AVCs can come to the rescue - but at a price

Accessing additional voluntary contributions in pension funds can be advantageous in certain circumstances, writes Liam D Ferguson.

A potential windfall -- but any AVCs to be accessed early must be clearly identified as such. Photo: Getty

The Finance Bill, which was published on February 13, implemented December's budget measures - and added a few new ones for good measure. One of the measures was a scheme allowing early access to 30 per cent of pension funds accumulated by additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) before retirement age.

**Here's a quick seven-point guide to this scheme, assuming that the Finance Bill passes into law:**

**1. Its scope is limited**

Early access is ...