Bridgewater Equity Release has published a new ‘Just a thought…’ sales aid for advisers entitled ‘What if the annuity isn’t enough?’

The home reversion specialist’s latest aid covers the issue of annuity levels and potential income shortfalls for those reaching retirement. Bridgewater argues an increasing number of retirees are finding their pension pots, and the annuity they can purchase, are no longer enough to meet their income needs throughout retirement.

The ‘Just a thought…’ document provides information for professional introducers who may not be aware of the potential solution that equity release can provide in such circumstances.

It contains statistics on the UK’s ageing population, a rundown of the reasons why annuity income may not be what was expected, and a case study outlining the potential issue and how equity release can be used to solve this potential problem.

It also covers the important area of building strong relationships amongst introducers such as accountants, solicitors, IFAs and specialist equity release advisers.

To download the ‘Just a thought…What if the annuity isn’t enough’ document and all other Bridgewater sales aids visit: https://www.bridgewaterequityrelease.co.uk/advisers/resources/

“Many financial advisers, planners and wealth managers will be regularly dealing with clients who have been left unhappy with the potential retirement income they can generate from an annuity,” said Chris Prior, business development manager at Bridgewater Equity Release.

“Pension pots and annuity rates are not providing the income that many retirees anticipated and media coverage of this is sending clients to their financial advisers in order to seek advice and address this problem. There will be any number of different solutions to such an issue and this sales aid is designed to highlight the role that equity release can potentially play. Many of these advisers will not have their equity release permissions and therefore it makes sense to use the services of a specialist adviser in this area in order to cover the sector and the options it offers.

“This ‘Just a thought…’ outlines the income in retirement situation and, via a case study, gives introducers an idea of how income shortfalls can be met via housing equity. It also allows the equity release adviser to put themselves in the shop window and to help develop and strengthen the introducer relationships they have.

“This is the fifth ‘Just a thought…’ we have published and all are designed to be given by equity release advisers to their professional introducers in order to educate and inform them about the potential solution that the products can offer in a number of situations and circumstances.”