Transfer to Dodl

When you transfer your cash ISA to Dodl you'll be transferring into either the investment ISA or investment Lifetime ISA (LISA) - whichever works for your financial goals. Here are just a few things worth thinking about before taking that next step.

Things to think about

If you're transferring into an investment ISA

• Your cash won't leave an ISA at any stage, so the transfer won't affect how much ISA allowance you have left to use this tax year.

• Transferring part of your cash ISA to Dodl? You'll either need to transfer everything you've paid into it so far this tax year or leave that amount where it is.

If you're transferring into an investment LISA

• This type of transfer counts as a new LISA payment, so you can only transfer up to your remaining Lifetime ISA allowance for this tax year. 

• If you haven't paid into your LISA yet, you can transfer the maximum allowance of £4,000 from your cash ISA into it. But if you've already used some of your LISA allowance for this year, the amount you can transfer will be less.
• Bear in mind the ISA rule around keeping all your payments from the current tax  year together. This rule means you may not be able to transfer if you've paid more than your remaining LISA allowance into your cash ISA this year.

Anything else?

When you transfer your cash ISA into Dodl you'll be transferring cash into an investment account. That means you'll need to feel comfortable choosing how to invest your cash when it's arrived in its new home with Dodl. Check out the range of investments to see what you might choose.

Browse the investments

Hopefully this info can help you make a decision on transferring your cash ISA to Dodl, but remember ISA rules can change and Dodl can't give you any advice on what to do.

Check out the key features for the Dodl investment ISA or investment LISA to find out more about the account you plan to transfer into.

Read the key features

Since Lifetime ISAs (LISAs) were brought in for first-home savers in 2017, many have chosen to transfer their help to buy ISA into one. But the rules around using a LISA mean this may not be the right choice for everyone. Check if transferring your help to buy ISA into a LISA is right for you, before making any moves!

Things to think about

Reasons to transfer a help to buy ISA into a LISA

• You can only use one of these account's 25% government bonuses to help you buy your first home, and because you can pay more into a LISA (up to £4,000 each year), your bonus could potentially be bigger.

• Outside of London, help to buy ISAs can only be used towards a house value of up to £250,000 vs £450,000 for LISAs.

• You can invest within some LISAs - like the Dodl investment LISA - for the chance to grow your first-home savings ever further.

• LISA savings can also be used towards your retirement income, after the age of 60.

When transferring into a LISA might not be for you

• If you're planning on buying your first home within the next 12 months, hold fire! You'll need to have paid into your LISA for at least 12 months before you can withdraw it charge-free for your first home.

• If it's possible you won't use your savings towards your first home. Remember, help to buy ISAs don't have a 25% withdrawal charge like LISAs do - you just won't get the government bonus.

• You won’t be able to transfer if you’re age 40 or over and don’t already have a LISA (you can only open a new LISA between age 18-39).

How much can you transfer?

Because a transfer from your help to buy ISA into a LISA counts as a LISA payment:

• any amount you transfer will have the LISA 25% government bonus applied to it.

• you can only transfer up to £4,000 (the Lifetime ISA allowance) per tax year. If you've got more than this in your help to buy ISA, you'll have to wait until the following year(s) to transfer the rest.

Transferring into a Dodl investment Lifetime ISA

When you transfer your help to buy ISA into Dodl you'll be transferring cash into an investment account. That means you'll need to feel comfortable choosing how to invest your cash once it's arrived in its new Lifetime ISA home with Dodl. Check out the range of investments to see what you could choose.

Browse the investments

Anything else?

If you'd like to understand a little more about this type of transfer and whether its right for you, the government's MoneyHelper guidance comes in handy here. If you're still unsure, it might be worth talking to a financial adviser about this.

Finally, it's really important you read the Dodl investment LISA key features to help you decide if transferring is the right move for you.

Read the key features

Before you move those precious pension savings, you'll want to be super sure it's the right decision for you.

We've started you off with a few things to think about but if you still have some questionmarks over what's best for you, do chat to a suitable financial adviser about this. 

Things to think about

Can you actually transfer your pension to Dodl?

You can transfer most types of UK pensions to Dodl, but there are a few which won't be able to make the trip.

Pensions you won't be able to transfer to Dodl

• Final salary or other defined benefit pensions

• Pensions you’ve already taken an income from

• Pensions subject to court orders (e.g. divorce sharing orders)

Does it check out?

