Bespoke RATS Guernsey

A personalised family retirement plan, tailored to you

Bespoke RATS are a way to fully personalise your retirement savings. They offer a variety of investment options in both standard and non-standard asset classes, and can also be used to consolidate your pension arrangements into one RATS. And, because they can have more than one member, you can use them to finally create that perfect “family” RATS.

Overview

Bespoke RATS are our most personalised products. They give you maximum flexibility when it comes to the underlying assets in which you can invest, the number of people in a scheme, how you pay-in to your pension fund (regular contributions, or ad-hoc lump sums), and how and when you draw your money. Retirement benefits may start at any time between the age of 50 and 75 years, and you can choose whether you want to receive as much as 30% of your fund as a single lump sum from the outset of your retirement.

Bespoke RATS are open to anyone between 18 and 75 years of age who is a Bailiwick of Guernsey resident, including those who already have a Guernsey-based pension scheme and are looking to transfer to a RATS.

Flexibility

Thanks to its flexible investment structure, the Bespoke RATS can invest in a wide range of assets. Standard asset classes include cash deposits, stocks, bonds, investment trusts, and life policies, while non-standard asset classes include investment into private company shares, as well as commercial and residential property.

With the Bespoke RATS, their is the ability to nominate an investment manager of your choice and if you’re an experienced investor, it also lets you manage your own investments through its Member Directed investment approach. You can also request that we provide an investment manager through the use of our sister company Gower Financial Services Limited or one of our many other professional relationships.

To apply for a Bespoke RATS scheme download the application or enquire online

Application Form

Enquire Online

Alternatively contact us by

+44(0)1481 700200

Email us

Bespoke RATS Guernsey FAQs

Who is eligible to join the a RATS?

RATS are open to anyone over 18 years of age and normally under the age of 75 years.

What is the maximum or minimum contribution I can make?

There is now no limit on the contribution amounts into a Guernsey retirement annuity trust scheme, though Guernsey Income Tax have set parameters with regard to the amount of contribution that will receive tax relief.

Contributions and allowances under the Guernsey Income Tax Law can be summarised as follows:

Section 157A & 150 schemes: Tax relief is currently available on member contributions into pension plans / RATS up to the lesser amount of £35,000.00 or 100% of a member’s taxable income per annum. The rules relating to this are published on the Guernsey Income Tax website at www.gov.gg.

How can benefits be taken?

While there is flexibility about how benefits are taken, the Trustees would look to ensure that benefits are drawn at a level to try and ensure income is provided throughout a member’s retirement. The Trustees try to ensure this by evaluating the level of income permitted every 3 years once you start to receive benefits. Investment performance and the level of benefits you take will effect the life span of the RATS.

For further information please refer to Payment of Benefits on particular pension offering.

At what age can benefits be taken from a pension?

This will normally be defined in the deed based around the parameters of the scheme's approval/acceptance/exemption.

Section 157A & 150: From age 50 (unless ill health would apply) and normally the latest being age 75 (or as the law may allow and as may be amended). Some Section 150 Corporate schemes may stipulate a later retirement age, perhaps in line with a contract of employment.
QROPS: From age 55 with no defined upper age in law, though from age 75 a benefit calculation must have taken place.
Section 40ee: There is discretion on the retirement age of the member which will normally be agreed on establishment but then that may be altered at a later date if agreed between the member and the Trustee.

What type of pension fund can be transferred to a RATS?

Most Guernsey approved pensions can be transferred to one sort of RATS or another; but this will depend on the circumstances and requirements of the ceding (transferring) scheme. If you are wanting to transfer a UK registered pension you must check that the RATS is also a QROPS.