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1 Year Before Retirement in Ireland? 5 Doors That Close

September 28, 2026

Paddy Delaney

Can all the tax on my retirement lump sum be credited against chargeable excess tax?

The chargeable excess tax credit only covers standard-rate tax on the part of the lump sum up to 25% of the SFT when it is paid. With the SFT at €2.2m in 2026, that is the first €550,000 of the lump sum.

It's good to know which decisions can never be undone, before you retire in Ireland. Most of a pre-retirement checklist can be changed next year. Four or five items cannot. In this episode Paddy Delaney, independent retirement and investment planner, takes them door by door: the €200,000 lifetime limit on tax-free lump sums, the annuity decision, the tax year you crystallise near the Standard Fund Threshold, the pension tax relief that stops with your last payslip, and the order you do it all in.

This episode is for anyone a year or two from retirement who wants to know which doors close for good.

What you'll learn:

  • Why the €200,000 tax-free retirement lump sum in Ireland is a lifetime limit across all your pensions, not per pension
  • Why an ARF can become an annuity later, but an annuity can never go back
  • How the Standard Fund Threshold rising from €2.2m to €2.8m makes the tax year you crystallise matter, and why growth can erase the saving (fictional case study: Maggie, 61, €2.6m)
  • How much pension tax relief you can still use at 55 to 59 and at 60 and over, before your last payslip

If you're approaching retirement with a significant pension and want clarity on which decisions to slow down on, this episode is for you.

📖 Blog: www.informeddecisions.ie/post/before-you-retire-ireland-decisions-you-cant-undo

📊 Want to check where you are? Try our free 10-minute Retirement Readiness Scorecard: www.informeddecisions.ie/pension-calculator

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If I take a €100,000 tax-free lump sum from one pension, what is left?

The €200,000 tax-free lump sum limit in Ireland is lifetime and covers all sources combined. Take €100,000 tax-free from one pension and you have €100,000 of tax-free allowance left for every later lump sum put together.

Disclaimer

The content of this site including blogs and podcasts is for information purposes only. Everybody’s financial situation is different and the content we share on our site and through podcasts may not be applicable to you. 

The articles, blogs and podcasts are not investment advice. They do not take account of your individual circumstances, including your knowledge and experience and attitude to risk. Informed Decisions can’t be held responsible for the consequences if you pursue a course of action based on the information we share

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