There are various types of pension available. If you have contributed to a pension scheme during your working life, you will get an occupational pension or have a personal pension arrangement. You need to deal directly with the pension provider to find out exactly what benefits your pension gives you.

If you made sufficient PRSI contributions during your working life, at age 66 you may be entitled to the State Pension (Contributory). However, if you have not made sufficient PRSI contributions, you can apply for a "State Pension (Non-Contributory)", which is means-tested.

PRSI Records

Department of Social Protection, McCarter's Road, Ardaravan, Buncrana, Donegal, Ireland
Tel: (01) 471 5898
Homepage: http://www.welfare.ie/

Types of Pension in Ireland

• State Pension (Contributory): It is paid to people from the age of 66 who have enough Irish social insurance contributions. It is not means-tested. You can have other income and still get a State Pension (Contributory). This pension is taxable but you are unlikely to pay tax if it is your only income.
• State Pension (Non-Contributory): The means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a payment for people aged over 66 who do not qualify for a State Pension (Contributory) or who only qualify for a reduced contributory pension based on their insurance record. The Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Act 2006 (pdf) changed the name of the Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension to State Pension (Non-Contributory). This pension is taxable but you are unlikely to pay tax if it is your only income.
• Occupational pensions: There is no legal obligation on employers to provide occupational pension schemes for employees. However, more employers are putting schemes in place and there is positive government encouragement to do so. You may be a member of an occupational pension scheme and also arrange a personal pension. Although, it may not be possible to avail of the tax benefits in respect of both.
• Personal Pensions: Personal pensions mean pensions that are organised individually by self-employed people or employed people who do not have an occupational pension scheme. Personal pensions are not subject to the regulation of the Pensions Authority. Instead, personal pensions are subject to tax law and financial services legislation (including the general law on insurance). Tax relief is available for contributions to personal pensions and the amount of the relief is age-related. Unlike other insurance policies, the contributions attract tax relief if various conditions are met.

Private Pension Plan

Providers of Private Pensions in Ireland:

• Irishlife.ie
• Eaglestarlife.ie
• Newireland.ie

Expat Pension Plans

Ireland has social security arrangements with some other countries that allow you to combine social insurance contributions that you have paid in Ireland with social insurance contributions that you have paid in another country. This can help you to qualify for a social insurance payment in Ireland or in a country with whom Ireland has a social security arrangement.

Social security arrangements that Ireland has with other countries can be divided broadly into two groups:

• Countries covered by European Union (EU) regulations
• Countries with whom Ireland has Bilateral Social Security Agreements: Canada, Quebec, Australia, USA, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Japan and the UK (covering the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man)

How to apply:

When you are filling in or completing an application for an Irish social insurance payment, there is a section on the application form that will ask you whether you have ever been employed in an EU country other than Ireland or a country with whom Ireland has a bi-lateral social security agreement.

You will be asked for the following information:

• Country where you worked
• Name and address of your employer there
• Dates you worked there
• Social Security Number

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