Pensions and divorce

Important information - the value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Eligibility to invest in a SIPP and tax treatment depends on personal circumstances and all tax rules may change in the future. You cannot normally access money in a SIPP until age 55 (57 from 2028).

Over the course of a marriage/civil partnership, pensions can grow to be substantial, and in UK divorce settlements they are counted as assets.

After seeking legal advice to understand how you may be affected and what your rights are, we hope this guide on how pensions can be split between you and your ex-partner will help.

You'll need to track down any pensions that either of you have ever paid into as a 'member' of a scheme.

The most common personal or company pensions can be shared in a divorce settlement.

But the following pensions cannot be shared:

• Basic State Pension (although Additional State Pension can be shared. This could be built up under the old state pension system and is known as a 'protected payment') .
• Graduated pension.
• Widow or widower’s pension that is in payment.

If you're already retired and getting divorced or dissolving your civil partnership, it’s best to get financial advice as this is a complicated area.

Pensions are shared according to the terms of your divorce. But here are some examples of how they could be split.

Important information - this information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity's advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice.