Employee, then stay at home, then self employed - Entitlement to State Pension

[aristotle]

My wife worked full time as an employee from around 2000 to 2012.
She was then a full time mother 2012 to 2018.
She then had some self employed income from 2018 onwards and paid the minimum €500 per year PRSI contribution in her tax return.

As long as she keep paying the PRSI contribution will she be entitled to the full state pension?
I think she will be?

Thanks

 

[AAAContributor]

Get your wife to request her Contribution Statement.

That'll tell you where she stands.

Further info here:

Contribution

<p>Request

services.mywelfare.ie

 

[NoRegretsCoyote]

She was then a full time mother 2012 to 2018.

Did she claim the stay at home parent PRSI? She's entitled but not automatic and you have to claim.

Otherwise she shouldn't have gaps for pension purposes since 2000 there is no break in payment or entitlement to credits.

 

[RedOnion]

Did she claim the stay at home parent PRSI? She's entitled but not automatic and you have to claim

Interestingly, the Homemaker credits are supposed to be automatic for the parent that receives Child Benefit.
So, typically, a stay at home Dad has to apply where the child benefit is being paid to the mother.

 

[NoRegretsCoyote]

Interestingly, the Homemaker credits are supposed to be automatic for the parent that receives Child Benefit.

I hadn't realised.

The only case I know of is where it didn't show up on the PRSI record and a claim had to go in.

 

[RedOnion]

I hadn't realised.

The only case I know of is where it didn't show up on the PRSI record and a claim had to go in.

Note, I said 'supposed to'. No doubt it doesn't always work, and it probably wasn't always the case that it auto applied. I'm pretty sure when my mam applied for her pension she had to complete a form for it, but it was very straight forward.

 

[NoRegretsCoyote]

Note, I said 'supposed to'.

Yes, I had read this online when you mentioned it.

The case I know involved some time spent abroad and this may have been behind why it didn't link automatically.

 

[aristotle]

Got the Contribution Statement and it looks in order after we spoke to someone in the Dept of Social Protection about it.

They did say the homemaker credits are assigned to the person receiving the child benefit so when applying for the pension that is figured out.

I forgot that my wife was on illness benefit and then jobseekers benefit and those both give 52 weeks credits on the statement.
And the self employed PRSI payment (4% of income or min €500) has also given the full 52 week credits.
So all looks to be correct.