Executive financial planning

Our executive financial planning services and solutions provide clarity for your senior executives’ financial future.

Mercer executive financial planning services

Mercer provides a comprehensive financial planning service for senior employees that helps them organise their financial affairs, better understand the options available and make the best possible decisions about their future financial wellbeing.

We can tailor the nature and scope of our executive financial planning services to suit your preferences. Our advice can focus exclusively on company-specific pay and benefits or encompass the entirety of the executive’s financial circumstances and objectives.

Why do senior executives require specialist financial planning support? 

  • The pension cap

    The Standard Fund Threshold (SFT) is likely to be a major consideration for this group.
  • Significant Assets

    Many have significant assets and liabilities outside of their company pension plan.
  • Time poor

    Many are too busy attending to company business to pay sufficient attention to their personal finances.
  • Rule refinements

    Rule refinements such as the pensions cap often fall wholly or mainly on senior employees.
  • Investment needs

    As senior employees generally exercise the approved retirement fund (ARF), investment risk is likely to be an ongoing issue into old age.
  • Confidentiality

    Senior executives are acutely sensitive to maintaining confidentiality regarding their personal finances.

Dealing with the effect of the pension cap

Any individual whose pension benefits exceed the standard fund threshold (SFT) will be liable to a charge on amounts over that threshold - also known as the ‘pensions cap’. 

The pension cap will be an issue for you if you have employees with:

  • Company pension benefits in excess of the standard fund threshold
  • Substantial deferred pension benefits from other employments that may, together with their company pension, put them over the cap
  • With a trajectory to exceed the cap before retirement age and without plans to address this

If you have employees in any of the above categories or are unsure about whether the cap affects your company, it is important that you act early rather than waiting for the value of key employees’ pension benefits to exceed the limit. Find out more about the SFT here

 

Why should employers support senior executive financial planning?

Providing financial planning advice to senior executives can help them to full and properly value the benefits provided by the company. This in turn will allow them to concentrate on their role within the organisation, secure in the knowledge that they are getting specialist and timely advice. As a result, your senior executives will be able to transition smoothly from the business with a concrete plan for their finances, when the time is right. 

 

Steps to take now

  • Review senior employees’ pension benefits to determine the  scale of the issue
  • Consider how you need to alter your benefits structure to cater  for key employees in this position
  • Ensure that affected employees receive an executive financial planning session so that they know what steps to take

Mercer executive financial planning advice and solutions

Mercer is uniquely positioned to offer all-encompassing financial planning advice. Our specialist financial planning team has an extensive range of skills and experience that brings together actuarial, investment, pensions, and protection expertise.

As part of a global company employing over 17,000 people worldwide, Mercer is Ireland’s leading pension, investment, and employee benefits consultant. With over 40 years of experience in the Irish market, we have a wealth of knowledge, experience and insight enabling us to deliver tailored, results-driven solutions to our clients.

Please click HERE for important regulatory and privacy information
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