Fernleigh Wearden & Company Ltd
Independent Financial Advisers
Four fields. That’s it.
One of our advisers will ring you back by the end of the next working day, at the time you asked for.
In a hurry? Call us on 01772 864314, 9am–5pm Monday to Friday.
For business
It is the most common pattern we see in owner-managed firms and one of the easiest to start putting right.
Overview
Most owners we meet have a business worth a great deal and a pension worth very little. The plan, if there is one, is to sell the company and live on the proceeds.
That can work. It is also a concentrated bet on one asset, in one sector, at one moment in time — and the moment is not yours to choose if your health or the market decides otherwise.
Employer pension contributions are usually one of the most tax-efficient ways to move value from the company to you personally. They are a deductible business expense, they do not attract National Insurance and they build something entirely independent of whether the business sells well.
Contribution limits and tax treatment depend on your own circumstances and change with each Budget. Anything we set out here is general information — the figures that matter are the ones that apply to you, which is what the first meeting is for.
Advice areas
Usually alongside your accountant, because the two halves need to agree.
Paid by the company rather than from taxed income. Generally deductible against corporation tax and free of National Insurance.
How the three fit together. The most efficient mix changes as profits and tax rates change.
Carry-forward rules can allow larger contributions in a good year. Whether they apply depends on your record.
Building an asset outside the business, so exiting becomes a choice rather than a necessity.
A pension set up years ago and never reviewed is very common among busy owners.
Who receives the pension and how tax-efficiently. Nominations are frequently missing entirely.
Working with us
Nothing is committed until step five and the first two cost you nothing but time.
A chat, at our office, your home or over video. We listen, you ask questions. There is no charge and no obligation and if we can't help we'll say so.
What you have, what you owe, what you want and how you feel about risk. This is the part most people find surprisingly useful in itself.
We review your existing plans, charges and funds against the whole of the market. Being independent means nothing is off the table.
A written report in plain English setting out what we suggest, what it costs and why. You take it away and think about it.
Only once you're happy. We handle the paperwork, the providers and the chasing, which is usually the tedious bit.
If you'd like us to, we'll review everything at least once a year and tell you honestly if nothing needs changing.
Who you’d be dealing with
Mark specialises in pensions and financial planning for businesses. As our Chartered Financial Planner he handles most of our owner and director work, particularly where it is more involved.
In their words
Always attentive and at the end of a phone or an email. Positive, professional and reliable.
We have had a long and successful working relationship with Fernleigh Wearden & Company. They are always striving to do the best for our business and personal needs. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
I have always found Fernleigh Wearden & Company to be very helpful and professional in company and personal matters. They are on hand to answer any of our queries promptly and efficiently.
Often relevant alongside this
Your staff scheme and your own arrangements are usually best reviewed together.
Read more Often nextWhat happens to the company and to your family’s shares, if you are not there.
Read more Try itTest whether the plan still works if the business sells for less than you hope.
Read moreCommon questions
There are annual limits and they depend on your earnings, your existing pension savings and whether you have unused allowance from previous years. Contributions must also be justifiable as a business expense. It is genuinely worth getting the figure checked rather than estimated.
Usually, though not always. Employer contributions avoid National Insurance and are generally deductible against corporation tax. The right answer depends on your salary and dividend position, which is where your accountant comes in.
Not necessarily, though options narrow as the sale gets closer. The years either side of a sale are the ones that decide what you keep, so it is worth a conversation sooner rather than after completion.
Certain pension arrangements can hold commercial property, which some owners find attractive. It is a specialist area with real drawbacks as well as advantages and it is not right for everyone.
That is normal and pension contributions do not have to be a fixed monthly commitment. Many owners contribute larger amounts in good years instead.
Gladly. It almost always produces a better result than either of us working alone.
Our services
Advice areas overlap. Part of our job is spotting which ones actually apply to you.
Tell us when suits and we’ll ring you back by the end of the next working day.
