SSAS pension

What is a SSAS pension?

SSAS stands for Small Self Administered Scheme.

A SSAS pension is an occupational pension that allows employers more control over where and how money is invested. For example, the trustees can invest in commercial property. SSAS pensions allow small groups of colleagues to invest together for their retirement goals. Read on to understand more about:

• How SSAS pensions work
• How your SSAS pension can help you
• Tax benefits
• What happens when you retire?
• Solutions to common SSAS problems
• How we can help you 
• Frequently asked questions about SSAS pensions

How SSAS pensions work

All SSAS pension investments, underlying assets and investment decisions, including control of the investment account, are controlled by the trustees.

How do trustees know where to put investments – is this set out in the trust deed?

Yes. The trust deed sets out the rules of the scheme and lists the permitted investments. This list could go beyond the list of permitted investments by the SSAS provider or pension company.

What are the regulatory requirements for SSAS investments?

SSAS are allowed to hold any quoted shares, regulated collective investment schemes, OEICS, ETFs and some unquoted and private company shares are allowed, but not residential property.

How your SSAS pension can help you

• More investment opportunities: SSAS pensions have a bigger range of investment options than traditional pensions. Members can pool their money, boost their buying power and choose from a wider range of investments including commercial property
• Greater control over contributions: trustees have greater control over how their contributions are made and how benefits are paid out in retirement
• Loan money back to the company: SSAS pensions can loan up to 50% of the pension’s net asset value back to the company (strict conditions apply)
• Borrow money: a SSAS pension can borrow money such as for the purchase of a commercial property for the company’s business premises. The company can then pay rent to the pension scheme, which usually covers any mortgage repayments. This is not without its risks if the company gets into trouble.

Tax benefits

Tax benefits for SSASs are the same as for other types of pension schemes and include:

• Tax relief for both employer and employee contributions
• There is typically no inheritance tax payable on a member's death
• A 25% tax-free lump sum is usually available – you might get more than 25% depending on your circumstances
• Admin fees can be paid by the company and treated as a tax-deductible expense
• Tax-efficient investing: investments held in a SSAS pension can grow free from capital gains tax (the same as other pensions)

Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and is subject to change.

How do SSAS members calculate their share at retirement?

The SSAS trust deed sets out the rules for each member’s entitlement. A member’s share is calculated based on:

• How much they’ve contributed
• How long their contributions have been invested
• Investment growth and charges (if applicable) from their time as member

Can SSAS members take a lump sum at retirement?

Yes, SSAS members can usually take up to 25% as a tax-free lump sum. They can then flexibly take the rest of their share of the SSAS as income – as long as there is enough liquidity in the scheme to do so.

Solutions to common SSAS problems

SSAS pensions are complex; a lawyer is usually involved when one is established. Here are solutions for common SSAS pension problems:

• Chat to an expert – make sure you understand how a SSAS pension can work for your specific circumstances; typically, you will need a lawyer
• Look for cost-effective solutions – SSAS pensions are more expensive to run than SIPPs or other personal pensions
• Invest for growth – surplus income often accumulates in SSAS pensions, notably when rental income exceeds loan repayments. If this surplus income were invested and given an opportunity to grow, this could provide flexibility and liquidity required to pay retirement benefits.

The good news is that after you have established a SSAS pension we can help you make the most of your SSAS investments.

How we can help you maximise your SSAS pension investments

Our annual service fees keep costs low – you won’t pay more than 0.4% of the money you have invested in your SSAS at the start of the year. So, if you invested £10,000 in Funds or UK shares (excluding Ready-made Portfolios), your annual service fees will not exceed £40.

It’s free to buy and sell funds and for non-fund investments (e.g. stocks and ETFs) there is a £4.95 dealing fee per transaction which is one of the lowest fees of all the major investment platforms. You can also keep your money in cash and you can find our latest cash interest rate here.

Learn more about our fees

Browse our huge range of quality investments including funds, shares, ETFs and investment trusts. Free expert resources such as our fund factsheets can help you make informed decisions.

And if you’d rather not choose your own investments right now, try one of our competitively priced Ready-made Portfolios managed by our experts – they also manage over £50 billion of other people’s money.