I’ve had cancer, should I change my pension plan?

Gavin Smithers is thinking about taking his pension early after a bout of ill-health.

He would like to know the best way of taking money from his savings, and when. His biggest pension is a defined-benefit (DB) scheme with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The pension was supposed to be available to him from the age of 65, but the bank has told him he can take it now on the grounds of ill-health.

Our adviser Helen Richardson speaks to David Byers at The Times to give her expert opinion:

"Mr Smithers should consider how financially dependent his partner is on him and what, if any, provision is available in the event of an early demise. He should also ensure that his death benefit nominations are up to date to reflect his wishes."

Read the full article on The Times website.