Leaving before 66 & continuing to pay PRSI to get Contributory State Pension

[delgirl]

If a person leaves Ireland before the retirement age of 66 can they continue to make annual PRSI payments to ensure that they receive the contributory state pension when they turn 66 even though they are living abroad?

 

[delgirl]

... and if you've lived in the country since 1998 with full 52 contributions every year and previously lived abroad (outside EU/EEA), is the State Contributory Pension calculated from the first year your paid social insurance in Ireland? ... and would this person be entitled to the full State Contributory Pension?

The person involved is now 58 and wishes to continue to pay voluntary contributions until he is 67.

Have read the info on welfare.ie but it doesn't state that the pension entitlement is calculated from the first time social insurance was paid in Ireland it just says 'from the first time you paid social insurance'.

 

[Gerry Canning]

Delgirl.

Couple of things .
1. Check Contributory pension website.(It is fairly easy to navigate)
2. Ask for pension contributions you have made thus far.

You can then see have you ,(and I would think you have )
at 58 already made enough contributions to get circa 90% of State Contributory pension as of right without putting in any more.
From memory once you have 10 years you are entitled to some contributory pension. From memory to get full pension you need annual average of 48 from when you started working in ROI.

In answer to your specific query , phone Contributory pension section 01-4715898.
My understanding is that if you move abroad to work you cannot pay voluntary contributions.

(If you intend working in say Uk. if you have 10 years Uk contributions you can also get circa £40 pension)

I have found the SW staff helpful.

 

[delgirl]

Thank for that Gerry.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of changes coming in 2020 with the new National Pensions Framework, which I understand is at the moment a proposal and hasn't been approved / legislated for.

As he has only been in Ireland since 1998, under the current rules at age 58 with 16 years of full contributions, if he continues to pay voluntary contributions up until age 67 (changing from 66 in 2021), he would be entitled to the full state pension with 24 full years of contributions.

Unfortunately, these rules are going to change in 2020 and no-one seems to know for sure what they are going to change to.

I spoke to someone at the Citizen's Advice Bureau who also said that the 'Homemaker' allowance looks like it's also going to be changed to the detriment of women who stayed at home to look after children - in saying that, the 20 years granted under this scheme was perhaps very generous.