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Why are people obsessed with getting a pension

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    hmmm wrote: »
    Because it's ideas like that and the fear of ideas like that which keeps people voting centrist parties like FG & FF back into power - and they wouldn't want to annoy hundreds of thousands of voters. There's no guarantees of course, but you would assume TDs would know what the implications would be if they proposed this.

    But you'd still be getting the state pension anyways....if that 12k a year was taken from me I wouldn't like it...even if I had a private pension..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,488 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    BailMeOut wrote: »
    Yes, pensions can be passed on to beneficiaries. If I die before I can access mine my wife gets it and if she passes away it goes to my kids. If you contribute to a pension the money in it is yours full stop.


    But that changes if you buy an annuity at any stage, right? Once you convert to an annuity, if you die, it's gone. But similarly, if you live for another 30 or 40 years, the payments continue - they take the risk once you buy an annuity.
    Steer55 wrote: »
    But that is Switzerland totally different country!

    The Irish were badly burned by bamk shares during the crash, Brendan Investments etc. Give me bricks and mortar any day.


    The 'cute hoor' Irish who thought they were too smart to follow the basic rules of investment - a diversified investment strategy so all your eggs aren't in one basked - were badly burned during the crash. As were those with bricks and mortar investments.


  • Registered Users Posts: 990 ✭✭✭cefh17


    I pay into a pension (and max my revenue allowance of 15% personal contribution for under 30's) partly because the tax system in this country is prohibited awkward to buy into low cost ETFs. CGT aside, the whole deemed disposal rule is a mess in my opinion and makes me quite jealous of other countries


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭bilbot79


    Tacklebox wrote: »
    I live in the moment, seen enough pensions go down the drain.
    People who gamble on a high risk product, end up with one eight of what they invested in.
    Trends change, but the pension sales person will pull the wool over your eyes with soundbites and fancy phrases...

    I bought a big house with inheritance in 2002, off the plans, luckily its in a nice estate, detached 5 bedrooms and well insulated.

    Ill sell it before I retire, buy something much smaller and have the rainy day money and leave the house to my son.

    I know its a bit of a gamble but I think its a lot less of a risk than buying into a pension.

    Because pensions always go down and property always goes up right?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,810 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    BailMeOut wrote: »
    because lawmakers also have pensions.

    Ding ding ding, we have the correct answer. If you look at the changes to pension rules since around 1999, you can see the influence of politicians and civil servants in not overly affecting their pensions.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    McGaggs wrote: »
    Ding ding ding, we have the correct answer. If you look at the changes to pension rules since around 1999, you can see the influence of politicians and civil servants in not overly affecting their pensions.

    Lawmakers also get the state pension too though?


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    People talking about the 200k lump sum.

    If I have 200k in my pension can I take it all out tax free? Or can it only be 25% of my total pension fund? I think I read that somewhere..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭LimeFruitGum


    OP, I wasn’t taught about investments either, but that didn’t mean it was too late to learn. I certainly knew it was important to save, but saving interest rates have sucked for years. So I had to look at other ways to make my salary stretch & work for me. I don’t want to be fully reliant on the state.

    I have recommended John Lowe’s The Money Doctor book here before and to friends. I found it very helpful and it is written for the Irish layman/woman in mind. It is bound to be in your local library.

    Say you put in €300 per month. You can claim tax relief for your 2019 contributions in Q1-2020. You would be getting a 40% relief of around €1440 in 2020 assuming you paid €300 x 12 months.
    I would bung that 1440 back in to the pension in 2020 as an Additional Voluntary Contribution. And you can claim 40% tax relief on that 1440 AVC plus your €300x12 payments in 2021. Your pension tax relief in 2020 would now be €2000 +/-, even though your monthly payments remained the same. (Rinse and Repeat ;-))

    Can you talk to your HR/Pension rep at work? If your employer matches your contributions, you would be insane to ignore this. I would jump on it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    People talking about the 200k lump sum.

    If I have 200k in my pension can I take it all out tax free? Or can it only be 25% of my total pension fund? I think I read that somewhere..

