Investment management firm Brooks Macdonald has launched a suite of retirement investment solutions designed to help financial advisers meet the increasingly complex needs of clients preparing for or living through retirement.

The new Retirement Strategies offering is built around the rising demand for hybrid products that blend sustainable income with long-term growth, while allowing for individualised needs and varying levels of financial complexity.

The firm’s new approach introduces three distinct solutions: Bespoke, Tailored, and Modelled, aimed at delivering flexibility and transparency in an area often marked by confusion and risk.

Andrea Montague, CEO of Brooks Macdonald stated: “We are delighted to launch Brooks Macdonald Retirement Strategies for our valued IFAs and their clients who want retirement investment options not met by products currently available in the market. We have listened carefully to clients’ needs and have developed a product which aims to provide financial peace of mind in retirement.”

The Bespoke strategy is a personalised solution designed for clients with more complex financial needs, such as fluctuating income requirements or specific portfolio growth preferences. Moreover, the Tailored option offers a cost-effective solution for clients with simpler needs, delivered through a single account at a lower management fee.

Meanwhile, the Modelled strategy targets scalability and efficiency, allowing advisers to select from various platforms and withdrawal rates that best suit a client’s risk profile and income expectations.

One of the key challenges addressed by the new strategies is the management of sequencing risk, the danger that poorly timed withdrawals can harm long-term investment outcomes.

Brooks Macdonald aims to mitigate this risk by allocating investments into three time-based “buckets”:

• 0–1 Year: Cash reserves for immediate income needs
• 1–7 Years: Fixed maturity investments for medium-term income
• 7+ Years: Diversified portfolios targeting long-term capital growth

This structure allows for a more stable income stream while maintaining long-term growth potential, offering a clear and methodical approach to drawdown planning.

The firm believes this model will resonate with advisers and clients alike, particularly as the UK faces a rapidly ageing population and a growing interest in flexible retirement options.

According to industry forecasts, the number of income drawdown plans is expected to rise by 20% over the next five years, with more than half of Defined Contribution pension holders showing strong interest in solutions that mix short-term income with long-term investing.

Neil Cowell, Group Distribution Director at Brooks Macdonald added: “Planning for retirement brings growing complexity, from the changing regulatory environment to the management of multiple pension pots and inheritance tax considerations. A quarter of the UK population is set to be over sixty-five within the next fifteen years, and the need for flexible retirement planning has never been greater. These are the reasons why the 91% of people in the UK who currently don’t take financial advice2, should speak to an expert.”  

Brooks Macdonald’s Retirement Strategies will now be available to financial advisers across the UK.