There's no need to rush into a decision if you're not ready to decide, or you don't want to retire any time soon. If you prefer, you can leave your pension where it is for now and just update your chosen retirement date.

There are a number of reasons why you might want to wait and decide later:

• If you haven't saved enough to get the retirement lifestyle you want, you may need to keep working and continue contributing to your pension until you've reached your savings target.
• You don't need any pension income right now and would prefer to leave your pension invested with the potential to grow. It may be a good idea to review your investments to ensure they're still right for you.
• You'd like to go through your options with a financial adviser or the guidance service offered by the Government to understand your options in more detail before deciding.

We suggest you visit MoneyHelper - a government service that offers free, impartial pensions guidance about your pension options. 

You should speak to a financial adviser in the first instance if you need advice about your investments. There's likely to be a charge for this. If you don't have a financial adviser, you can find one in your area by visiting MoneyHelper, or find out more about advice services supported by Aegon by visiting Origen.

Origen Financial Services Ltd is wholly owned by Aegon UK plc but operates independently to us.

Even if you take your pension benefits at a later date, it's never too early to start planning. You could invest some time now to work out what's the best option for you.