    If it’s an occupational pension plan you can get up to 1.5 times your final salary as a tax free lump sum. Alternatively you would need to build up a pension fund of 800k to get the 200k tax free lump sum.

    Also after retirement many people are on lower tax rates which mean that they got more tax relief going in and pay less tax on the non tax free income they get from their pension. And their after tax free cash income pot also grows tax free.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,816 ✭✭✭✭Ace2007


    But that changes if you buy an annuity at any stage, right? Once you convert to an annuity, if you die, it's gone.

    Depends on what type of annuity you buy, if you get one with a 20 year guarantee, then it is guaranteed for 20 years even if you die after 2, likewise it will continue to be paid to you, if you survive for 40 years. Now obviously an annuity guaranteed for 20 years is more expensive than one for 10 years. But like everything people want more to less, so won't look for long guarantee annuities.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,553 ✭✭✭✭Dempsey


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    Sure people are always going on about how you should have a pension because there's no guarantee of a state pension, how can you guarantee they won't tax lump sums to **** when the time comes?

    Turkey's dont vote for xmas

    Taxing the ****e out of lump sums would achieve what exactly??

    Nobody would save at all for retirement and the state would have an even worse problem to solve.

    What more likely to happen is that state pensions will cease to exist and more tax incentives to save for your own defined contribution.

    The government are currently looking at an additional SSIA type tax relief scheme for pensions, i imagine that will be the trade off for removing state pensions all together in 10-20 years time.
    1874 wrote: »
    Or that it will be worthless, or that you'll live to see it?


    Hence my question earlier on, which I dont think got answered, someone thought they can pass it on to their children, I dont think so, not unless you'd taken a lump sum already, Id be interested to know that, but it does seem to be the best way to save, rather than having it all in low interest savings.

    It could be worthless or you could be worthless when you are old. What are you going to do then with your money in a savings account that hasnt even tracked inflation?

    You just have to crunch the numbers yourself and see what you will earn over your working life, see the amount that just drops into the black hole that is PAYE and you'll change your tune.

    Investing your disposable income/savings yourself does not come near to the benefits you can attract through a pension

    Your family can be entitled to the 'surrender value' of your pension. Its defined by the scheme you enter into.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,704 ✭✭✭Nermal


    Drumpot wrote: »
    If it’s an occupational pension plan you can get up to 1.5 times your final salary as a tax free lump sum. Alternatively you would need to build up a pension fund of 800k to get the 200k tax free lump sum.

    If the scheme is occupational, is it the greater of 1.5 times final salary or 25% of fund value? Or capped at 1.5 times final salary?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    Also if I happen to stay in the public sector for the rest of my career I won't be long enough to get the cushty 40 year pension anyway.

    If it's public sector then there'll be an "Additional Voluntary Contribution" scheme to buy you extra service.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    Nermal wrote: »
    If the scheme is occupational, is it the greater of 1.5 times final salary or 25% of fund value? Or capped at 1.5 times final salary?

    You can usually choose either.

    The main drawback with 1.5 x salary can be that all non AVC contributions left in your Pension will have to be used to purchase an annuity.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    Drumpot wrote: »
    If it’s an occupational pension plan you can get up to 1.5 times your final salary as a tax free lump sum. Alternatively you would need to build up a pension fund of 800k to get the 200k tax free lump sum.

    How do I know what plan I have? I have one through my employer. So let's say I earn 50k...I can only get a 75k lump sum tax free?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,810 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    How do I know what plan I have? I have one through my employer. So let's say I earn 50k...I can only get a 75k lump sum tax free?

    Only if you stop working for them on or after you retirement age, and have been there for 20+ years.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    Whats a good sum to have in your pension pot come retirement?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    How do I know what plan I have? I have one through my employer. So let's say I earn 50k...I can only get a 75k lump sum tax free?

    It’s normally either 25% of the value of your pension or up to 1.5 times your final salary. This final salary calculation is based on service and salary. You need at least 20 years service to get the full 1.5 option and you have to be drawing down benefits at your chosen retirement age.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,810 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    ....... wrote: »
    Whats a good sum to have in your pension pot come retirement?

