On this bonus episode, we hear from PensionBee customer, David. He spent years quietly accumulating pension pots across various employers without paying them much attention. That all changed when an unexpected cancer diagnosis forced him to confront his finances head-on, and think hard about what would happen to the people he loves if he wasn't around.

We unpack the decisions David has navigated, from consolidating old pots and rethinking his investment risk to naming beneficiaries and having long-overdue conversations with his family, with the help of pensions expert Dani Skerrett, Head of Content Marketing at PensionBee. Plus, we share how increasing your contributions by even 1% or 2% can make a staggering difference to your retirement pot.

Episode breakdown

00:43 Meet David

04:19 Assessing his investments and consolidating

09:38 Hindsight on workplace pension contributions

14:41 The diagnosis that changed everything

17:02 Preparing his family for the worst

18:54 David's dream retirement

Further reading, listening and watching

To learn more about the topics discussed in this bonus episode, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee:

• Episode transcript (Blog)
• E37: The easiest way to retire with more money (Podcast)
• Estate planning - PensionBee's Milestone Moments (YouTube)
• Pension beneficiaries (Article)
• Pension rules after death (Article)
• Six money conversations you need to have with your family (Blog)
• Writing a will (Article)

Other useful resources

• Financial Lives 2024 (Financial Conduct Authority)
• How do I write a will and how much does it cost? (MoneyHelper)
• Combine your pensions (PensionBee)
• Pension Calculator (PensionBee)
• The £500,000 cost of neglecting your pension (PensionBee)
• Retirement Living Standards (Pensions UK)
• The new State Pension (GOV.UK)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we'd love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: podcast@pensionbee.com.