How to Use Your Pension to Invest in Property, Reduce Tax and Take Control of Your Future

Is your pension actually working for you, or is it quietly costing you more than you realise? In this solo episode of From The Ground Up, Steve Doran breaks down one of the most overlooked parts of wealth building: pensions. Most people are auto-enrolled into a pension scheme, but very few know where that money is invested, what fees are being taken, or how much control they really have over their retirement future. Steve explains why relying on a standard pension may not be enough, how pension fees can eat into long-term wealth, and why property investors and business owners should understand the difference between a SIPP and a SSAS. He also covers how pensions can be used to invest in commercial property, how rental income and capital growth can sit inside a pension tax-free, how SSAS loan backs work, and how limited company owners may be able to use pension contributions to reduce corporation tax. This episode also explores commercial property investing, lease strength, FRI leases, rent reviews, break clauses, pension mortgages, inheritance tax considerations and why getting professional advice is Want to learn more and find out how to transform your financial future in just 2 days - connect with Steve via https://stevedoran.co.uk/home **Key Moments:** 0:00 Why pensions could be one of the most important wealth-building topics 01:03 How much money you may really need in retirement 02:05 The reality of pensioner poverty and why retirement planning matters 03:20 Why standard corporate pensions may not give you enough control 04:06 Pension fees, fund charges and why you need to know where your money goes 05:31 Taking control of your pension through a SIPP or SSAS 06:10 Using a pension to invest in commercial property 07:28 Steve’s £115,000 industrial unit bought through his pension 08:29 How a SIPP works and why trustees review pension property investments 09:25 Investing in gold through a pension 10:07 What a SSAS pension is and how it links to a limited company 10:54 Using a SSAS to loan money to property investors 11:30 SSAS loan backs and using pension funds inside your limited company 12:16 First charge security, five-year repayment rules and commercial interest 13:28 Using pension contributions to reduce limited company tax 15:07 Pension annual allowance and carry forward explained 16:12 How pension mortgages work for commercial property 17:00 Transferring old pensions into a SIPP or SSAS 18:08 Finding lost pensions and bringing old pension pots together 18:56 Why pensions, property and estate planning need professional advice 19:43 Why Steve likes commercial property for pension investing 20:17 What to look for in a commercial property lease 21:03 FRI leases, rent reviews and break clauses explained 22:09 When you can start drawing down from a SIPP or SSAS **Disclaimer:** This podcast is for general information and entertainment purposes only. Nothing discussed should be taken as financial, investment, tax, legal or professional advice, nor as a personal recommendation to buy, sell, invest in, or enter into any property, financial product or investment strategy. Property investment carries risk, values can go down as well as up, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. You should always carry out your own due diligence and seek advice from a suitably qualified, regulated professional before making any financial or investment decision.