Jobseeker's Benefit followed by Old Age Pension Bridge Payment

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johnkieran

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Is it possible to claim Job Seekers Benefit at age 64 (and 3 months) for the maximum 9 months, then claim the bridge payment for 65 year olds for 12 months until age 66 before going on to claim the State Pension (contributory) thereafter.
Assuming full PRSI contributions over the last 40 years as an employed individual.
 
Yes.

If you are in a position where you won't qualify for BP65 (for example if you have rental or investment income in excess of 7.5k per year) you will actually be able to qualify for extended Jobseekers Benefit up to age 66, provided you are receiving Jobseekers Benefit payments up to your 65th birthday.

Jobseekers Benefit beyond age 65 is identical to BP 65.

Can a person with rental or investment income over 7500 euro per year qualify for 65s benefit ?

No. However they could qualify for Jobseekers benefit at age 65. Basically the subsidiary employment rules for Jobseekers benefit are different to those for 65s benefit. Employment 1. PAYE employment Employment 2. Rental or investment income over 7000 euro per year. To qualify...
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Would the following qualify? Work 39 weeks in the qualifying year. (Age 63) claim JB for nine months after retirement. There would then be a gap of approx eight months to 65. Then claim 65-66 payment. Assume no rental income. DB pension at 65 as well.
 
That will definitely allow you to qualify for BP65.

To also qualify for JB you will need to meet the Prsi rules for this payment.

Provided you have a minimum of 39 Prsi contributions, at least 13 of which are paid contributions in the governing year (2 years prior to your JB claim) you will qualify.
 
Thanks S class. "workplace stress" seems to be enough to qualify for JB after 60.
So 13 in governing year are enough? (assuming full time employment till then)
 
If you are in full time employment up to 39 weeks into the calendar year of your 63rd birthday you will qualify for both JB and BP65. You could also qualify for both if you work for 13 weeks into the calendar year of your 63rd birthday and then get Jobseekers credits for at least another 26 weeks.
You will get the Jobseekers credits while you are recieving your JB payments.

You also have the option of ceasing your employment at anytime after 13 weeks into the calendar year of your 61st birthday and claiming JB. When the JB ends you should then continue to sign on for Jobseekers credits up to the end of the calendar year of your 63rd birthday.

Yes workplace stess is an acceptable reason for ceasing employment.
 
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Rather than start a new thread could I ask S class how I'd be fixed for BP65 payment if I do as follows
Ill be 60 April 4th and plan to retire end of June and go on jobseekers benefit for the allowed 9 months which will bring me to end of march following year, I then plan to draw down my ARF at 61. Ill have well over the required 2080 prsi contributions by the time I do retire. Do I sign for credits when I finish JS benefit and try for the BP at 65?
Thanks for any help
 
You can get 52 class S contributions from your ARF up to your retirement age. These are Reckonable for the contributory pension. However they will be of no use to you for qualification for BP65.

You will however be able to qualify for BP65 based on Jobseekers credits and 13 paid class A Prsi contributions.

You should sign on for Jobseekers credits when your JB payments end. Continue signing on up to the end of the calendar year of your 63rd birthday.

You are allowed to get Jobseekers credits and class S from your ARF in any particular year.

You then just need to get 13 weeks of class A employment during any one of the following calendar years. The year of your 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 64th or 65th birthdays.

Make sure to sign on again for Jobseekers credits when you complete the 13 weeks of employment.

You just need to earn a minimum of 38 euro per week, so 3 hours per week at minimum wage will be sufficient.
 
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Thanks S class your knowledge on this subject is invaluable
On the point you make about getting 13 weeks of class A employment in the calender year of 61st or subsequent years, if I was to stay on in the job for 13 weeks after my 60th birthday in April so retiring in July would that cover it?
 
It's the calendar year in which your 61st birthday falls, not your 61st year.

So 13 weeks after your 60th birthday would only bring up to July of the calendar year of your 60th birthday.

This is to early for qualification for BP65.

The earliest time the 13 weeks of employment could start is January of the following year.

If you would have difficulty in getting 13 weeks of employment, you could get a friend or family member to register as an employer and employ you for household work. Check out this post.

Post in thread 'PRSI and planning retirement'

Key Post - PRSI and planning retirement

Is there any point several years from applying for contributory pension in getting homemaker credits and years spent in the US addressed on my and my wife’s statements? Or is that something we deal with on application? For the US years I believe our social security numbers and names of...
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