF
Basic-rate relief at source only. Higher-rate claims are not modelled.
STATE PENSION
Full new State Pension from your State Pension age, unless you enter your own forecast.
RETIREMENT INCOME
Pot spread from your chosen retirement age to age 95. Not a safe withdrawal rate.
The calculator models a sole trader making personal contributions. It does not model limited-company employer contributions, Scottish Income Tax, annual-allowance edge cases, or your wider affordability. It provides general guidance and illustrative figures only, not financial advice.
Model version v6
GUIDES TO HELP YOU EXPLORE
Read alongside the calculator.
KEEP READING
Paying into a pension when your income goes up and down.
How to plan pension contributions around uneven months, and what to check about tax relief before you pay in.
Read the guide