Check how the Dodl pension compares to your existing pension – to make sure transferring it is right for you.

Compare your current provider and Dodl on key features like the charges, investment options, support and withdrawal options. Plus a few important extras:

• Contact your current provider and check if transferring means you’ll lose any guaranteed benefits or face penalties/charges for transferring your pension out.

• If you're thinking of transferring your current workplace pension, just be aware that you'll miss out on your employer's pension contributions by transferring to Dodl.

• If an investment in your pension can't be transferred to Dodl, you'll need to decide whether to transfer it as cash or leave it where it is. Just remember here, transferring as cash would mean you're out of the market for the duration of your transfer and until you invest again with Dodl.

Anything else?

You might want to glance at the how transfers work article, to learn more about the logistics of transferring your pension to Dodl. And it’s always worth checking out the MoneyHelper guide on pension transfers too.

If it all a feels a bit complicated, think about talking to a financial adviser about whether transferring your pension is right for you.

Finally, it's really important you read the Dodl pension key features to help you decide if transferring your pension to Dodl is the right move for you.

Read the key features

It might be called a stocks & shares ISA where you are right now but with Dodl, it's your investment ISA. Here's what's worth knowing before you transfer into it.

Things to think about

Are you transferring as cash or investments?

You can transfer your stocks and shares ISA as cash or, if you have any investments which are included in the Dodl investment range, you can transfer those just as they are into your new investment ISA. But you should know:

• If any of your investments can't be transferred to Dodl, you'll need to decide whether to sell them and transfer as cash or leave them where they are.
• Selling your investments and transferring as cash would mean you're out of the market for the duration of your transfer and until you invest again with Dodl.

At Dodl we like to keep things simple, so the investment range brings you a straightforward selection of AJ Bell funds, themed investments and shares. But if you're looking to really flex your investing muscles, you may want to check out AJ Bell's Stocks & shares ISA instead.

Anything else?

Get to grips with all the key features of the Dodl investment ISA to help you decide if transferring into it is the right thing for you.

Read the key features

Whether you're looking to transfer a cash LISA or an investment ('stocks & shares') LISA to Dodl, you can do this at any age. But before you do, there're just a few points to clear up.

The first thing for any LISA transfer is, though you can have multiple LISAs throughout your lifetime, you can only pay into one each tax year - and your current tax year payments need to stay under the same roof. So you'll have to transfer everything you've paid into your other LISA from this year, or not go ahead with the transfer.

Here are some other points for you to think about...

Things to think about

If you're transferring a cash LISA to Dodl

You'll be transferring your cash into an investment account. So you'll need to feel comfortable choosing how to invest your cash once it's arrived in its new Lifetime ISA home with Dodl. Why not check out the range of investments now, to see what you might choose?

Browse the investments

If you're transferring a stocks & shares LISA to Dodl

You can transfer your stocks and shares LISA as cash or, if you have any investments which are included in the Dodl investment range, you can transfer those just as they are into your new investment LISA.

• If any of your investments can't be transferred to Dodl, you'll need to decide whether to sell them and transfer as cash or leave them where they are.
• Selling your investments and transferring as cash would mean you're out of the market for the duration of your transfer and until you invest again with Dodl. So any rise or fall in the market during that time won't affect your LISA savings.

Anything else?

It's really important you read the Dodl investment LISA key features to help you decide if transferring is the right move for you.

Read the key features

Have a general investment account (GIA) or dealing account with another provider you'd prefer to be with Dodl? Double check with them you can transfer it out, then let's look at some things you should know before you go ahead with a transfer. 

Things to think about

Are you transferring as cash or investments?

You can transfer your GIA to Dodl as cash or, if you have any investments which are included in the Dodl investment range, you can transfer those just as they are (as long as your current provider is okay with this!).

• If any of your investments can't be transferred to Dodl, you'll need to decide whether to sell them and transfer as cash or leave them where they are.
• Selling your investments and transferring as cash would mean you're out of the market for the duration of your transfer and until you invest again within your Dodl GIA.

At Dodl we like to keep things simple, so the investment range brings you a straightforward selection of AJ Bell funds, themed investments and shares. But if you're looking to really flex your investing muscles, you may want to check out AJ Bell's Dealing account instead.  

Anything else?

Get to grips with all the key features of the Dodl GIA to help you decide if transferring into it is the right thing for you.

Read the key features