1. Log in to the Aviva Platform and search for the customer's AV number, which will take you to their summary screen.
2. In the review section, click into Client Details (on the right side of the screen) and select the Banking Details tab. Make sure the bank details the customer wants to use for the withdrawal are active and nominated for withdrawals. If they aren't, you need to add the bank details and these can take up to 24 hours to authorise automatically, or five working days if manual intervention is required.
3. Click back to the Customer's Portfolio Summary, then select the pre-retirement link, which will take you into the uncrystallised pension account.
4. Click the Take Pension Benefits tab on the right side of the page.
5. Answer the questions under the financial advice section. You won't be able to move forward until you do.
6. Add pension protection if this applies to your customer. To do this, click Edit Protection Details, confirm the type of protection, then select Confirm Updates.
7. In the dropdown box under Drawdown Type, select Flexi-Access Phased. You can then key the phased drawdown.
8. In the Income Required section, put the PCLS needed for each payment amount. This is the PCLS (tax-free cash) amount, not the overall crystallisation amount. For exmaple, if the PCLS is £400, you'd put £400 and not £1,600.
9. Select the payment date and frequency.
9.1 Please note: it takes 10 working days to set up the phased drawdown, so you won't be able to pick a date earlier than this. If your customer is taking a regular PCLS only without any additional taxable income, this payment will be made 5 working days prior to the date you select for every payment.
10. Answer if you need a taxable income payment alongside the PCLS payment. Tick the 'Yes' box to reveal the taxable income options. The Gross Income Required per Payment section will confirm the maximum taxable payment required via the phased drawdown. You can enter the gross amount needed here. Meanwhile, if you want any help with tax planning, you can find our tax calculators on the same section.
10.1 Please note: if at any time the phased crystallisation is amended (Edit income drawdown) and taxable income is still required, the Platform will automatically revert to taxable income No and needs to be detailed again.
11. Next, check and add any LTA information from off-platform policies (if needed).
12. You'll then see confirmation of the Ongoing Advice Charge. If you want to change this, you need to go to the Charges tab of the relevant sub-account(s).
13. In the Accumulation Account Asset Selection section, confirm how the disinvestment for PCLS and movement to post-retirement will happen. You can choose either pro rata or your own asset selection for the disinvestment and movement of assets.
13.1 Please note: the default is to disinvest pro rata and not target available product cash.
14. When you click Continue, you'll move to the Income Payment Details section where you need to select and confirm the bank details the PCLS/income will be paid to.
15. Click Continue and you'll move onto the summary page. Check the details and tick the customer due diligence declaration and charging declaration. Finally, click Submit Application to finish.
Please note: If this is the first crystallisation for the customer, you need to upload a signed copy of the drawdown declaration to the customer correspondence section.
Please note: If the regular crystallisation stops in the future and then are reinstated at a later date a further drawdown declaration is required to be uploaded at that time.