AVCs : Backdating 2011 payments to 2010

Hi, Sorry if this has been covered already, but I thought I understood the position on this. However our company pensions advisor has stated something today that is different to what I understood.

I make fairly high AVC contributions on a monthly basis, and I was under the impression that up to 31st October 2011, I could claim these were made in respect of 2010 (up to the allowable limits), and hence get the PRSI relief on them that was withdrawn at the start of this year.

Our advisor told me today that I can only do this for "one-off" AVC contributions, not for "regular" AVC contributions.

I haven't seen this stated anywhere else. Does anyone on here know the actual position ? I suspect the advisor is wrong but he was fairly adamant about it.

If he is correct, then surely everyone would stop monthly contributions and just make one large payment in October 2011. I know many things to do with pensions make no sense, but if the advisor is correct then this must be one of daftest of all the rules.

I have a feeling that both of ye are wrong. My understanding is that all payments regardless of single of regular premium status made to a AVC from the 1st Jan 2011 are not eligible for PRSI relief regardless of trying to claim that it was related to 2010. Most certainly though all regular premiums that are made in a particular year relate to that year only i.e. You cannot say that the regular premiums paid up to 31 Oct 2011 relate to 2010 as Revenue will not except this.