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Together we can be more FutureWise

FutureWise is designed to manage your pension savings so you don't need to manage them yourself, and it will do this up to and through retirement. To check if FutureWise is the default investment strategy of your plan, simply log into PlanViewer to review your plan documents.

What is FutureWise?

FutureWise is our award winning1 default investment strategy for pension plans. It's where your money is invested if you don’t choose where to invest it yourself. Defaults offer an easy and effective way to save for retirement and are used by members who have decided they want to leave things to the experts. They're designed to be suitable for as many people as possible. They are constantly monitored and adjusted with the aim of investment growth and managing risk due to any market downturns.

How does it work?

FutureWise is designed to make managing your pension as easy as possible. It follows an automated investment approach, which invests your pension pot into a range of "underlying" funds over your working life. As with all investments, their value can go down as well as up, so you may get back less than you invest. With FutureWise your savings are invested in a fund (a Target Date Fund), that's carefully managed towards a specific retirement date in the future, which is aligned to the retirement age information we hold for you. Don't forget you can adjust your retirement age at any time in PlanViewer.

We're proud that FutureWise is now award winning

FutureWise was awarded the “Ultimate Default Fund" at the Corporate Adviser Awards1. These awards recognise excellence among providers of workplace pensions, with FutureWise being awarded the “Ultimate Default Fund” for setting the standard on investment strategy across defined contribution pensions.

Watch our videos to learn more about FutureWise and how it can help you achieve your retirement goals.

What does FutureWise offer you?

None

More growth potential

Target Date Funds invest in a range of investments aiming to achieve a high level of growth, which also means there is a greater chance the value of your pension could fluctuate.

None

Focus on sustainability

Target Date Funds offer flexibility to build more sustainability into FutureWise, helping reach its goals of halving its carbon footprint by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050.

None

Easier retirement planning

You can retire at any point within the 5 years* between each fund's target date. If you change your selected retirement age, Fidelity will automatically allocate the relevant Target Date Fund for you.

1. Source: Corporate Adviser, as at 27 June 2024. The Corporate Adviser Awards recognise excellence and innovation in the delivery of workplace benefits advice, consultancy, products and services. They are the leading awards for the workplace benefits community.

*While the Target Date Funds target 5-year periods, you can retire at any point from age 55 (due to be age 57 from 2028).

Want to know more?

Take a look at some of the questions and answers that we’ve prepared for you below.

They're run by Fidelity in close collaboration with BlackRock. The underlying funds will be established and managed by BlackRock with fund specifications defined by Fidelity.

No, it's not mandatory. This is the investment option that's used normally by pension scheme members who don't actively choose where to put their money.

You're free to choose your own selection of funds through the ‘self-select’ option, which means you'll be responsible for managing your own investments. While FutureWise may be your scheme’s default strategy and has been designed to suit the needs of many different members, you should review it regularly to ensure it continues to be right for your needs. 

If you're unsure what to do about your investments, you should consider taking financial advice. This is especially important if you have already made a withdrawal from your pension or are thinking of doing so in the next five to ten years, as the choices you make will affect how much you have for your retirement.

This is a fund that's carefully managed towards a specific time period in the future (which we call its ‘target date’). Each fund will aim for higher growth (which is not guaranteed) when it is a long way from the target date, investing in higher-risk investments such as company shares. Then, at a set number of years before its target, the fund will start to reduce the level of risk it takes on by gradually moving some of its assets out of company shares and into lower-risk investments, such as bonds. Please note bond investments still carry risk. The level of that risk can be higher in volatile markets, during periods of unpredictable and sometimes sharp price and interest rate movements, which means that the value of your investments can fall dramatically during those periods.

Our FutureWise Target Date Funds are designed for savers who wish to remain invested at their point of retirement and take a regular income from their fund.

Target Date Funds may not be suitable for:

  • savers with less than 5 years until they plan to take their retirement funds
  • those who wish to withdraw their benefits an cash
  • those who wish to buy an annuity (an annuity is a financial product that pays a guaranteed income for life).

There are currently 11 Target Date Funds. More will be launched over the coming years and no less than 30 months after each fund reaches its target date, the fund will close and its money moved into the Fidelity FutureWise Retirement Fund. The funds currently range from 2025 to 2070, with dates every five years. If your selected retirement date changes, you can change this on PlanViewer so that Fidelity can then move your investments to the most appropriate target date fund based on your selection. This is why it's important to review your retirement savings regularly to make sure they meet your retirement goals, and also that the selected retirement age we hold is up to date and fits in with your plans. You can adjust your retirement age easily in PlanViewer.

FutureWise is an investment strategy that aims to build up your savings. When you're a long way from retirement, it could be appropriate for any type of retirement income. As you get closer to retirement, FutureWise changes investments to be suitable for income drawdown - so you may want to consider aligning you're investments to the way you want to take your income, if you're thinking about cash or an annuity. Even if you are invested in FutureWise when you retire, you have access to all the retirement income options offered by your workplace pension.

Your money will be invested in the fund that aligns most closely with your ‘selected retirement age’ currently shown in your pension. Please note that if you haven’t chosen a retirement date, it will be your pension plan’s normal retirement age. You can find this information by logging into PlanViewer and accessing your Plan documents in your personal profile.

Yes, you can and this may be appropriate if Target Date Funds are no longer suitable for you, for example, where you plan to buy an annuity or withdraw your pension as cash in the near future. However, you don’t need to where your ultimate plan is to draw down from your pension plan to provide a regular income in future. 

As long as you keep your chosen retirement age up to date on PlanViewer, we'll ensure you're in the correct Target Date Fund for that age. If necessary, we'll automatically move your money between funds so you have the correct one. 

To update your retirement age, just go to planviewer.co.uk, select ‘My profile’ in the top right, choose ‘Personal Information’ and then go towards the bottom of the page to edit ‘Date Selected for Retirement’.

Important information - The value of investments can go down as well as up, so you may get back less than you invest. If you need advice about how any of this information applies to you personally, you should contact an authorised financial adviser. You cannot normally access your pension savings until age 55. This is due rise to 57 in 2028. The focus on maintaining strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials may affect investment performance favourably or unfavourably in comparison to similar products without such focus.