    €2.15 million would be the optimum sum, assuming you have sufficient earnings to have it within limits.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    Drumpot wrote: »
    It’s normally either 25% of the value of your pension or up to 1.5 times your final salary. This final salary calculation is based on service and salary. You need at least 20 years service to get the full 1.5 option and you have to be drawing down benefits at your chosen retirement age.

    So who is eligible for the 200k lump sum?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,810 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    So who is eligible for the 200k lump sum?

    It's a limit on the amount you can get tax free.

    You can have a lump sum of either 25% it 1.5times depending on your circumstances. The first 200k of that lump sum is tax free, the next 300k is taxed at 20% and anything over 500k is taxed under PAYE.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    RoboKlopp wrote: »
    Massive tax breaks for pension. It's a no brainer.

    There's also a tax free lump sum of up to 200k at pension age that can be availed off.
    Pussyhands wrote: »
    So who is eligible for the 200k lump sum?

    I presume you are referring to above post ?

    The maximum tax free cash available from all Pension funds is potentially €200k. You can actually potentially drawdown a further €300,000 @ 20% tax but that will not be relevant for a lot of people.

    You have to have built up at least €200k in a Pension somewhere (DB and/or DC) to be able to draw this down.

    1) Pension fund of €200,000 @ 65. Retirement age of scheme is 65. 20+ years service, no other pensions. Final salary = €133,000. Tax free cash option of 1.5% x salary = €199,500
    *The 1.5 x salary calculation may be proportionately lower if you are retiring early or do not have full 20 years service when claiming benefits
    ** Must be an occupational Pension Plan


    2) Pension fund(s) of €800,000 @ 65. You can drawdown 25% of the value of this fund which equals €200,000.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    McGaggs wrote: »
    It's a limit on the amount you can get tax free.

    You can have a lump sum of either 25% it 1.5times depending on your circumstances. The first 200k of that lump sum is tax free, the next 300k is taxed at 20% and anything over 500k is taxed under PAYE.

    So anyone can take the 200k lump sum tax free irrespective of salary?

    If I have 200k in my pension pot I can take it all tax free? Or is it limited to 25%? (50k)

    If it's limited to 25% it's not as good as it sounds as most if your money is still tied away and you may never see it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,239 ✭✭✭Pussyhands


    Drumpot wrote: »
    I presume you are referring to above post ?

    The maximum tax free cash available from all Pension funds is potentially €200k. You can actually potentially drawdown a further €300,000 @ 20% tax but that will not be relevant for a lot of people.

    You have to have built up at least €200k in a Pension somewhere (DB and/or DC) to be able to draw this down.

    1) Pension fund of €200,000 @ 65. Retirement age of scheme is 65. 20+ years service, no other pensions. Final salary = €133,000. Tax free cash option of 1.5% x salary = €199,500
    *The 1.5 x salary calculation may be proportionately lower if you are retiring early or do not have full 20 years service when claiming benefits


    2) Pension fund(s) of €800,000 @ 65. You can drawdown 25% of the value of this fund which equals €200,000.

    What you have done looks far less attractive than saying you can get 200k tax free when you retire with your pension.

    1. You need to have a high salary and work a long time with the one company to avail of the best method. What I think you're saying is, if your pension pot is 200k, if you earn 133k and have served the required number of years you can take all your pension pot tax free.

    2. If I don't earn a high salary, to get the 200k I'd need to have 800k in my pot, most of the money would be tied away and likely never seen.

    Let's take an example and see if this is possible. I pay 1200 into pension a year. Employer matches. That's 96k at the end of 40 years.

    Say the pension stays exact same, excluding fees etc. If my final salary is 60k, can I take 90k of the 96k tax free?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    So anyone can take the 200k lump sum tax free irrespective of salary?

    If I have 200k in my pension pot I can take it all tax free? Or is it limited to 25%? (50k)

    If it's limited to 25% it's not as good as it sounds as most if your money is still tied away and you may never see it.

    I answered the first part of your question in my post above yours.

