How accurate is entiltedto.com - looks like I'd be BETTER off as a SAHM!

[smackapacka]

I've just had a look and entered the data as if it was just DH brninging in any money (+ child benefit).

It's basically matching my wage working 22.5hrs per week and paying for 2 days childcare. I'd be very nervous about coming out of work but how depressing that I'm on this treadmill for not really much gain.

Anyone had any experience of this?

but almost all public sector pensions are index linked aren't they? ie they rise pegged to the current RPI (prices)?

Or am I mistaken? Would be VERY surprised if the NHS pension would not be...

Not to be sniffed at. SOOOOOO many women make the decision to stop work then underestimate the challenge of getting back in when children are older and things have moved on. If you can, cut down but not completely stop?

chocolate - Working as an OT isn't awful, but I feel like we're being stretched in directions that we don't want to be strecthed in. My job now has responsibilities that have 'evolved' - I never set out to do this stuff, like management/budget/staff/training stuff. My clinical caseload has been so streamlined that I now can't give my clients what they need. This means I spend time firefighting and explaining to people why I can't give them the time/equipment that would improve their quality of life. The work is 'dry', there's nothing inspiring about it. IT systems are poor, office conditions aren't great, It's just draining day in, day out.

I'm civil service on career break, my pension is based on my highest annual salary in the last 3 years I work there. They've since stopped that type of pension. I'm sure it is worth a lot, dh has worked there full time since he was 19!

Vulpus - I should know more about pensions but I don't.

I'm civil service on career break, my pension is based on my highest annual salary in the last 3 years I work there. They've since stopped that type of pension. I'm sure it is worth a lot, dh has worked there full time since he was 19!

The site said that we would qualify for housing benefit, and we don't (applied, got turned down. Was incredibly upset as it would have made a massive difference to us) I would take what it says with a pinch of salt tbh.

VulpusinaWilfsuit The NHS pension scheme is final salary

They will phase it out but it will have to be only for new-starters - terms and conditions won't change for anyone working now

I found it totally inaccurate, don't know which bit was wrong, it said my benifits would put me up to about £30,000 a year according to it.

Not true.

I found my not so blinking local CAB were not much help either and I worked it out myself as I had the choice of under 17hrs or over and felt I was better on 17hrs+ and claiming tax credits, rather than under and claiming income support. Income support had additional benifits like free school meals and housing benifit, but as I own my own home that didn't help. On tax credits they don't count mainetenence so thats why it was better for me, still get free dental and prescriptions though.

Yeah. So EVEN better. I meant a final salary index linked pension. SO not to be sniffed at. I have one too and AM BLOODY LUCKY.

The older you get, the more you appreciate these things...

The pension thing worries me. I have worked for 20 years and have paid into a pension for about the last 14. My dh is 11 years older than me and only really started an occupational pension at about 45. I hoped to leave work maybe a couple of years after him so he's not a real old fogey and we can hopefully enjoy some quality time in retirement, but as dd will reach university age about then, I'm not sure it will be possible.

This "I'm better off to stay home than work" is going to seriously backfire on people in the future. Pensions are already disappearing out of the window. I worry about our generation when we get old. Just hope that all these new babies the DM likes to moan about will be able to pay sufficient taxes to keep us all!

Having thought more about it and spoke to DH, I don't think giving up work is for me. I think after Mat Leave I'll look for a new job and then we'll eventually try and move overseas (as was our original plan). I think that taking a career break would cost too much in so many ways that it wouldn't be worth it for us.

I think age has alot to do with how you view life - in my 30's now is difficult to get worried about pensions, I just want to live now!

I know how you feel - I turned 40 last year and never stressed about it before. I came to a realisation that DH has just turned 52 and only has 13 years to work! He spent many years out of the UK at sea and i'm sure hasn't paid full stamp. We are now in Belgium and both get work pensions but don't put any more away.

I NEED to sort this out as I don't want to be really struggling in my old age. My friend who is a couple of years older than me, always paid additional contributions into her pension. She has also paid off her mortgage! We were all made redundant a couple of years ago. She went travelling round the world for a year and is fortunate enough now to get any job that just covers her expenses. I am so !!!! She doesn't have any dcs though.....

Ah well she might be rich in wealth but you're rich in other ways

Tis true!

It's a total balancing act really!