Most of us will get a basic State Pension. This is based on National Insurance contributions you have paid or been credited with throughout your working life.

Depending on your individual circumstances you may be entitled to the State Second Pension (which used to be called SERPS).

If you have gaps in your contribution record, you may be able to top them up to get a better State Pension. You can check if you have gaps by asking for a State Pension forecast. To help you decide whether to pay voluntary NICs to boost your Basic State Pension, try The Pensions Advisory Service’s voluntary National Insurance contribution planner.

If you’re at State Pension Age or over you may be entitled to Pension Credit, but it will depend on your income and savings.

The State Pension age is currently 65 for men and between 60 and 65 for women depending on when you were born. This is scheduled to go up to 65 for women retiring between 6 April 2010 and 5 April 2020 and to 68 for men or women retiring from 2046. However, the government announced in the June 2010 Budget that it will consult on raising the State Pension age for men and women to 66 from 2016.

A pension is a long-term investment. The money you pay in is invested and used to provide an income when you retire, called an annuity. Exactly how this is done depends on the type of pension you have. You can’t touch the money until you are at least 55, and you get tax relief on what you pay in.

Although you don't have to join a work pension scheme, it's usually a good idea to do so, because your employer may also pay into it and you often get other benefits.

If you work for a business with fewer than five employees, your employer doesn’t have to offer a pension scheme. But still check what’s available, as they may offer a scheme anyway.

The government is planning changes that mean all employers will have to offer and pay into a pension in future. This is expected from 2012.

If you can afford to save regularly, you may decide to start a pension yourself. So find out what’s available and whether it’s right for you.

Use our Private pension contributions table to get an idea of how much income you could get based on how much you start paying in now.

You can compare different personal and stakeholder pensions using our Comparison tables.

Remember, a pension is a long-term commitment that you can’t touch until you’re at least 55. Think about what other financial priorities you may have before committing to an extra regular payment.

Use our Pension calculator to estimate the amount of pension income you could get when you retire. This will help you decide how much you need to save to get the retirement income you want.

When you pay into a pension you get tax relief. This means that to invest £100 into your pension it will only cost you £80 after tax (2010/11 tax year) or less if you’re a higher rate tax payer. Remember this when you're working out how much to pay in.

There are lots of different long-term savings and investments you could use to save for your retirement. You may be able to get your money sooner, but you won't get the benefit of tax relief and you may also pay tax on the interest or other income you earn.

You may think about cashing in insurance policies or selling investments to pay for your retirement. But bear in mind that you may lose money if you do this before insurance policies mature, or you may not be able to sell investments when you want to.

You may think about selling your home, getting something smaller and using the extra money to pay for your retirement. But prices can go down, and you may not be able to sell it when you want to or at the right price.

You may also think about using the money tied up in your home to give you some extra income, known as equity release. However, this can be complicated and risky, so think about getting some professional advice first.

General information about pensions is free from lots of organisations. Some have advisers who will help you understand the different options available.

For advice that takes into account your personal circumstances, think about speaking to an authorised financial adviser. But you may have to pay for their advice.

If you’re nearing retirement, starting a pension now may not be the right choice for you, so it’s best to get specialist help.

You can get a forecast of how much State Pension you are likely to get, so check from time to time.

Check out the statement that your pension provider or your employer will send you each year to make sure you're on track to get the income you expect when you retire.

Use our Pension calculator to check that you’re on track to get the retirement income you want from the contributions that you’re making.

If you change or lose your job, find out what you can do with your existing work pension, and if you start a new job, check out whether your new employer has a pension scheme you can join.

In divorce settlements, the Court will take pension rights into account.