    If you take 25% of your pension tax free you can usually choose to re-invest the balance of your €150,000 (ARF/AMRF) and draw the funds down as income. It will be subject to Income tax but the fund grows tax free. There is a decent chance that if you are only drawing €9k from a private pension that you wont have much tax to pay on it depending on your threshold.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭Zamboni


    ....... wrote: »
    Whats a good sum to have in your pension pot come retirement?

    There are many ways of trying to figure this out...
    It depends on how much money you are comfortable living on when you retire.
    I like the 4% rule also known as F*%k you money :pac:
    TLDR: Figure out how much you need to live on for a year and multiply by 25. Boom - get saving.
    You'd obviously caveat that with endless assumptions about interest rates, and whether you have owned accommodation at time of retirement but it's a simple effective target number to start at.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    What you have done looks far less attractive than saying you can get 200k tax free when you retire with your pension.

    1. You need to have a high salary and work a long time with the one company to avail of the best method. What I think you're saying is, if your pension pot is 200k, if you earn 133k and have served the required number of years you can take all your pension pot tax free.

    2. If I don't earn a high salary, to get the 200k I'd need to have 800k in my pot, most of the money would be tied away and likely never seen.

    Let's take an example and see if this is possible. I pay 1200 into pension a year. Employer matches. That's 96k at the end of 40 years.

    Say the pension stays exact same, excluding fees etc. If my final salary is 60k, can I take 90k of the 96k tax free?

    Your final example looks right. If you get 90k tax free and there is 6k left over you may be entitled to take the 6k as a taxable lump sum if you have no other pension benefits.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,306 ✭✭✭✭Drumpot


    Zamboni wrote: »
    There are many ways of trying to figure this out...
    It depends on how much money you are comfortable living on when you retire.
    I like the 4% rule also known as F*%k you money :pac:
    TLDR: Figure out how much you need to live on for a year and multiply by 25. Boom - get saving.
    You'd obviously caveat that with endless assumptions about interest rates, and whether you have owned accommodation at time of retirement but it's a simple effective target number to start at.

    Never heard of that Stoic Paddy guy, very funny way of educating people . . :pac:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    McGaggs wrote: »
    €2.15 million would be the optimum sum, assuming you have sufficient earnings to have it within limits.

    I genuinely dont know if you are being serious or not here. But I suspect not.

    Surely only a tiny percentage of the population would have even 1 million in their pension pot come retirement? Considering so many dont even have a private pension at all.

    I saw an article somewhere that suggested 1 mill was enough (combined with the state pension) for a couple to retire at 60 on, so 500k should be enough for 1 person?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    Zamboni wrote: »
    You'd obviously caveat that with endless assumptions about interest rates, and whether you have owned accommodation at time of retirement but it's a simple effective target number to start at.

    Oh wow - I can retire now!!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭Zamboni


    Drumpot wrote: »
    Never heard of that Stoic Paddy guy, very funny way of educating people . . :pac:

    Funny reading but too extreme for me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,442 ✭✭✭NSAman


    There are other ways and means besides a pension pot.

    Personally, I do not have a pension. Having seen the raids on pensions and not having liquid cash to pay into one, I prefer a different method to tie me in my old age. Property and investments in business.

    Even at this stage in life (and I have NO desire to ever retire fully) I can happily see where money will come from into my old age.

    When I eventually do kick the bucket, not only will I have lived a full and enjoyable and safe life... there will be a big squabble over what is being left. I don't care about myself really, I love what I do, I have earned and saved enough to retire if I so wish at any stage, but I choose not to.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 616 ✭✭✭Crock Rock


    Pensions are very tax efficient!
    The money you are putting aside for pension isn't counted as income for tx reasons!


    Say you earn €25,000 and you put €5,000 per year into you pension, you are only considered to be earning €20,000, because that €5,000 is put straight into your pension fund.


    You will be taxedon your income when you take the pension out, but you will obvioulsy be earning much less, at the time so you'l be paying much less tax on that bit of money when you use it as income at retirement. Don't forget, pensions usually appreciate faster than inflation. No savings account that I know of woul offer than.


    As I said, pensions are very tax efficient.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 197 ✭✭vkus6mt3y8zg2q


    NSAman wrote: »
    There are other ways and means besides a pension pot.

