Your retirement shouldn't be a guessing game
Most people underestimate how much they'll need by nearly 40%. We help you see the full picture.
The conversation most people avoid
Last Tuesday, Sarah walked into our office with a folder full of pension statements she hadn't opened in three years. She's 52, earning well, and thought she was "probably fine." She wasn't.
Her combined pension pot would give her £18,000 a year. She currently spends £42,000.
This isn't about fear. It's about clarity. Because once you know where you stand, you can actually do something about it.
What retirement actually costs
The average comfortable retirement in the UK requires around £33,000 per year for a single person. Add healthcare, hobbies, travel, helping family members - and that number climbs fast.
Yet the average pension pot at retirement is just £107,000. That's roughly £4,300 annually if you're following the 4% withdrawal rule.
The gap isn't your fault. The system is fragmented, confusing, and changes every few years. But the gap is your problem to solve.
How we actually help
We start by consolidating everything you have. Old workplace pensions, SIPPs, stakeholder schemes - we track them all down and show you what they're actually worth.
Then we model different scenarios. What if you retire at 65? At 60? What if you want to work part-time from 58? What happens if markets drop 20% the year before you retire?
Finally, we build a plan that adapts. Not a static document you file away, but a living strategy that changes as your life does.
What people get wrong
Most pension advice focuses on maximizing your pot size. That's backwards. What matters is income - reliable, tax-efficient income that lasts as long as you do.
A £500,000 pension pot sounds impressive. But if it's poorly structured, you might face a 40% tax hit on withdrawals, limited flexibility, and sequence-of-returns risk that could devastate your plans.
We've seen people with £300,000 retire more comfortably than those with £600,000, simply because their setup was smarter.
"I was convinced I'd need to work until 70. After working with Lucid Tract, I'm on track to retire at 63 with more income than I expected. The difference was in the details I'd been missing."
- Michael R., retired at 64
The two types of pension mistakes
There are mistakes of action - transferring the wrong pension, investing too aggressively too late, taking lump sums without understanding the tax implications.
Then there are mistakes of inaction - not consolidating, not reviewing, not adjusting contributions as your salary grows, not using your full allowances.
The second type is more common and more expensive. We fix both.
What a proper review looks like
We request login details for all your pension providers. Then we extract the real data - not the glossy projections, but actual fund performance, fee structures, and historical returns.
We run your numbers through Monte Carlo simulations. Thousands of market scenarios, different retirement dates, various spending patterns. You see the probability of success, not just best-case fantasies.
You leave with a document you can actually use. Specific actions, deadlines, and expected outcomes. No jargon, no filler.
The timing question
When should you start this? The honest answer: five years ago. The practical answer: now.
Every year of delay reduces your options. Compound growth matters, but so does strategic flexibility. The closer you are to retirement, the fewer moves are available.
If you're over 50, this is urgent. If you're over 55, it's critical. If you're over 60, you're in damage limitation mode.
"The pension consolidation alone saved me £3,200 in annual fees I didn't know I was paying. That's £3,200 every year until I retire. Probably the best £487 I've ever spent."
- Jennifer K., 56
What happens in the first meeting
You'll spend 60-90 minutes with one of our planners. Bring your pension statements if you have them - if you don't, we'll track them down.
We'll ask about your current situation, your retirement vision, and your concerns. Then we'll give you preliminary numbers based on what we're seeing.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just clarity on where you actually stand.
Start with a free initial assessment
Book your consultation. We'll review your situation and show you exactly where you stand.
One last thing
Retirement planning isn't about spreadsheets and fund codes. It's about buying back your time. Being able to say no to work you don't want. Helping your kids without worry. Traveling while you're still healthy enough to enjoy it.
The mechanics matter - fees, allocation, tax wrappers, withdrawal sequencing. But they're only tools toward the thing you actually want: freedom.
Let's make sure you get there.