Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20Pensions and Small Business – Ticking Time Bomb or Hidden Treasure? | 16 When Pension Freedoms were introduced in April 2015, Andrew and Philippa Tarling could not have imagined this would spark a new career as luxury ice cream makers. But, with the help of Pension-led funding8 , the couple have joined the new wave of olderpreneurs. BUSINESS FUNDING The Tarling’s saw their pensions as an opportunity to expand their horizons but, rather than simply cash them in, they sought a different approach. The pension pot was placed in a SSAS set up by Clifton Asset Management which allowed the Tarling’s to back their own business. Their pension scheme loaned them £75,000 secured against the Gelato machinery, along with £40,000 in cash from two windfalls. The Tarling’s decided on an interest rate of 12 per cent to pay the loan back to the pension fund more quickly, and experience further growth. “It’s all about the money in the end, and with the money being made by the business only being owed back to our own pension fund it’s a perfect circle”, says Andrew. RETIREMENT PLANS The Tarling’s retirement plans are ambitious. While Andrew continues to run a pub, Philippa is building a Gelato empire. In just its first six months, Ecco Gelato has proved a huge hit in the affluent Dorset town of Sherbourne, and plans are afoot for three or four more outlets. Most importantly, the whole family is set to benefit according to Andrew. “Our business will grow our pension and the children’s inheritance money faster than almost any other investment.”   CASE STUDY: ECCO GELATO Andrew & Philippa Tarling, Ecco Gelato 8. Pension-led funding carries the same risks to the borrower as other commercial credit facilities