Maternity Benefit Tax help please

I am looking for some information please. I will receive the €262 maternity benefit and will have no payments from my employer.

I will not be claiming for my husband or any other dependants. We are currently joint assessed. I earn €26,500 per year and when I go on maternity leave I will have been paid approx. €21K.

I would be so grateful if someone could please advise how much tax I will be paying. Thank you!

How do you and your husband split your tax credits?

If you keep your share of the individual tax credit as well as your PAYE credit, then there will be no additional tax payable by you when you get maternity benefit. Instead, you will be due a small tax refund at the end of the calendar year in which you take the leave and, in the second year (when you return to work) you will pay less tax for the first month or so while your tax credits catch up.

On the other hand, if your husband takes the full married person's credit (leaving you with just your PAYE credit) then you'll have a tax liability of €20.66 for each week you are on maternity benefit. This tax will not be deducted at source (so you'll get paid your €262 each week) but it will be coded into your tax credits for next year so you'll pay additional tax when you return to work.

Thank you for your response. I really appreciate it. we keep our individual share so that is some good news that I will receive the €262 each week. Thank you again!