Wednesday, 19 June 2013 10:22
Divorcees miss out on £2,600 annually in retirement income
People who have been divorced can expect to see their retirement income fall by £2,600 each year according to Prudential.
The firm found the average annual retirement income of a divorcee was £13,800 compared to £16,400 for those who had not been divorced.
Some 40 per cent of people retiring this year will have been divorced and Prudential said they were less likely to have private pensions, more debts and be less financially-prepared.
Only 33 per cent of divorced retirees say they have saved enough for a comfortable retirement.
Some 18 per cent have no private pension savings, 22 per cent have outstanding debts and less than half expect to leave an inheritance.
However, the lack of income failed to deter divorcees from retiring with the expected retirement age being 60.2 years, the same as non-divorcees.
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The report questioned over 8,000 adults over 45 including 1,000 people intending to retire in 2013.
Clare Moffat, pensions specialist at Prudential, said: "Divorce can be emotionally draining but also financially draining as the retirement income gap for divorcees demonstrates. Whether it is due to the financial implications of splitting existing pensions, the cost of setting up a new home or legal fees, divorce clearly has a major impact on the retirement plans of many people.
"Around two in five marriages end in divorce and it is most common among couples aged 40 to 44 – the time of their lives when they would expect their earnings and their ability to save for retirement to peak."
She said women were especially vulnerable as they may have been relying on their husband's pension or have had little input into the finances during the marriage.
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The firm found the average annual retirement income of a divorcee was £13,800 compared to £16,400 for those who had not been divorced.
Some 40 per cent of people retiring this year will have been divorced and Prudential said they were less likely to have private pensions, more debts and be less financially-prepared.
Only 33 per cent of divorced retirees say they have saved enough for a comfortable retirement.
Some 18 per cent have no private pension savings, 22 per cent have outstanding debts and less than half expect to leave an inheritance.
However, the lack of income failed to deter divorcees from retiring with the expected retirement age being 60.2 years, the same as non-divorcees.
{desktop}{/desktop}{mobile}{/mobile}
The report questioned over 8,000 adults over 45 including 1,000 people intending to retire in 2013.
Clare Moffat, pensions specialist at Prudential, said: "Divorce can be emotionally draining but also financially draining as the retirement income gap for divorcees demonstrates. Whether it is due to the financial implications of splitting existing pensions, the cost of setting up a new home or legal fees, divorce clearly has a major impact on the retirement plans of many people.
"Around two in five marriages end in divorce and it is most common among couples aged 40 to 44 – the time of their lives when they would expect their earnings and their ability to save for retirement to peak."
She said women were especially vulnerable as they may have been relying on their husband's pension or have had little input into the finances during the marriage.
• Want to receive a free weekly summary of the best news stories from our website? Just go to home page and submit your name and email address. If you are already logged in you will need to log out to see the e-newsletter sign up. You can then log in again.
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