Fire Service Pensions

fire_serviceFirefighters have always contributed a larger portion of their salaries into their pension fund than many other sectors, but despite this, pension holders have been hit with a retirement age extension which could be set to be pushed further back within the next 10 years.

The public sector pension market is in complete disarray, a deficit hanging over it which looks set to cause a generation of firefighters to retire in completely different circumstances to those they were initially promised.

Benefit reductions are likely to be introduced, and as of April 2015 there will be no alternative available, even for former employees now living overseas.

Currently there is still an option for expats, as a QROPS transfer is still available to help provide stability and get retirement plans back on track. But time is running out as the Government looks to stop more money leaving its shores, and leaving its defined benefit public sector pension funds in even more trouble.

Many expatriate former firefighters are opting to find out about the possibility of transferring to a QROPS before the door is closed for good.