Regulated by the Central Bank of IrelandFree first consultation
For pension starters

No pension yet. Tax relief is there at any age.

Whether you've nothing in place or a workplace scheme you've never really looked at, starting is simpler than you think.

Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland Damian Condon, QFA · 30 years in financial services
Buddy, the Pensionbuddy dogBuddyChief Pension Dog

Have I left it too late to start?

Almost certainly not. Earlier gives money more time to grow, but starting now beats waiting longer, and tax relief is there at any age.

Sound familiar?

If any of this is you, you're in the right place.

Not started

No pension at all yet

You've been meaning to sort one for a while, but never quite knew where to begin or who to ask.

Ignored

A scheme you've never looked at

There's a workplace pension ticking away, but you've no real idea what's in it or whether it's set up well.

Worried it's late

Feeling behind

You think you've left it too long to bother. The good news: starting now still makes a real difference.

How we'll get you going

Three steps. Plain English, no pressure.

1

Tell us where you're at

A quick, relaxed chat about your situation. There's nothing you need to prepare or know in advance.

2

We explain your options

What a pension is, how the tax relief works in your favour, and what makes sense to start with, all in plain English.

3

You start with confidence

If you decide to go ahead, we'll help you set it up properly and make sure it's working from day one.

First payslip to 66

What builds up, and when.

  1. Your first payslip

    PRSI starts. Each year of full-rate PRSI adds 52 contributions toward your State Pension.

  2. Ten years in

    520 paid contributions, the qualifying minimum for any State Pension (Contributory). Credits and HomeCaring Periods do not count toward it.

  3. All along the way

    A pension contribution gets tax relief, up to a share of earnings that Revenue raises with age: 15% under 30, rising in steps to 40% at 60 and over.

  4. Forty years in

    2,080 reckonable contributions is a full record, and the maximum personal rate: €299.30 a week from January 2026.

  5. Sixty-six

    Pension age. The State Pension pays €15,564 a year at the maximum. What sits on top of it is up to you, and the chart below shows what time does.

What time does

The same monthly amount, started at 30, 40 and 50.

€300
Started at 30 €352,848
Started at 40 €188,188 €164,659 less
Started at 50 €87,102 €265,746 less

Illustration only · the value of investments can fall as well as rise. Assumes 5% growth a year, contributions from that age to 66, and no pension to start with. Figures ignore charges and inflation.

Worth knowing

Revenue helps you save.

Pension contributions get tax relief, so some of what you'd have paid in tax goes into your future instead. Our calculator shows how much that could add up to.

€100 a month

It could cost you about €60 at the higher rate of tax, or €80 at the standard rate, within Revenue’s age-related limits.

See it for your age and salary
See what I could build
The pension calculator: sliders for age, retirement age, pot, contribution and earnings, with projected pot, monthly income, growth chart and tax relief.
Example figures.

Tax relief is there at any age. Revenue's limit on the contributions that get it rises with age, as a share of earnings.

Under 3015%
30 to 3920%
40 to 4925%
50 to 5430%
55 to 5935%
60 and over40%

Earnings count up to €115,000.

Already being auto-enrolled?

Your employer and the State pay into auto-enrolment. A personal pension pays you the tax relief instead.

My Future Fund is the auto-enrolment scheme. The comparison tool shows both, side by side, for your salary and age.

€50,000
You pay in €750
Your employer adds €750
The State adds €250

A year, at the 2026 to 2028 rates: 1.5% of salary each from you and your employer, and 0.5% from the State, on salary up to €80,000. Whatever the rates, the ratio is always 3 to 3 to 1.

Compare the two side by side
The floor under all of this

What the State Pension actually leaves you to find.

The reality check shows the difference, for a full record and for your own.

Living standards: Pensions Council, Irish Retirement Living Standards, researched by KPMG, September 2024, single person. The maximum personal rate is €299.30 a week from January 2026.

See the State Pension reality check
Free guide

Pensions get explained badly. This guide is short.

How a pension works, how tax relief helps, how to begin.

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Good to know

Questions, answered.

Have I left it too late to start?+

Almost certainly not. Earlier gives money more time to grow, but starting now beats waiting longer, and tax relief is there at any age.

How much do I need to put in?+

There's no single right number. It depends on your income, your goals and what's comfortable.

I've a work pension I've ignored. Where do I start?+

That's a great place to start, because there may already be value there and employer contributions you don't want to miss. We'll look at what you've got and explain whether it's set up well for you.

This page is information, not advice. What's right for you depends on your circumstances. Regulated financial advice is given in a personal consultation with Damian.

The best time to start is now

Let's get your
pension started.

Twenty relaxed minutes with Damian to take the first step. Free, no jargon, no pressure.

Book a call with Damian for free