The Teachers' Pension Comes First
Before we talk about investing, let's get one thing straight.
If you're eligible for the Teachers' Pension Scheme, that's usually the first place to focus.
It's an excellent defined benefit pension and, for most teachers, forms the foundation of your retirement planning, along with the state pension. But for many people, it doesn't have to be the whole plan.
One of the questions I get asked most often is:
"Should I invest as well as paying into my pension?"
The answer isn't the same for everyone, but I think every teacher should at least understand how investing works before deciding.
Teachers spend their careers helping young people think about the future and I think we should do the same for ourselves.
For many teachers, learning how investing works can be the next step towards building long-term financial security.
The best time to start investing was probably years ago.
The second-best time might be today.