If you’re asking “how do I review my pension in Ireland before 31st October?”, start by checking what you already have, how much you’re contributing, how your pension is invested, and whether the October tax deadline applies to you.
The deadline matters because, in certain circumstances, you can make a qualifying pension contribution in 2026 and elect to claim the tax relief against your 2025 income. But that’s only one part of checking your pension.
It’s also worth checking whether your contributions still suit your circumstances, whether you have pensions from previous jobs, what charges you’re paying, and whether your current arrangements still fit the retirement you’re planning.
The question isn’t simply, “Can I put more into my pension before the deadline?”, it’s also, “Does the pension I have still make sense for me?”
Why should I review my pension before 31st October?
The normal Pay and File deadline for the 2025 Income Tax Return is 31st October 2026. If you qualify to both pay and file through Revenue Online Service (ROS), Revenue has extended the 2026 deadline to 18th November 2026.
This can be relevant if you want to make a once-off qualifying pension contribution and claim the tax relief against 2025.
You’re not actually moving the pension contribution back into 2025; instead, you’re contributing now and, subject to Revenue rules, electing to have the tax relief allowed against the earlier tax year. Revenue confirms that certain qualifying contributions paid after year-end can receive this treatment if the contribution and election are completed by the applicable deadline.
That doesn’t mean everyone should make an extra pension contribution before October. First establish whether you have unused tax-relievable capacity, then consider whether using it makes sense for your finances.
Can I review my pension and claim tax relief for 2025?
Potentially. Qualifying personal pension contributions can receive Income Tax relief at your marginal, or highest, rate of Income Tax, subject to Revenue limits. Employee pension contributions don’t receive relief from USC or PRSI.
How much relief you can claim depends on factors including your age, earnings, pension arrangement and how much you’ve already contributed for the relevant year.
If you’re a PAYE employee, relief may already be given through payroll on regular contributions. Where it hasn’t been, Revenue provides a process for claiming eligible relief through myAccount. Self-employed taxpayers generally claim through ROS.
Is 31st October the deadline for everyone?
No, the standard date is 31st October 2026, but the ROS extension to 18th November 2026 applies to qualifying self-assessment customers who complete both the relevant payment and filing requirements through ROS. Simply having access to ROS doesn’t automatically mean the extension applies.
So, before acting on an “October pension deadline”, check which date applies to your circumstances.
What should I check when I review my pension?
A pension check should go further than looking at the fund value on your latest statement.
You want to understand what pensions you have, what’s going into them, where the money is invested, what you’re paying in charges and what those arrangements may mean for your eventual retirement.
What do I need to review my pension properly?
Start with your most recent pension statements.
It’s useful to know your current pension value, contribution amount, any employer contribution, the funds you’re invested in and your projected retirement benefits. If you’ve changed jobs, also try to identify pension arrangements left with previous employers.
You don’t need to have every detail perfectly organised before you start. Finding out what you don’t know is part of the process. It also helps to think beyond the paperwork:
- What age would you ideally like to retire?
- Has your income changed?
- Have you bought a home, started a family or become self-employed?
- Are there other financial commitments competing for the same money?
Those questions give the pension figures some context.
What about pensions from previous jobs?
An old workplace pension is still part of your retirement planning even though you no longer work for that employer.
If you’ve moved jobs several times, there’s a chance you have benefits held in more than one scheme. Try to locate old statements or provider details so you can see the full picture.
That doesn’t mean different pensions should automatically be transferred or combined. Charges, benefits, investment choices and scheme rules can vary, so the implications should be understood before changing anything.
How much can I contribute and get pension tax relief on?
Revenue applies age-related limits to the amount of personal pension contributions that can qualify for Income Tax relief.
The current limits are 15% of relevant earnings if you’re under 30, 20% from age 30–39, 25% from 40–49, 30% from 50–54, 35% from 55–59 and 40% from age 60 onwards.
There’s also an earnings ceiling of €115,000 per year when calculating the maximum amount eligible for relief. Revenue
These are tax-relief limits, not contribution recommendations.
For example, someone aged 45 with relevant earnings of €80,000 has an age-related limit of 25%, giving a potential maximum tax-relievable personal contribution of €20,000 before taking account of contributions already made.
If that person had already personally contributed €8,000, there could potentially be €12,000 of unused capacity within the age-related limit.
That still doesn’t mean they should contribute another €12,000.
Affordability matters, but so do emergency savings, mortgage payments, debt, family costs and other financial goals.
Should I make an AVC or pension top-up before the deadline?
An Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) is an extra pension contribution on top of your normal contributions to an occupational pension arrangement.
AVCs can be useful where someone wants to increase their retirement provision, subject to scheme rules and Revenue limits. If an occupational scheme doesn’t permit AVCs, an employer must make a standard PRSA available for AVC purposes.
