do employer contributions use up part of your tax allowance limit

[noelch]

Do you include employers contributions along with employee contributions to calculate the total amount of contributions to a company pension scheme. I wish to make a standalone avc prsa and am just trying not to go over my allowance limit.

 

[LDFerguson]

Assuming it's an Occupational Pension Scheme (and not a group of PRSAs), you can ignore Employer contributions.

 

[Askar]

What would be the situation if it was a PRSA AVC where employee had a DB pension (and was contributing 5% to DB pension)?

 

[noelch]

Yes my pension with my employer is an Occupational Pension Scheme and i was thinking of making a standalone avc prsa seperately with a separate broker.
With my Occupational Pension Scheme I contribute 15% of my salary & my employer contributes 15% (my tax limit at the moment is 30%).
So can I take it that I can make a standalone avc prsa to use up the remaining tax allowance

Thanks

 

[Conan]

If your Occupational Scheme is not a PRSA then you can ignore the Employer contribution in determining the limit to your contribution. So is you are paying 15% currently into the Occupational Scheme, then you can pay a further 15% (total 30% based on age) as an AVC, either into the Occupational Scheme or into a stand-alone PRSA AVC Plan.

If your main scheme is a PRSA, then the overall limit of 30% applies (i.e. Employer + Employee contribution).

 

[LDFerguson]

What would be the situation if it was a PRSA AVC where employee had a DB pension (and was contributing 5% to DB pension)?

Same answers apply to DB pensions as per other replies in this thread. You can make an AVC of (age-related limit less 5%) and disregard whatever contribution the employer may be making to the scheme.

As with any scheme (DC or DB) you also need to verify that your total benefits at retirement aren't at risk of exceeding Revenue maximum benefits, but the limits are generous for this.