You can usually take up to 25% of your pension fund as a lump sum, of which the first €200,000 is tax free and value over €200,000 is taxed at 20%. For example, if you had a pension fund valued at €600,000 then your lump sum would be 25% of €600,000 = €150,000. As the €150,000 lump sum is under the €200,000 limit this means the full €150,000 lump sum is paid tax free. If your 25% lump sum however …

I want to improve the performance of my existing Approved Retirement Fund (ARF) When you originally accessed your pension you may have set up an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF) using another Financial Broker or your Bank. We regularly receive contact from people who have existing ARF arrangements but are unhappy or confused about their Approved Retirement Fund. In most cases the reasons we are contacted typically relate to: There is however a solution to most of these issues: Excessive Fees? …

When you accessed your Pension, and after you got your tax-free lump sum, you will in most cases have set up an Approved Retirement Fund (ARF). This ARF is the fund that you will draw your yearly income from in retirement.  ARF funds are essentially investment funds with some exposure to stock markets, and by extension financial market volatility. This leaves many ARF holders worried about the impact of financial market volatility on their investment and their retirement income during …

Can I Purchase a Property with my ARF? The simple answer is Yes – an ARF can hold or invest in property assets. This form of investment has been gaining traction over the past few years for a number of reasons: Over the long term Property is a solid investment asset and It provides an annual income A ARF Fund can invest in almost any type of asset you can reasonably invest in. For example stocks and shares, government bonds, …

Annuity or ARF – Article 2 – Best of Both! In our first article we started to explore the pros and cons of Annuities vs ARFs. This week we will delve into a little more detail under the following headings: Certainty of Income Flexibility Investment Risk Inheritance Value for Money 1. Certainty of Income – an annuity provides for the greatest level of certainty of income as the insurance company commits to providing a fixed level of income for life. …

Annuity or ARF – Article 1 – Which is best? Over the next two articles I will explore the pros and cons of Annuities vs ARFs (Approved Retirement Funds) When you access your pension and after getting your lump sum you will invariably be asked to choose what you wish to do with the balance of the pension. Your options at this point are typically: Purchase an Annuity or Invest in an ARF / AMRF It can be very difficult …