Enhanced Transfer Values in Ireland are offered to former employees as a one-off opportunity for their pension transfer values.
The value of this transfer is often high. It is therefore important for you to make an informed decision.
Sometimes, it can be overwhelming to make a decision, which is why we decided to explain it more clearly.
Pension Calculator
Use our custom pension calculator to check your income in retirement and the amount of tax you can save.
Book Meeting
Let’s get on a call to discuss your personal and business finances with our experienced financial planners!
What are Enhanced Transfer Values in Ireland?
An Enhanced Transfer Value is offered to former Defined Benefit pension transfer value scheme members.
A defined benefit pension transfer value provides a guaranteed annual income for the rest of your life.
Your employer pays into your pension plan and is responsible for ensuring that there is enough money in your pension pot when you retire.
Therefore, if you have worked for a company that offered you this type of pension, and left that job, you are now considered a “Deferred member” of that pension scheme.
Deferred members are those who are past members of an occupational pension scheme and have not yet reached retirement.
As a deferred member, you might be contacted by your old employer and offered a defined pension transfer value.
Indeed, an Enhanced Transfer Value Pension consists of withdrawing cash from your current pension and transferring it to another pension arrangement.
Your former employer will give you a cash value so that you can move into another pension.
In addition, it’s important to know that the amount of money offered might be very large for a short period of time. However, you won’t be able to take the money as cash.
You will need to make a decision, whether to keep it in your current scheme or transfer it to another one.
The pros and cons of Enhanced Transfer Values
Should you take an Enhanced Transfer Value Pension?
In order to make an informed decision, you need to be aware of the benefits and drawbacks of this pension transfer values process.
Especially, since your employer generally won’t give you a long period of time to decide. Therefore, you will have to make a decision quickly.
You should always contact a qualified financial advisor before you make your decision.
A financial advisor will be able to assess your situation and give you personalised advice. In many cases, your former employer will pay for a company to give everyone financial advice.
But you can choose to get your own professional advice about your Enhanced Transfer Pension Value offer.
Pros of an Enhanced Transfer Value
- The temporary value is very high.
- You can control how your fund is invested.
- You’ll be able to get a higher tax-free lump sum.
- These benefits are easier to inherit.
- There may be a default product set up for you to move this pension transfer value.
Cons of an Enhanced Transfer Value
- The income is not a guaranteed or set amount.
- Invested funds can fall in value as well as rise in value.
- There are management charges for your investment fund.
- A short amount of time to make your decision.
Why is my old employer offering this?
Employers often use Enhanced Transfer Values to reduce the liabilities and costs of the scheme. Also, they use them to preserve the fund long-term for people who currently work for the company.
Example:
Ruth is 52 and used to work for a company with a Defined Benefit Pension Transfer value Scheme. Plus, she was contacted about an Enhanced Transfer Value, to move her fund.
Usually, the pension transfer value her former employer would offer is €280,000, but for a short time, they are offering her €400,000.
If Ruth Stays In The Scheme
- She’ll receive €10,000 per year when she retires.
- This is an annuity, where the income is guaranteed for life. It stops when she dies.
- The scheme will allow 50% of the annuity or €5,000 per year to be inherited by a surviving spouse.
If Ruth Leaves The Scheme
- She takes her €400,000 fund and moves it to a Personal Retirement Bond.
- The €400,000 is invested. Ruth can take her retirement benefits at 66 when she leaves her job.
- She can take 25% of this fund tax-free.
- With her remaining 75%, she can then buy her own annuity or invest in an Approved Retirement Fund.
What does Ruth decide to do, and why?
- Ruth decides to take the offer. She has a pension scheme in her current job, so she feels that she understands the risk of investing. Moreover, she knows that the fund may fall as well as rise.
- While the former employer’s pension gives her a guaranteed income in retirement, she isn’t married, so she doesn’t need to be able to leave 50% of her annuity to a partner.
- She would like to be able to use the higher 25% tax-free lump sum for home repairs.
- She wants to be able to leave inheritable funds in her estate. In addition, Ruth has one daughter, and her home is valued at €500,000, which is over the €335,000 inheritance threshold.
- When Ruth dies, she wants there to be some cash in her estate for inheritance tax purposes.
How can we help with defined pension transfer values?
The most important thing to do is make sure that you seek advice quickly.
Figuring out if the offer will benefit you can be complicated, and it’s important to be very clear about the offer & your options.
If you have been offered an Enhanced Transfer Pension Value by your former employer, you can get in touch with one of our qualified financial advisors.
We will provide affordable and personalised financial advice regarding defined pension transfer values.
By assessing your situation and the offer made by your former employer, we will be able to direct you down the right path.
Book Initial Call
If you would talk to one of our qualified We offer a no-obligation call.
