Income, contributions (to savings, pensions, and other investments), account withdrawal limits, growth rates, asset allocations, asset values, and inflation rates can be increased or decreased - stepped up or stepped down - for the duration of a stage or at the occurrence of an event.
Contributions to a personal pension, for example, normally set to 8% of an individual’s income, could be stepped down to 5% during a child's school years to free income for education expenses. These contributions could then be stepped up again to 10% after the education stage of the plan is completed.
Increase or Decrease Inputs and Settings by Stage or Event
The Step Up / Step Down feature is available to adjust inputs and settings related to:
Employment income,
Other income,
Savings,
Investments,
Pensions (specifically money purchase and unsecured pensions),
Property/Assets,
Income protection plans,
Expenses.
On these screens you will find a Step Up / Step Down a panel.
1.To step up or step down an item that has already been entered and saved into the plan, first select this item in the ledger located on the right side of the screen.
2. Expand the Step Up / Step Down panel.
3.The Timeline drop-down list presents events and stages from the planning timeline (theTime screen). Select from this list the stage or the event at which the item will be stepped up or stepped down.
4.Next, enter the adjusted input or setting – e.g. an adjusted growth rate or account contribution. Note that multiple inputs or settings may be adjusted for an item during a given stage or event.
You may then step the item up or down again by selecting another stage or event and making additional adjustments.
5. Click the Add or Save button to save your changes.
The linear graph at the bottom of the screen will adjust to illustrate the stepped item.
