Pension Contribution Optimiser
Model the true cost and tax advantage of making employer pension contributions from your limited company. Shows the corporation tax saving, real cost to the company, and how it compares to taking the same amount as a dividend.
Pension Contribution Optimiser
Model the true cost and tax advantage of making employer pension contributions from your limited company. Shows the corporation tax saving, real cost to the company, and how it compares to taking the same amount as a dividend.
Salary paid to the director. Often set at the personal allowance.
Employer pension contribution from the company. Subject to the annual allowance.
Total income from all sources including employer contributions. Used for the tapered annual allowance test (tapers above £260k adjusted income).
Not personalised advice. Pension suitability depends on your personal circumstances.
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A full extraction breakdown at your chosen salary and dividend split, with 2026/27 rates. Shows employer NI, corporation tax, income tax on salary and dividend tax side by side, so you can see the real cost of each extraction decision.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your figures (edit the blue cells) | ||||||||||
| 2 | Profit before director cost | £120,000 | |||||||||
| 3 | Director salary | £12,570 | |||||||||
| 4 | Use Employment Allowance? | No | |||||||||
| 5 | Your extraction breakdown (2026/27) | ||||||||||
| 6 | Employer NI | £1,136 | |||||||||
| 7 | Corporation tax | £24,418 | |||||||||
| 8 | Dividend tax | £19,667 | |||||||||
| 9 | Net cash: £74,779 (total tax £45,221) | ||||||||||
| 10 | |||||||||||
| 11 | |||||||||||
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Why employer pension contributions are tax-efficient
Employer pension contributions are a deductible business expense, reducing company profits and therefore corporation tax. At the 19-25% CT rate, every £10,000 contributed costs the company £7,500-8,100 in real terms.
Compared to extracting the same amount as a dividend (which is taxed at dividend rates after CT), the pension advantage is typically significant for higher earners.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the pension annual allowance?
- The standard annual allowance is £60,000 (2025/26). This tapers for high earners: if your adjusted income exceeds £260,000, the allowance reduces by £1 for every £2 of income above that, down to a minimum of £10,000.
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