Former public servant (Class A) and former unpaid carer - voluntary PRSI contributions

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The Ghoul

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I have about 1000 PRSI class A contributions, some of which are from my employment as a public servant. My preserved PS pension (occupational + supplementary) should be about 15,000 euro p.a. at current rates and is payable at age 60.

I have 104 credits from my time on Carer's Benefit.

I may be eligible for about another 100 credits under the Home Caring Periods Scheme although I am still investigating that. My caring has now ended.

It is less than 5 years since my last credited or paid contribution. My income in the previous tax year consisted of the carer's support grant of 2250.

Going forward, if I am not working, should I make voluntary PRSI contributions. My understanding of this is that I'd be paying either 500 or 650 per year up until age 60 at the latest when my PS pension will be payable and PRSI will be payable on the pension up until age 66. At age 66, I would then have over 40 years' credits and contributions.

Is my understanding correct and is there anything I'm missing here? Thanks.
 
If your voluntary Prsi is based on previous class A contributios it will be minimum 500 euro.

Did you have any paid or credited contributions in the last 2 year period ?

If you did you could qualify for Jobseekers credits. These, if available, could be used instead of voluntary Prsi.

If your last paid or credited contribution is over 2 years ago, you could requalify for Jobseekers credits if you got employment and gained 26 paid prsi contributions.

An extra advantage of having Jobseekers credits is that it leaves open the possibility to qualify for Benefit Payment 65.
Jobseekers credits also allow you to qualify for treatment benefits.

You are allowed to have Jobseekers credits and voluntary Prsi contributions in any particular year.


To maximise your possible contributory pension, you should try to fill in previous years with voluntary contributions.

Then use either voluntary contributions or Jobseekers credits up to age 66. You are allowed to use a maximum of 520 Jobseekers credits on top of your existing (204) carers credits.
 
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Thanks, no, I don't have any contributions or credits for about 2.5 years - unless I can get credits under the Home Carers Scheme.

I was caring during that 2.5 years but was not in receipt of Carer's Benefit or Allowance which would definitely have given me credits.

Too late now but should I have been making voluntary contributions when I was caring but wasn't receiving Carers' Benefit or Allowance.
 
If you manage to get the home carers credits and they are within the two years period, sign on for Jobseekers credits.

If you don't get the carers credits, you could try to get part time employment. 3 hours at minimum pay per week for 26 weeks will get you back into the Prsi system to sign on for Jobseekers credits.

This employment or carers credits would also allow you fill in any Prsi gaps over the previous 5 years with voluntary contributions.

Post in thread 'PRSI and planning retirement'

Key Post - PRSI and planning retirement

Is there any point several years from applying for contributory pension in getting homemaker credits and years spent in the US addressed on my and my wife’s statements? Or is that something we deal with on application? For the US years I believe our social security numbers and names of...
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From talking to the DSP it seems as though I will get the Home Carer credits. Still trying to get my head around the signing on for Jobseekers credits idea as I've never gotten JSB/JSA/Jobseekers credits before.

I will be looking for a job but not "any job", If I am getting credits but not in receipt of JSA (as I won't pass the means test) will the DSP hound me to take any job.

Doing a small number of hours work per week and earning at least 38 euros sounds good though.
 
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