bdh AUS - bdhSterling

Specialists in Pension Transfers to Australia

Award-winning service

Over 100 years combined experience

Dual licensed with offices in the UK & Australia

In-depth knowledge of pensions and QROPS legislations

Rated 5 stars on Google reviews

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Why bdhSterling?

We are an award-winning firm of Chartered Financial Planners with offices in London, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne. Our primary purpose is to help Australian and British citizens with their retirement planning and we specialise in advising those with assets in both jurisdiction on how to structure their wealth most effectively. We are widely recognised as the leading specialists in UK pension transfers to Australia.

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CHARTERED FINANCIAL PLANNERS

Award-winning Chartered Independent Financial Advice company with Financial Planners located in the UK and Australia.

IN-HOUSE SUPPORT

All advisers are supported by in-house professional paraplanning services and a first-class administration team.

NOTHING OUTSOURCED

Our UK pension transfer service is provided in-house and nothing is outsourced throughout the process.

INDEPENDENT

Independently licensed in both Australia and the UK, this means our advice can be provided conflict free.

Don't just take our word for it...

Based on 61 reviews

bruce pendlebury

2022-10-05

I have dealt with this company for 14 years and i have always experienced excellent service from John Harrower and his staff. You are made to feel important and understood.

David Taylor

2022-09-26

We have been using BDHSterling for many years to help us manage our SMSF. John Harrower has been easy to deal with and our regular reviews help keep things on track. In the last few years Yasser has assisted John in ensuring our regulatory paperwork is completed and submitted as required. Happy to recommend to anyone needing assistance with a SMSF

Cathrin Winter

2022-09-18

I contacted bdhSterling to assist in accessing my defined benefit pension in the UK. They have been very professional and responsive. Daniel advised me of the process and assisted with all the paperwork required. It was a very complex process which was simplified as much as possible by Daniel. Daniel was able to provide me with taxation implications for both the UK and Australia. I am extremely happy with the outcome achieved.

Sam Chilton

2022-05-30

I received excellent help from Daniel at BDH Sterling in transferring my UK pension account to Australia. I could not have done this without his professional advice and expertise. Daniel has been kind, patient and kept me informed every step of the way. I would highly recommend BDH Sterling for this type of service. Thank you Daniel.

Stewart Collins

2022-05-30

Very pleased with the experience dealing with this Professional, responsive and friendly team. We have a positive outcome with our UK Pension transfers & more than happy to recommend the team.

Colin Ayres

2022-03-28

Having worked in the UK for some years before moving to Australia, I was a member of a UK company pension scheme. A few friends had suggested that I look into transferring to an Australian Superannuation Fund, however it was not obvious how to proceed or even whether it would be worth the effort. My accountant recommended that I talk to specialists BDH Sterling. I met with Daniel Wentworth at their Perth office and it was immediately apparent that there was a great depth of knowledge and experience at BDH Sterling on this subject. Daniel initiated a thorough review of my individual circumstances and it proved highly beneficial to transfer my UK company pension funds into an Australian Superfund. Daniel also provided valuable information and recommendations regarding my position re UK State Pension. In concert with BDH Sterling's UK office, Daniel arranged for the pension funds to be transferred in compliance with complex UK and Australian rules. I have no hesitation in recommending Daniel and BDH Sterling to anyone considering transferring a UK company pension into an Australian Superfund.

Steve Brown

2022-02-15

Moving my pension from UK to Australia was quite daunting for me. I engaged with BDH Sterling and I dealt with John Vailes. John was excellent, he explained everything in a very easy to follow manner, maintaining professionalism at all times. Even1.5 years later he was happy to chat with me -at my request- in his own time. I cannot speak highly enough, thank you very much John. Steve in Adelaide.

Roger Yates

2022-02-11

I engaged bdhSterling last year to transfer my UK pension to Australia. Throughout the process Charlotte was friendly, professional and informative. She ensured that I had the information I needed to make decisions and highlighted the key steps and timelines involved. Although I’m not in Perth, we maintained “face-to-face” contact via Skype meetings which worked well. All in all, I’m very happy with the service I received and intend to continue engaging bdhSterling for my future needs.

Karen Scally

2022-02-08

Yasser and the SMSF team at bdhSterling have provided an efficient and timely service in setting up my SMSF and completing the tax returns for this fund. I am very grateful to have their assistance with this process and meeting all the rules and regulations of the ATO.

Denise Ridgway

2022-01-31

The team at bdhSterling, both in the UK and Australia, provided great advice and support in transferring my UK pension to Australia. Throughout the whole transfer process Billy Tomlin was always available to answer any questions and I continue to be impressed with the quality work performed by Billy, Yasser and the bdhSterling team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Defined Contribution (DC) Pension Schemes, including company and personal pension and drawdown arrangements
Private Sector Defined Benefit (DB) Schemes
Funded Public Sector DB Schemes

The UK State Pension
Annuities purchased with a life insurance company
Company Pension already in payment
Unfunded Public Sector Defined Benefit Schemes

Transferring could be more tax effective – In Australia, from age 60, all retirement income and lump sums drawn from Super will be entirely free of tax. Pensions drawn from UK schemes are taxed at your marginal tax rate (MTR), which can be up to 47%.

We will only recommend a transfer if we believe it is the most suitable option and in your best interests.

You can transfer to a receiving superfund only if it is a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS). bdhSterling can assist in identifying if your current scheme qualifies or if an alternative fund will be required.

There are restrictions on what you can invest in with a UK sourced pension in Australia. These restrictions match those that are applied to the funds when they are in the UK. Therefore, the QROPS funds are unable to invest in residential property directly, however it may be possible to release funds upon reaching age 55 for property purchase.

There are rules in place by HMRC around how long your funds must remain within a QROPS fund before you can transfer these to a non-QROPS. bdhSterling can identify this for you as part of the analysis we conduct, and this will vary based on you as an individual, and your situation.

Typically, from the first contact you make with bdhSterling to when the first funds are transferred into your QROPS this full process can take anywhere between 3-12 months, where the average time taken is 6 months. This can vary depending on several external factors, such as, how long it takes for the UK pensions scheme to disinvest your funds and transfer these to your receiving scheme.

Following the transfer of your UK pension funds to Australia you will be able to access your funds when you meet a condition of release here in Australia, which can be when you meet preservation age, or when you reach age 65. It is also worth noting that as part of the transfer strategy you may be able to access some of the funds during this process, and this is something we can detail in our analysis.

You can transfer your UK pension to Australia once you reach age 55. In the interim, we can manage your money in a UK pension in AUD or GBP, and make sure that you are on track to reach your retirement goals.

In the UK we are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

In Australia we are regulated by the Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC).