Completing the annual return for approved pension schemes

​​​​Return for pension schemes​​​​

You must complete an annual pension return if you're:

• a scheme manager
• a person having the control of a Jersey superannuation fund or occupation pension scheme
  

​​​If you don't complete an annual return the sch​eme may lose its appro​val.

Make sure you have everything you need before you start.

Pension Scheme Annual Return

If you upload a schedule it must be in the correct format. You can use the following template.

Annual pension return template

Deadline​

​​The filing deadline is 31 July.​

​Uploading supporting documents and adding a password 

Y​ou can password protect any documents you send us.

However, password protected files cannot be uploaded directly to this form because the system cannot scan encrypted files.

​​To upload a password protected document

1. ​​​​password protect your document as normal

2. create an unprotected ZIP file and place the protected document inside it

3. upload the ZIP file to this form

4. send the password separately by email to taxpensionschemes@gov.je  

This ensures your information remains secure while still allowing the form to accept your file. 

Annuitants​

Pension holders in receipt of pension income.

List all members in receipt of an annuity or a pension paid by the scheme in the year. If the payment of the annuity or pension commenced or ceased in the year, enter the effective date and actual amount paid in the year.

Also enter the amount of tax deducted, where there is no PR1 in place, or the member is living in a jurisdiction with no exempting provisions.

​Employee refunds​

​Employee contributions, including interest, refunded to members who ceased to be employed by the employer.

Declare any refund of employee contributions. State the gross amount of the contributions refunded before the 10% income tax was deducted.

​Employer refunds​​​

Employer contributions, including interest, refunded to the employer.

​​Declare any refund of employer contributions back to the employer and provide the date approval was granted to make the refund.

​​Trivialities​​​​

Sums paid in commutation or in lieu of annuities or pensions on grounds of triviality.

Enter details of triviality payments after the member attains the age of 60. State the fund value, the tax free sum (30% maximum) and the remaining balance which is subject to tax at 10%.​

From 1 January 2025, the maximum fund value, after any tax free sum, cannot exceed £50,000.​

Small fund claims

This applies if the pension holder has left the service of the employer.

The fund value of the pension holder must also not exceed £10,000. There is no longer an aggregate value that a member can receive (previously £50,000) under these rules.

All payments are subject to tax at 20%.​​

​Serious ill health​

Lump sums paid in full commutation of fund value that qualify for commutation on grounds of serious ill health​.

Declare any sums paid out and confirm if the fund has commenced benefits.

​Death claims

​​Declare any sums where a lump sum payment has been paid on death. If the member had commenced benefits the payment is subject to tax at 10%.​

​Other lump sum payments

Declare any other payments which are not covered in the other sections made under the scheme rules.

For example, this may include any tax free cash payments made under the scheme rules ​but do not fall under any of the other sections.​

​​Scheme contributions

Enter the total employer and the total employee contributions paid in the calendar year.

​​Scheme income

Enter details of the income from the pension scheme. Article 131 exemption from income tax is allowed in respect of income derived from investments and deposits of a superannuation fund.

However, exemption would not extend to income such as:

• ​trading
• gains from transactions in certificates of deposit
• fees from stock lending
• underwriting commissions    

​​Transfers out

Enter details of all transfers to other approved pension schemes, including partial transfers. 

​​Transfers in

Enter details of all transfers received into the scheme.

​Fund value transferred to an insurance company

Enter details of any fund value transferred to an insurance company to purchase an annuity in an individuals own name including bulk transfers.​

Declaration

You must confirm the declaration before submitting the return.​