28th March 2006, 07:34 PM
Well Toby, in answer to your question my company does provide a pension, but does not contribute any portion to it. You are indeed lucky to have an employer who does. But, in light of the often short tenure that archaeologists have at each company (even established staff like ourselves) it isn't any more useful than any other savings plan. Employment for life that used to help a pension reach a useful size rarely happens any more, certainly not in our industry. By the way, do all the staff at your company have access to this pension plan that your employer contributes to, or just the 'permanent' staff?
The last time I put money into a pension, with a local authority unit a few years back, it came out exactly the same size as it went in because it hadn't been in long enough. I could have got a better return on a current account. Then again with the pensions scandals that seem to have been rife in the recent past maybe I did pretty well.
And anyway I used it up during the brief spell of unemployment and for my moving expences. Why on earth would I want to put money into something arranged by my employer, when I can do that by myself from the whole range of options?
My own personal view is that private pensions are an incredible rip off. My father disagrees, but he is an IFA!
The last time I put money into a pension, with a local authority unit a few years back, it came out exactly the same size as it went in because it hadn't been in long enough. I could have got a better return on a current account. Then again with the pensions scandals that seem to have been rife in the recent past maybe I did pretty well.
And anyway I used it up during the brief spell of unemployment and for my moving expences. Why on earth would I want to put money into something arranged by my employer, when I can do that by myself from the whole range of options?My own personal view is that private pensions are an incredible rip off. My father disagrees, but he is an IFA!