Depending on the type of pension scheme the money is coming from, you will generally be able to boost your retirement income significantly. The easy thing to do when the paperwork lands on your doorstep is to tick a few options and sign on the dotted line. The majority of us are guilty of doing this for various reasons. By accepting the first offer laid on the table you are potentially locking yourself into a poor deal for the rest of your life. Take your time, understand all the paperwork, ask any questions you might have and make a few phone calls.

The number one annuity provider in the UK changes virtually on a daily basis and the income quoted from number 1 in the rankings and number 6 could be as much as £500 per year. Over 20 years that equates to £10,000.

Why would you not shop around?

On the website you will also find useful links to forecast how much state pension you are entitled to when you reach stage pension age and don’t forget to stay in touch with the DWP as the onus is on you to claim your state pension.

Did you know you can increase your state pension by deferring it slightly. From state retirement age each year you defer taking the benefits, you can boost your income by about 10%.

Don’t laugh but have you ever considered a pensions CV? Take the time to write down from your own CV if you accrued a pension with each employer, and if so what about contacting them for a forecast?

The problem is that both are very easy to put off until tomorrow. Days become weeks, then months and years and the problem gets bigger and harder to fix.

For many, the thought of going out jogging at 8pm, on a cold, wet winter’s evening after a tough day at the office is hardly appealing. Even so, I bet most people would rather do that than study their latest pension statement or double check what mortgage interest rate they are on.

Physical and financial fitness both take place in your valuable free time and both involve a fair amount of pain. Pushing yourself to keep going for another mile is tough. It’s really tough the first time then marginally easier the next and once you get started, set yourself some goals and can feel that you are making progress towards these, exercise can become strangely addictive. Before you know it, you’ve already achieved the original goals – to lose a stone or run 5 miles without stopping perhaps – and can set yourself new targets.

Personal finance is no different. What everyone needs is a Financial Plan. How are you going to get from A to B? You don’t necessarily need to employ a financial adviser for this, just as you don’t need to pay a gym membership to get fit, but a Financial Adviser can help inspire you, motivate you and take some of the boring bits away.

If you don’t even know what B looks like, how will you ever know whether you are making progress towards it? It’s like starting a running race without knowing what distance the race is over. B might simply be “maintain my current standard of living whilst working and retire at 65 with £30,000 p.a. of net income”. Then look at A. What are your assets, liabilities, income and expenditure? How can these be used more efficiently so as to make that journey from A to B as easy as possible? Is B realistic?

In a nutshell, that’s what a good adviser does. He or she will help you to get from A to B by steering you through the maze of pensions and ISA’s and mortgages and so on.

Your financial future is in your control. The hardest part is getting started. There’s no time like the present!