# Coronavirus and your pension: 4 top tips from Punter Southall Aspire
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2020-03-26
Category: BANKING
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/banking
Meta Title: Navigating Market Volatility: Four Tips for Successful
Meta Description: Discover essential advice from Employee Benefits at Punter Southall Aspire to help you secure your pension investments despite market uncertainty. Learn the
URL: https://financedigest.com/coronavirus-and-your-pension-4-top-tips-from-punter-southall-aspirehtml

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_By_ **_Alan Morahan,_** _Managing Director, Employee Benefits at Punter Southall Aspire_

Since January 2020 until now, we have seen a lot of activity in the stock market. Markets showed a muted reaction in January when the Coronavirus outbreak was first announced, seemingly underestimating the impact on economic conditions.

The penny finally dropped for investors in late February and we have now seen the most serious [stock market falls](https://www.financedigest.com/bitcoin-falls-to-22-month-low-as-stock-markets-tumble.html "Bitcoin falls to 22-month low as stock markets tumble") since 2008.

It is tempting for investors to look at these events, as well as the [year ahead](https://www.financedigest.com/global-stocks-to-grind-higher-lacklustre-year-ahead-reuters-poll.html "Global stocks to grind higher, lacklustre year ahead: Reuters poll"), and to feel a sense of worry. How will my pension [investments perform](https://www.financedigest.com/three-fundamental-tips-to-enhance-your-investment-portfolio-performance.html "Three fundamental tips to enhance your investment portfolio performance")? Is there anything I can do to brace myself in case things get even worse? How can I ensure I benefit if things go better than I might expect?

Learning to cope with and navigate [market volatility](https://www.financedigest.com/puma-confirms-full-year-outlook-flags-market-volatility.html "Puma confirms full-year outlook, flags market volatility") is crucial to successful pension investing.

**Employee Benefits at Punter Southall Aspire offers the following four tips:**

**#1 Pensions are** [long-term investments](https://www.financedigest.com/technical-textiles-market-2021-2031-potential-growth-attractive-valuation-make-it-is-a-long-term-investment.html "Technical Textiles Market (2021–2031)| Potential growth, attractive valuation make it is a long-term investment")

It is notoriously difficult for [investors and fund](https://www.financedigest.com/credit-suisse-to-repay-further-750-million-to-greensill-linked-fund-investors.html "Credit Suisse to repay further 0 million to Greensill-linked fund investors") managers to consistently predict what will happen in the markets. Consequently, it is sometimes hard for them to make effective pre-emptive decisions.

The essential point is this: whilst past performance cannot guarantee how future results will transpire with your investments, committing to a long-term strategy tends to offer greater rewards than trying to actively predict every short-term movement of the markets.

**#2** [Expect inevitable falls](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-china-property-financing-tweaks-fall-short-of-investor-expectations.html "Analysis-China property financing tweaks fall short of investor expectations")

This is more of a psychological observation, but it is important nonetheless. It is a lot easier to cope with a temporary fall in your [investments if you expect](https://www.financedigest.com/global-lycopene-market-outlook-business-challenges-investment-opportunities-progression-status-revenue-expectation-and-forecast-2022-2029.html "Global Lycopene Market Outlook Business Challenges, Investment Opportunities, Progression Status, Revenue Expectation and Forecast 2022-2029") these to happen over ten, twenty or thirty years. Investing is never a continuous, straight upward line. Rather, when done properly, it tends to be a jagged line with many ups and downs – yet following an overall upward trajectory. The key here is not to panic, and to remember the nature of the beast.

**#3 Diversify appropriately**

It is [important](https://www.financedigest.com/4-important-factors-to-consider-when-choosing-an-eb-5-visa-investment-project.html "4 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing an EB-5 Visa Investment Project") to remember that the pension default investment options most members are invested in are typically well diversified. Pension default investment strategies tend to be widely invested [around](https://www.financedigest.com/ford-to-invest-around-300-million-to-build-electric-car-parts-at-uk-plant.html "Ford to invest around 0 million to build electric car parts at UK plant") the world and, in most cases, will include asset classes other than equities such as bonds.

Many default funds will also move you across a range of funds as you get nearer to retirement, which reduces your exposure to the [stock market](https://www.financedigest.com/online-trading-and-stock-markets.html "Online Trading and Stock Markets"). If you would like to [know where your pension is invested](https://www.financedigest.com/weighing-up-buy-now-pay-later-what-you-need-to-know-before-you-invest.html "Weighing up Buy Now, Pay Later: What you need to know before you invest"), you can find out by contacting your pension provider.

**#4 The benefits of regular saving**

Pound cost averaging’ is the process of regularly investing money, usually on a monthly basis, to smooth out the [impact of the highs and lows of the stock market](https://www.financedigest.com/railway-bearing-market-size-2021-key-manufacturers-industry-share-investment-opportunities-future-trends-market-impact-revenue-demand-and-analysis-by-forecast-2030.html "Railway Bearing Market Size 2021 Key Manufacturers, Industry Share, Investment Opportunities, Future Trends, Market Impact, Revenue, Demand and Analysis by Forecast 2030").

So, whilst you may be concerned about the [current falls in the stock market](https://www.financedigest.com/cbd-gummies-market-current-scenario-and-industry-growth-forecast-with-major-key-players-data-2030.html "CBD Gummies Market| Current Scenario and Industry Growth Forecast with Major Key Players data 2030"), as a member of your employer’s pension plan you commit regular sums towards your pension pot over many months, years and even decades. You are not paying in a single large amount at one [point in time](https://www.financedigest.com/finger-pointing-helps-no-one-it-is-time-for-retailers-energy-providers-and-government-to-band-together.html "Finger-pointing helps no one: it is time for retailers, energy providers and government to band together"). Not only does this remove the pressure of trying to time the [markets correctly](https://www.financedigest.com/markets-could-face-sharp-correction-bank-of-england-warns.html "Markets could face ‘sharp correction’, Bank of England warns"), it can sometimes lead to stronger returns overall. During these [times you might keep buying](https://www.financedigest.com/buying-a-house-for-the-first-time.html "Buying a house for the first time") into your investment choice but for a cheaper price. If its [value then rises again in the future](https://www.financedigest.com/cracking-the-code-of-customers-future-value-in-retail.html "Cracking the code of customers’ future value in retail"), you could potentially be better off than if you had tried to time buying these stocks with a lump sum.

As mentioned above, if you are concerned about your pension, in the first instance you should speak to your pension provider who will be able to give you further information.

Alternatively, you can seek individual advice from a financial adviser. You should be [aware that an adviser will normally charge](https://www.financedigest.com/demand-for-automotive-gas-charged-shock-absorbers-market-to-be-fuelled-by-rapid-shift-in-consumer-perception-and-increasing-awareness.html "Demand for Automotive Gas Charged Shock Absorbers Market to be Fuelled by Rapid Shift in Consumer Perception and Increasing Awareness") for using their services.


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