Horizon Choice

A retirement savings plan you can tailor to your needs

This Plan is designed for Guernsey residents who wish to save for retirement and/or draw benefits through a cost-effective, multi-member RATS, while retaining the flexibility to select an appropriate investment management structure (with or without professional financial advice).

Overview

Even though the Horizon Choice Pension Plan is a multi-member approved scheme, it has been designed in such a way that it can offer you most of the features available within a Retirement Annuity Trust Scheme. However, you will only be expected to pay for the features you choose to use. This results in “choice” – a tailor-made pension scheme where you have an element of control over both the product and the costs.

The Horizon Choice Pension Plan is open to anyone between 18 and 75 years of age who is a Bailiwick of Guernsey resident or those who already have a Guernsey-based pension scheme and are looking to transfer to a RATS.

Flexibility

Horizon Choice has a flexible investment structure and holds standard asset classes. 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.

Retirement benefits may commence at any time between age 50 and 75 years, and it also allows for a personal loan to be drawn from the retirement fund. This gives you maximum flexibility over how and when you access your pension. Horizon Choice also gives you the freedom to contribute to your plan regularly, or through ad-hoc payments, and can be used to consolidate existing pensions into a single arrangement.

Horizon Choice is the perfect plan for Guernsey residents who know what they want from a pension, and require the freedom to get it.

If you are interested in investing via non‑standard assets please revert to our Bespoke offering for further details.

Alternatively for smaller arrangements you may wish to consider the Horizon Guernsey Pension Plan

To apply for the Horizon Choice Pension Plan download the application or enquire online

Application Form

Enquire Online

Alternatively contact us by

+44(0)1481 700200

Email us

Horizon Choice FAQs

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.

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.