Rowanmoor Pensions aims to give SSAS member trustees full and flexible investment options by offering the most comprehensive range of investment choice available under current legislation. We will permit any asset provided:

• the asset does not give rise to an unauthorised payment charge;
• we can obtain satisfactory title to the asset;
• ownership of the asset will not give rise to an unacceptable liability or risk, for example a legal, practical, or environmental risk.

Guidance on administration requirements and the acceptability of assets in the scheme will be provided by Rowanmoor Pensions. Investments need to satisfy Rowanmoor Pensions’ requirements in relation to all the above factors to be acceptable as scheme investments.

The member trustees control the funds in the SSAS, subject to the Trust Deed and Rules of the scheme, and are free to appoint the investment adviser of their choice to help take advantage of the wide range of investment opportunities open to them. Members’ investments held within the scheme are protected from personal bankruptcy.

Please note that this list of investments is not exhaustive. If you are in any doubt whether an investment is acceptable or not, please always refer to Rowanmoor Pensions.

Investment Opportunities

• Cash and deposits
• Insured pension funds, including trustee investment plans (TIPs)
• Traded endowment policies (TEPs)*
• Unit trusts and onshore and offshore open ended investment companies (OEICs)
• Investment trusts
• Structured products
• Equities, warrants and bonds quoted on the London stock exchange (including AIM), and the PLUS stock exchange (“PLUS-SX”)
• Equities, warrants and bonds quoted on recognised worldwide stock exchanges
• Hedge funds and other alternative investment funds*
• Exchange traded futures and options, contracts for difference (CFDs) and other derivatives where the liability under the contract is limited to the amount invested in that contract*
• Foreign exchange contracts*
• Unquoted shares*
• Commercial property, including overseas*
• Hotels, prisons, care homes and public houses*
• Hotel rooms, including overseas*
• Forestry, woodland and agricultural land*
• Land, including land for development*
• Secured loans to the principal employer or participating employer(s)*
• Secured or unsecured loans to unconnected third parties*
• Harvestable commodities and plantations including green oil, teak oil, rubber and timber, subject to compliance with taxable property regulations*
• Carbon credits*
• Other ethical investments*
• Gold bullion*
• Intellectual property (including copyrights and patents)*

*Whilst these investment opportunities are eligible under legislation and regulatory requirements, Rowanmoor Pensions may perform additional due diligence on these investments before accepting them.

Unacceptable Investments

• Residential property (including ground rent)
• Unsecured loans to the principal employer or participating employer(s)
• Loans to connected parties such as member trustees or their families
• Taxable moveable property, including:
  Plant and machinery, wind turbines, solar panels, antiques, fine wine, furniture, jewellery and gemstones, oriental rugs, rare books and stamps, vintage cars, works of art, Krugerrands and yachts

There are no limitations on the sale or purchase of assets to or from member trustees or other connected parties but these transactions must be at arm’s length.

The trustees must be careful to ensure that the purchase or sale of any asset complies with the Trust Deed and Rules of the SSAS and is in line with the scheme’s overall investment strategy. Whilst it is not essential for a SSAS, it is recommended that trustees agree a statement of investment principles and make investment decisions in accordance with those principles. A statement of investment principles should include the:

• objectives of scheme;
• policy for choosing investments;
• type of investments to be held;
• balance of different investments;
• risk associated with the investments;
• expected returns;
• policy for realisation of investments.

Whilst HMRC does not generally interfere in the way member trustees invest a SSAS’s assets, it will if tax avoidance is suspected, or if an investment appears to breach the main purpose of the SSAS, which is, to provide benefits for its members. It is therefore important to demonstrate that all investments are genuine and made in the interests of the members and their beneficiaries.

Please visit our SSAS literature library for further information on SSAS property investment, SSAS loans and borrowing to invest.

This information relates to the Rowanmoor Pensions SSAS. Please note that this list of investments is not exhaustive. If you are in any doubt whether an investment is acceptable or not, always refer to Rowanmoor Pensions by contacting us, emailing us or writing to us via the enquiry box on the right hand side.