    Personally, I do not have a pension. Having seen the raids on pensions and not having liquid cash to pay into one, I prefer a different method to tie me in my old age. Property and investments in business.

    Even at this stage in life (and I have NO desire to ever retire fully) I can happily see where money will come from into my old age.

    When I eventually do kick the bucket, not only will I have lived a full and enjoyable and safe life... there will be a big squabble over what is being left. I don't care about myself really, I love what I do, I have earned and saved enough to retire if I so wish at any stage, but I choose not to.

    Ah another 'Boards millionare' who doesn't need to work and has endless money.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,292 ✭✭✭Viscount Aggro


    ....... wrote: »
    I genuinely dont know if you are being serious or not here. But I suspect not.

    Surely only a tiny percentage of the population would have even 1 million in their pension pot come retirement? Considering so many dont even have a private pension at all.

    I saw an article somewhere that suggested 1 mill was enough (combined with the state pension) for a couple to retire at 60 on, so 500k should be enough for 1 person?


    There are lots of people with pension pots this size.
    One million is not a lot these days, in a pension that is.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,810 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    Pussyhands wrote: »
    So anyone can take the 200k lump sum tax free irrespective of salary?

    If I have 200k in my pension pot I can take it all tax free? Or is it limited to 25%? (50k)

    If it's limited to 25% it's not as good as it sounds as most if your money is still tied away and you may never see it.

    No.

    No.

    You can choose either 25% or a lump sum based on your salary and how long you were in the job. It's possible to get it all out.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭jimmy456


    People are obsessed with pensions as ultimately people want to stop working for a living at some stage in future and continue to have the same standard living. The pension can assist in making this a reality.

    When it comes to saving for retirement pension funding is the best gig in town. The pension structure offers huge tax breaks in comparison to saving personally. Its madness really that people would prefer to save personally and not fund a pension!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,442 ✭✭✭NSAman


    Ah another 'Boards millionare' who doesn't need to work and has endless money.

    Jealous much?

    Who said I was a millionaire? Comfortable yes, but there are other ways of retirement, rather than pensions.... perhaps you should look into them... but then again.. I'm not sure you have the ability.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,502 ✭✭✭donkey balls


    My first intro into the pension market was back in the 90s when I started work for an airline in my early 20s, At first I just paid in the minimum agreed amount with the company.
    At the time the tax rate was 48 pence to the punt and PRSI was I think about 8% , It was only when we had someone from the pension company come in for a chat that I decided to increase the AVC to the 10% max.

    Again this was a no brainer as the money would be put away without being lost in the tax pool i.e dead money going into the general taxation coffers, The fund did lose a lot during the last crash but has more or less recovered.
    I'm working in a different industry now and have another pension with the company I work for, I am putting 25% of my salary away as I need to play catch up as I didn't have a pension for 10 years.
    Again I would rather have the money going into a fund rather than the taxman taking it all, I know that people on low wages or working agency like I had to during the last recession would not have money to spare for a pension.
    But people that do would be foolish not to invest in a pension, I reckon that in years to come the state pensionable age will not only increase but will more than likely be assessed on your other incomes like pensions etc.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,438 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    Ah another 'Boards millionare' who doesn't need to work and has endless money.

    Another guy who does a poor job of managing their money and assumes everything else does the same.... how wrong you are.


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  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,438 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    ....... wrote: »
    Surely only a tiny percentage of the population would have even 1 million in their pension pot come retirement? Considering so many dont even have a private pension at all.

    In European countries where pension reform is further on than Ireland, it is not uncommon. If you start a pension at 20:
    - You have 45 years of savings
    - Capital growth in the fund
    - Tax advantages
    - Employers contributions


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭bilbot79


    ....... wrote: »
    I genuinely dont know if you are being serious or not here. But I suspect not.

    Surely only a tiny percentage of the population would have even 1 million in their pension pot come retirement? Considering so many dont even have a private pension at all.

    I saw an article somewhere that suggested 1 mill was enough (combined with the state pension) for a couple to retire at 60 on, so 500k should be enough for 1 person?

