A clear, friendly guide to how pensions really work — contributions, tax relief, investments and why starting early can transform your long-term financial security.

It may seem that retirement is a lifetime away, but the reality is that it’s never too early to start saving so that you can ensure that you have the retirement that you deserve. If you’ve ever read a pension guide before, you’ll already know that it’s difficult to say exactly how much everyone needs to save as we all have unique circumstances.

That being said, it’s well worth taking the time to experiment with a pension calculator so that you can get a better idea of what you’ll need to do. Before you do that, here are some factors that you’ll need to consider..

It’s better to start now - don’t think it’s too early or too late.

Money can give us as much pain as pleasure. Remember our recent article about finance and mental health?

Maybe this all seems a bit theoretical. To ground the facts and figures in reality, try asking yourself why you need a pension.

Question: what comes to mind when you think about the future?

Most of you (hopefully) accept the annual dental check as a mildly unpleasant but necessary part of life. Are you as diligent when it comes your money? Here’s a check-up checklist we’ve put together for you.