Do I have to see the financial advisor

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I'm currently in a pension at work. Take up of the work pension is minimal, most of my colleagues prefer to spend to their income rather than save for retirement (they're going to have a shock come 2017 & auto enrolment.

Anyway - a very small handful of more senior office staff (including me) as a perk were offered that our employer paid all our pension contribution so I joined (mad not to)

The financial advisor comes in once a year to speak to anyone who wants to either join, or do something different. I've managed to avoid seeing him so far after the initial first few years as i only work part time so often havnt been in work on those days anyway. He used to be my personal financial advisor & I found him very pushy.

I felt I could investigate my beefs better (he wasn't happy when we stopped paying into the ISA but I needed the money for school fees. Also I worked out for myself when was the best time to pay extra off the mortgage or save elsewhere.

I was asked a few weeks ago if I'd come in on my day off as he needed to see us all. I said I'd try but as it happens dd is off school sick. Apparently I have to see him & well have to arrange another appointment. I can't see why I have to.

We're not due for auto enrolment for ages yet (small company) & I'm not even sure I earn over the threshold anyway (I don't pay tax but do pay NI)

[SunnyUpNorth]

Couldn't you ask what it is about? Maybe one of your other colleagues could tell you?

If it is just him wanting to see you in general to review your investments etc then I would say you definitely are not obliged to see him.

But it could be something like a change to your work pension scheme and the employer has asked him to deliver the news rather than them. But if it is something like this a colleague should still be able to give you the heads up and then you could arrange to see him to discuss the detail.

Don't let him bully you into anything. He should be there for your benefit and not just to get extra commission out of you.

Hope it is nothing and gets resolved.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

It's not a change to the scheme as we were only discussing what to do for auto enrolment a few weeks ago & the fact we don't have to do anything for ages.