    I agree. Something like 2.5mil is luxury. I think 1.5 mil is optimum especially knowing the state pension eventually kicks in too.

    This is the best calculator I find

    https://www.newireland.ie/pension-calculator/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭bilbot79


    NSAman wrote: »
    There are other ways and means besides a pension pot.

    Personally, I do not have a pension. Having seen the raids on pensions and not having liquid cash to pay into one, I prefer a different method to tie me in my old age. Property and investments in business.

    Even at this stage in life (and I have NO desire to ever retire fully) I can happily see where money will come from into my old age.

    When I eventually do kick the bucket, not only will I have lived a full and enjoyable and safe life... there will be a big squabble over what is being left. I don't care about myself really, I love what I do, I have earned and saved enough to retire if I so wish at any stage, but I choose not to.

    These raids on pensions. Does that mean the state pension? Which pensions are raided?

    Or is it those dang Vikings again? I thought they stopped that business years ago


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,810 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    bilbot79 wrote: »
    I agree. Something like 2.5mil is luxury. I think 1.5 mil is optimum especially knowing the state pension eventually kicks in too.

    This is the best calculator I find

    https://www.newireland.ie/pension-calculator/

    All the online calculators fall down in their insistence on assuming you buy an annuity.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,502 ✭✭✭donkey balls


    It was private sector pensions that Noonan stole from, It finished a year or two ago from memory


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,810 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    It was private sector pensions that Noonan stole from, It finished a year or two ago from memory

    0.6% for a few years, one year at 0.75% and a final year at 0.15%.

    Annoying (blatant robbery by the government), but still not undoing the advantage of the tax relief. It's not a justification for not having a pension.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭jimmy456


    bilbot79 wrote: »
    I agree. Something like 2.5mil is luxury. I think 1.5 mil is optimum especially knowing the state pension eventually kicks in too.

    This is the best calculator I find

    https://www.newireland.ie/pension-calculator/

    Its impossible to know what pension pot size is optimal without knowing what a persons future cashflow needs are.

    For example some people maybe happy to live on 300 quid a week in retirement. For them the state pension suffices along with a small private pension.

    Others may want or need more depending on their circumstances.

    Also others might be happy to take on more risk than others. For them the pot can be potentially much smaller than a more risk adverse person.

    There is no optimal figure. Its personal to your situation.

    Those calculators are also full of assumptions so should be used with care and not form the basis of your retirement planning.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭Dakota Dan


    There’s the tax incentives too

    I dont know the exact rates, but putting €1000 in your pension pot might only cost €600 or so, again not sure of the exact rates but there are incentives

    Also the earlier you start the better. Assuming a nominal rate of return and contributions across all years, your pension at pension age will be worth more if you invest from 25-35 and stop than if you start at 35 and go to 65, such is the power of compounding

    Tax incentives when paying in and taxed when withdrawing the pension.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭jimmy456


    Dakota Dan wrote: »
    Tax incentives when paying in and taxed when withdrawing the pension.

    Say you max out your pension. (The principle is the same either way)

    You get the following:

    440k into your hand on retirement with a tax leakage of 60k.
    Tax free growth on all investments
    You get tax relief at the highest rate on the way in and pay tax potentially lower effective rate on the way out
    Even better contribution rates for business owners.

    Its a great deal really. There is no other saving scheme that comes close to it.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 373 ✭✭jim-mcdee


    Jim2007 wrote: »
    No it does not. You are failing to take human nature into account. Given access to pension savings, people will always find a very good logical reason to spend it. If you look at countries that allow access such as the US 401K, IRA etc, you find that the people's total net worth on reaching retirement is very low.

    Here in Switzerland pension funds are very tightly controlled both in terms of contribution and management. So much so that if a fund manager fails to return a predefined minimum return as set by the government, they are required to pay into the fund to bring it up to the expected level.

    As a result it is not unusual to find say an electrician retiring at 58 with 600K - 700K in their fund.... and the big shock provably for an Irish person is that the consider putting more the 7% of it into property as being a very foolish thing to do.

    Wow. Is it possible to buy into a Swiss pension?


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