Episode 4: Why should you care about your pension in your 30s?

Download the transcript for this episode

James, 32, is a Policy Advisor in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). He's also about to become a dad and admits that he doesn't know much about his pension.

In this episode, James chats to Rob and Emily about his perspective on why some of our younger members are less engaged with their pension and may not be prioritising planning for retirement right now.

Cathryn Murray (Training & Engagement Manager at MyCSP) also joins the conversation. She leads a team dedicated to training, educating and empowering members to understand their pension and how it can provide for them in the long term.

With his first child on the way, James' perspective on the future has understandably shifted. He wants to make sure he's in a position to financially support his family and enjoy their time together now, whilst also being able to provide for them and himself in the future.

Planning for the future when you’re in your 20s or 30s might feel like something you can put off. Cathryn explains that it's never too early to be thinking about your retirement and start planning for it like she has. Her advice is to think about what you may want to do in the future, plus any financial outgoings you may have - will the numbers stack up? Knowledge is power, and understanding what your financial situation may look like will give you a good starting point.

It’s important to remember that your pension is the biggest employment benefit after your salary.

Listen to the episode using the embedded player on this page, or by searching Civil Service Pension Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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Useful links

• Full transcript of this episode
• Pension Power training
• Retirement modeller
• Check how much State Pension you could get