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Covid-19 and your investments
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused sharp rises and falls in fund values, and you may be worried about your pension. Any decisions about fund choices are important as they could have a big effect on your future benefits, and we recommend you speak to an independent financial adviser (IFA) before making any decisions. There’s a list of IFAs in your area at www.unbiased.co.uk

Invest in your future

Your contributions are invested in a range of specially selected funds.

You can manage your own funds if you want to – or you can opt for a ‘hands-off’ approach and have them managed for you in a way that is considered suitable for a typical member.

One of the best and easiest ways to manage your pension arrangements is to register for or sign in to your myRPS account.

If you haven't chosen an option, you will be in the 'default' fund, which is the Long Term Growth Lifestyle Fund.

Watch the video below to learn more about investments.

 

How do you feel about investments?

Ask yourself:

  • How involved to you want to be in your investments?
  • How much risk are you prepared to take?
  • When do you want to retire?

 

Your answers will influence how you approach your IWDC investments.

You'll find lots of information in our two useful guides: IWDC investments and  fund risk ratings. 

Watch the video below to learn more about investment risk and the level of risk you're comfortable taking.

 

The funds available to you

If you have just joined the Railways Pension Scheme and don’t plan to retire soon, you may want to take more risks for higher returns. 

If you are getting closer to retirement, you may have a more cautious approach to investments and opt for more ‘stable’ funds which have a lower risk of losing value.

However, your overall approach depends on your personal attitude to risk and how you want to take your benefits.

Lifestyle Strategies – the choices are made for you

If you don’t feel comfortable managing your investments, an IWDC Lifestyle Strategy will automatically move your savings into funds which are deemed to work best for the amount of time you have left to retirement.

Self-select funds - you take control

If you want more say in your investments, you can choose from a special range of funds. The fund factsheets for each of these is listed below.

Global Equity Fund
Invests in global equities, including emerging market equities. The aim is to achieve a return in excess of inflation over the longer term. Equity prices are expected to experience short-term volatility in response to economic and stock market events. 

 

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Long Term Growth Fund
Invests in a range of asset classes across different financial markets and economies, aiming for a return in excess of inflation over the longer term. The mix of assets will change over time according to the manager's views. This fund is expected to have lower volatility than a portfolio of equities. 

 

Aggregate Bond Fund
Invests in a mix of global non-government bonds and fixed-interest UK government bonds.

 

Index-linked and Global Bond Fund
Invests in a mix of global non-government bonds and index-linked UK government bonds. 

 

Deposit Fund
May be suitable for those who prefer a lower level of financial risk. Invests in a wide range of short-term instruments, not simply deposit accounts

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Where to go for advice

It is strongly recommended that you speak to an independent financial adviser (IFA) before making any decisions about your financial future. You can find a list of IFAs in your area at unbiased.co.uk.