Contributions statement - *should* I be eligible for state pension in few years?

Hi
I'm in my late 40s and worked majority of years since early/mid 90s except for some periods of time after children were born ( did not get maternity leave). I also spent few years working in the US.

Wondering now if I may be eligible for state pension when I'm in my 60s (assuming that current approaches are same regarding total contribution or average contributions).

When I look at mywelfare at contributions since 1993 up to and including 2019 shows a total of 1122 reckonable contributions. Note: I worked throughout 2020 however was on reduced hours for few months - hoping to get full credit for this year.

There are gaps as follows
- when I returned to college to complete degree but I'd worked on college placement for few months
- years that I lived out of the country (over four years)
- in Ireland after second child born Note: I didn't claim any social welfare ( thought I wouldn't be entitled but I should have checked ) . gap of 23 weeks for PRSI contributions, til I started a new job.

Can anyone advise please on whether I may be eligible for contributory pension and how many years I may need to work? Also will I get any credit for the years I worked in the US?
Could I be entitled to stamps for time I was at home with second child? I had been contracting and finished up and started new job few months later, so hence the gap.

Any pointers or info would be really really appreciated.

Time spent rearing children at home is accounted for:

dubdub123 said:

Also will I get any credit for the years I worked in the US?

Click to expand...

It seems yes, if you have at least a year and a half of paid employment in the US.

Am not the expert but it seems you can use US social security contributions to "top up" your Irish ones.

The US site is here. I would start by requesting a copy of your US social security contributions. The Department of Social Protection in Ireland should be able to tell you what that impact will have on your Irish contributions.

Write to:

Social Security Administration
OEIO—Totalization
P.O. Box 17769
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7769
U.S.A.

Click to expand...

Give them as much information as possible to help them find you on their system: US SSN, copy of your passport, addresses when in US, names of employers.

OK Great thanks for the input !
I actually have records with the social security contributions (amount I paid for the years I was in the US).

Any idea what department I contact to see if they can update the records now? I'd hate to have to wait til I'm actually retiring.

I was watching an old "How to be good with money" and a woman was able to find out what entitlements she had. Do we just call our local social welfare office or is there a specific department, do you know?

Ireland has a number of bi-lateral Social Security agreements with a range of different countries. So it is possible to have overseas Social Security contributions added to your Irish record. You need to contact the Records Office of the Dept of Social Protection based in Buncrana, Co. Donegal. You need to give them details of your overseas service (where you worked, Social Security No. etc) and they will check with the US Dept to verify the service.

Conan said:

Ireland has a number of bi-lateral Social Security agreements with a range of different countries. So it is possible to have overseas Social Security contributions added to your Irish record. You need to contact the Records Office of the Dept of Social Protection based in Buncrana, Co. Donegal. You need to give them details of your overseas service (where you worked, Social Security No. etc) and they will check with the US Dept to verify the service.

Click to expand...

OK Great, thank you !

dubdub123 said:

I actually have records with the social security contributions (amount I paid for the years I was in the US).

Click to expand...

I would get these updated by contacting them at the address I gave above.

A more recent date on the letter of entitlement will help when you go to DSP in Buncrana.

Do this today, don't wait til retirement!

Thats very interesting that American contributions can be counted, I worked there too so must go about trying to figure out where I was all those years ago. Is it the same for England?

The Bi-Lateral Social Security Agreement includes EU/EEA countries and a range of other countries including the USA. If you check the Citizens Information website (Bi Lateral Social Security) you will find all the details.

Great thank you. I had sent in an email but got a generic response about checking entitlements closer to the time, but I'll contact the Records Dept in Buncrana and give that the information that I have. Would be great peace of mind to know it was being sorted now. Would really like to see the contributions records reflecting those payments. Thank you