You might consider an additional contribution if your income has increased, you’ve received a bonus, you haven’t adjusted contributions for some time, or you’ve identified a gap in your retirement planning.
But don’t let the tax deadline make the decision for you.
Money paid into a pension is being committed for retirement. If your emergency fund is limited, your income is uncertain, or you expect significant short-term expenditure, those issues may need to be considered first.
Tax relief can make pension contributions attractive. It doesn’t make every possible contribution suitable.
Is my pension still invested appropriately?
Your pension contribution tells you how much is going in, but you should also know what happens to the money afterwards.
If you’re in a defined contribution scheme or PRSA, your pension is normally invested in funds. Those funds can vary considerably in their objectives and level of risk.
The Pensions Authority says members with investment choices should have access to information on areas including investment objectives, likely risk and return, diversification, charges and past performance.
Your timeframe matters too; someone with 25 years until retirement may have different priorities from someone intending to retire in three years.
As retirement approaches, the Pensions Authority specifically recommends reassessing investment choices because a significant market fall may be harder to recover from when there’s less time available.
That doesn’t mean you should automatically move to the lowest-risk option at a particular age. The right approach depends on your plans, your pension arrangement and how you expect to use the benefits.
What am I paying in pension charges?
Check what charges apply to your pension and what they’re paying for.
Depending on the arrangement, you may see annual management charges, contribution or allocation charges, policy charges or different charges for particular investment funds.
Charges matter because they reduce the amount ultimately working towards your retirement. But cheapest isn’t automatically best.
Cost should be considered alongside investment choices, benefits, flexibility, service and suitability. The important thing is that you understand what you’re paying rather than simply leaving an arrangement untouched because it has been in place for years.
Am I on track for the retirement I want?
A pension balance on its own doesn’t tell you very much.
You also need to consider when you’d like to retire, what income you may need, whether your mortgage is likely to be repaid by then and what other pensions, savings or investments may form part of the picture.
Your pension statement may include a projected retirement benefit. Treat that as an estimate rather than a promise, because the eventual result will depend on future contributions, investment returns and other assumptions.
This is also where changes in your life matter.
A pension contribution set when you were 30 may not reflect your income or priorities at 45. A pension chosen while employed may need another look if you’ve since become self-employed or started a business.
Equally, a review doesn’t have to result in a change. Sometimes the useful outcome is confirming that what you already have remains appropriate.
How can Covermore help me review my pension?
If you’re unsure whether the October deadline applies to you, whether an additional contribution makes sense, or whether your current pension still suits your plans, our experienced pension advisers can help you work through it.
Our pension review service gives you a clearer picture of what you have in place, what may need attention and what your options are:
- No-fee financial advice consultations
- 30+ years’ industry experience
- Nationwide pension advice
- Out-of-hours appointments
- Multilingual support
- Clear, straightforward explanations without unnecessary jargon
- A wider financial-planning view, considering your pension alongside your income, mortgage, protection, savings and other goals
You don’t need to have every pension statement or answer ready before speaking to us. We’ll help you understand what information matters and what your next sensible step could be.
Get in touch to arrange a no-fee pension review and get a clearer understanding of where your pension stands today.
Note: This article provides general information rather than personal pension, investment or tax advice. Pension and tax treatment depends on your circumstances and applicable Revenue rules.
FAQs: How do I review my pension in Ireland before 31st October?
Q: Can I make a pension contribution after the end of the tax year?
A: Yes, in qualifying circumstances. Revenue allows certain contributions made after year-end to be claimed for tax-relief purposes against the previous year if the contribution and required election are completed by the relevant deadline.
Q: What is the pension tax deadline in Ireland in 2026?
A: The normal Pay and File deadline for the 2025 Income Tax Return is 31st October 2026. The extended ROS deadline is 18th November 2026 for qualifying taxpayers who meet Revenue’s online filing and payment conditions.
Q: Can PAYE employees claim tax relief on additional pension contributions?
A: Yes, where the contribution qualifies. If relief hasn’t already been provided through payroll, eligible PAYE taxpayers can claim pension contribution relief through myAccount.
Q: Can self-employed people claim pension tax relief?
A: Yes, subject to Revenue rules and contribution limits. Self-employed taxpayers generally claim qualifying pension contribution relief through ROS as part of their Income Tax Return.
Q: Should I increase my pension before 31st October?
A: Not automatically. First check whether you have unused tax-relievable contribution capacity, then consider affordability, retirement goals and your other financial commitments. The tax benefit is useful, but it’s only one part of the decision.
Q: What if I have several old pensions?
A: Include them all when looking at your retirement position. Having several pension arrangements doesn’t necessarily mean they should be consolidated; their benefits, charges, investment options and rules should be understood first.