Can I pay PRSI voluntarily if I have no income

G

galleryman

Registered User
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If I decided to voluntarily give up work to spend time raising my family with my homemaker spouse, and I simply lived off my savings and other investments, it is possible for me to opt to pay PRSI at some level to ensure that I continue to benefit from the system i.e.
Old Age Pension
Child benefit payments (would these stop if both spouses voluntarily gave up working?)
Dental contributions


Thanks
 
galleryman said:
If I decided to voluntarily give up work to spend time raising my family with my homemaker spouse
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Does your spouse already qualify for the Homemakers Scheme?

Homemakers Scheme

I presume that both spouses cannot avail of this at the one time?
it is possible for me to opt to pay PRSI at some level to ensure that I continue to benefit from the system i.e.
Old Age Pension
Child benefit payments (would these stop if both spouses voluntarily gave up working?)
Dental contributions
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PRSI Voluntary Contributions may be an option but only contribute towards long term benefits (pensions) and not others such as treatment benefit.

Voluntary Contributions
 
Thanks Clubman

Not sure about Homemakers Scheme. My spouse gave up work completely last summer to be a full time stay home mum. My accountant knows this so I presume he has applied for whatever needs to be applied for in that regard.

She doesn't get any payments from any source other than child benefit and the other new €1000 child payment.

If I paid voluntary PRSI benefits, how owuld that be calculated and woudl it still cover child benefit?
 
galleryman said:
She doesn't get any payments from any source other than child benefit and the other new €1000 child payment.
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As far as I know that is sufficient for her to qualify automatically for the Homemakers Scheme. However no harm in checking to be sure.
If I paid voluntary PRSI benefits, how owuld that be calculated and woudl it still cover child benefit?
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CB is not a PRSI linked benefit - everybody gets it. Voluntary Contributions don't cover short term benefits at all anyway. You'd need to read the documentation to see how the payments would be calculated if you do opt for this.
 
galleryman said:
My accountant knows this so I presume he has applied for whatever needs to be applied for in that regard.
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Never presume! And your accountant cannot apply for a SW scheme (including Homemaker's Scheme) on your behalf....you have to sign all forms personally
 
Thanks Welfarite,

I just checked this out and found teh following on Citizens Info

"Homemaker's Scheme

You do not need to register if you:
  • Are receiving Carer's Allowance/Benefit
  • Are receiving Child Benefit and are providing the child(ren) with full-time care.
(The reason you do not need to register is your claim for Child Benefit or Carer's Allowance/Benefit will be treated as an application to be registered as a Homemaker. This information will be noted automatically on your insurance record)."

As we are receiving child benefit it implies that my wife is already already registered.
 
Welfarite said:
Never presume! And your accountant cannot apply for a SW scheme (including Homemaker's Scheme) on your behalf....you have to sign all forms personally
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What forms do you have to sign for the Homemakers Scheme? My wife never signed anything other than claiming CB so does she have to do anything to make sure that she qualifies?
 
From www.welfare.ie:

"Certain categories of Homemakers must apply formally to be registered, by completing the Registration form HM 1. Personal/employment details (name, address etc) and details of person in their care must be supplied.
Homemakers who must register:
  • A person who at anytime after April 1995 is caring full time for one or more children under 12 years (under 6 years between April '94 and April '95) but who are not themselves receiving Child Benefit.
  • A person who is caring full time for an incapacitated adult or child but is not in receipt of Carer's Allowance."
 
Ah - thanks. So HM1 would seem to be irrelevant to my wife and the original poster's wife since they are both claiming CB?
 
Yeah. Sorry for confusing things. It was the "both spouses voluntarily gave up work" bit that confused me! Having a bad day!
 
I presume that both parents cannot benefit from the Homemaker's Scheme? Does anybody know for sure?
 
ClubMan said:
Ah - thanks. So HM1 would seem to be irrelevant to my wife and the original poster's wife since they are both claiming CB?
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Just to add confusion, have you looked for the "Home Carer Tax Credit". It is worth €770. Page 42 of [broken link removed]

Towger
 
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