A word about my situation

I want to be upfront about something from the start — because I think transparency builds more trust than positioning. 

I'm not doing this from a standing start. I've had a decent career with a good salary. My wife and I are mortgage free. I have a pension. I also inherited a modest legacy from my parents — money that came at a cost I'd rather not have paid, but that has given me a degree of financial security I'm aware not everyone has. 

So I won't stand here and tell you I did this from nothing. That would be dishonest. But I will tell you that even from this position, the decision is not straightforward. The planning matters. The psychology matters. The questions are real regardless of where you're starting from. 

My wife is self-employed and continues to work. So we're navigating something that I think is more common than people admit — one partner stepping back while the other carries on. That dynamic runs throughout everything I write here, because it's my actual daily reality. 

And I have two grown-up children — one working but living in the family home, one living independently. The shape of the family has changed. The time feels different now. That matters too. 

*A note on advice*

I'm not a financial adviser. Nothing on this site should be taken as financial advice for your specific situation. I'm sharing my own research and experience as a starting point for your thinking — not as a prescription for yours. 

Where things get complex — and in pension and tax planning, they frequently do — I'll always signpost the importance of taking professional advice from a regulated adviser. The Money and Pensions Service at moneyhelper.org.uk is a good free starting point if you're not sure where to begin.