14 September 2026
“What do I do with this? Where do I put it? What is the best place to put it?”
Those were the questions running through Sharon's mind after the death of her husband four years ago.
While Sharon always understood their finances, her husband had usually taken the lead on the finer details. And so she found herself facing a series of important decisions at one of the most difficult times in her life.
“When all of a sudden you have two lots of finances and you're looking at that, it's quite overwhelming, to be honest with you,” she says.
“That was the first time I felt a little bit scared.”
Today, things feel different.
“I don't go home and have those sleepless nights.”
Years of careful pension planning had already put Sharon in a strong position. After working for a major bank for more than 40 years, she was able to retire early and enjoy the lifestyle she and her husband had worked hard to build.
But when life changed unexpectedly, having someone she trusted to help guide her through unfamiliar financial decisions became invaluable.
A difficult time made harder by financial decisions
“My husband did most of the financial planning,” Sharon explains. “We always agreed it, he always explained it to me, but he was the one that would look out for the best place to do savings.”
Following her husband's death, Sharon found herself navigating grief while also dealing with a stream of financial paperwork, decisions and responsibilities.
“When you lose somebody, you're not really focusing on money,” she says.
“But you're bombarded, truly bombarded, with letters, calls, emails. All about money and large sums of money.
“You don't really think about where it's going to come from and when it's going to hit.”
When her husband’s employer contacted her about the pension, Sharon suddenly found herself needing to make decisions she had never expected to face alone.
“I remember thinking, ‘Gosh, I've got no idea.”
Sharon already had a trusted relationship with Skipton and her financial adviser, Tom.
“I said to Tom, ‘What do I do with this? Where do I put it? What is the best place to put it?”
With Tom's help, Sharon was able to understand her options and make decisions with confidence.
“That took a weight off my mind.”
Her husband had always been close to his younger sister and her two daughters, who Sharon and her husband were godparents to. Sharon felt it was important that the girls benefited from her husband's legacy.
Working together, Sharon and Tom arranged for the girls to benefit from the pension, while Tom also helped Sharon navigate changing pension and tax rules.
“I thought, ‘That's one thing I don't have to worry about.”
A second pair of eyes
Sharon first approached Skipton for financial advice in 2020, shortly after retiring.
Although she had always felt confident about her retirement plans, having expert guidance provided additional reassurance.
“I was always quietly confident,” she says.
“I knew I had a pension that was going to be a very good pension.”
Today, her pension continues to provide the foundation for her retirement.
“I still live on my pension,” she says. “There's never really been any time where I've had to say, ‘I've got to go into savings."
She describes her lifestyle as “very simple”, enjoying time with family and friends, occasional holidays and the comfort of knowing her finances are in good order.
Part of that confidence comes from knowing Tom and the team at Skipton are there when she needs them.
“It's quite nice that you've got a second pair of eyes going over things and giving me that little bit of assurance.
“I think by having a financial adviser, it gives me that bit of assurance that I'm not just looking at these figures and assuming everything's okay.”
Tom's support, she says, has helped her build her understanding and confidence over time.
“I've had to get a little bit more aware of what the situation is and understand things.
“I feel reasonably comfortable that I've got a better understanding of what the financial situation is like.”
She also values the individual approach she has experienced throughout her relationship with Skipton.
“I found that when I came into Skipton, they were quite pleasant, they were helpful, but more personal."
“I felt as if they saw me as a customer, rather than focusing on what I might be bringing to the organisation.
“I'm extremely confident and happy with the service.”
Looking ahead with confidence
Today, Sharon feels reassured about the future and the plans she has in place.
“I feel my finances are being looked after,” she says.
“I am a bit of a worrier, so I would be the person that goes home and worries about things.
“But I don't have that because I feel as if it is being managed and I am being involved in the discussions.
“That does give me that assurance of a peaceful night.”
Looking back, Sharon believes retirement planning is too important to leave until later. And she urges other people to follow her example.
“It can be very easy to sit back and think, ‘Everything will be okay.’ But I do think it is extremely important to look at your pension planning.”
After all, she adds:
“Life is worth living.”
A pension can be a great way to invest for your future. Like any investment, its value can go up and down, so you could get back less than you put in.
Any tax you’ll pay depends on your own situation, and rules could change.
Your next steps
- Call our friendly team on 0345 600 6898 to discuss your situation to work out if financial advice could be a good step for you.
- If you’d like to chat with one of our financial advisers, you can book a free initial review appointment at a branch or over video.
