Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC)

Most commonly known as Pension top-ups, AVCs allow you to boost your pension savings beyond mandatory contributions, enhancing retirement income and securing a more comfortable financial future.

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What is an AVC?

Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) are tax-efficient extra payments you can make in addition to your existing pension. Whether you started your pension later in life, or have extra cash to put away, an AVC is a pension option for you. When you retire, you can use the money you invested into an AVC to buy additional pension benefits you want.

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I had the pleasure of dealing with Alan Broderick who supported me with finding the best rates for my few policies and plans and I even ended up switching. Not only was this guy professional, he was also very easy going, empathic, and just had a very good understanding of how to support me with the best advice and products for my hard earned little money. This is rare in today's world of ever rising costs! And despite my annoying phone calls and never ending questions, he still remained patient and helpful.If you're looking for an advisor who is driven and knows his stuff, then look no further. I would highly recommend this gem. Thank you Alan for all your help.Joyce M - Dublin
isobel lawlor (.
isobel lawlor (.
We found Colin to be friendly, easy to deal with and very imformative.He explained every thing clearly and made sure we went with a policy that suited our needs.Would highly recommend
Elena A.
Elena A.
As first time buyers,we choose LowQuotes for our mortgage and life insurance and we are very happy that we did ,because from the very begining until the end Aoife Morgan guide and help us to choose the best offer for us .She help us with everything and answear to our questions in a very friendly and profesional way.We highly recomend her to help you on your way.
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Kelley M.
I highly recommend! Rebecca was fantastic, so kind and easy to talk to. She made the process easy and explained everything to me clearly. It was easy to get in touch when needed and Rebecca was so professional with returning calls etc ! Thank you so much
Debby S.
Debby S.
Rebecca Sharpe was excellent to communicate with. She explained the purpose and process of acquiring life insurance (as part of a mortgage application) so well. She was honest and helpful in answering all my questions. She was very knowledgeable and gave a range of options so I could get the most appropriate package for my personal situation. I would highly recommend her and LowQuotes as a result. Thanks!
Carmel S.
Carmel S.
Had great help from ColinSet up my life insuranceEasy no hassleThanks again
Response from the owner: Hey Carmel,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Colin. It’s great to know he made setting up your life insurance easy and hassle-free! We always aim to make the process as smooth and straightforward as possible, so your feedback means a lot to us.If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
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Rebecca has been dealing with us over the past few days. Professional, friendly and Genuine are words that come to mind when describing the customer experience. Very helpful throughout and would recommend this company going forward due to Rebecca's help.
Response from the owner: Hey Michael,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Rebecca. It’s great to know she was professional, friendly, and genuine throughout the process, and that her support made such a strong impression.We aim to make every interaction helpful and straightforward, so your feedback means a lot to us! If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
Stephen D.
Stephen D.
I've been dealing with Seamus who helped me. Have to say, his professionalism, patience and his knowledge was fantastic, such an easy guy to talk to. Ended up going through Seamus and id absolutely recommend him. I hope this review gets to his manager, great guy! Thanks Seamus
Response from the owner: Hey Stephen,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Seamus. It’s great to know he was able to guide you through the process with such professionalism, patience, and knowledge. We’re thrilled to hear how easy he made everything for you, we’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to him!We aim to make the process as smooth and understandable as possible, so your feedback means a lot to us. If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
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Had a very positive experience speaking with Rebecca Sharpe today, she was very helpful in discussing my options and made sure I understood the policy that I was getting and was very patient in answering any questions that I had. Highly recommend this service.
Response from the owner: Hey Shauna,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Rebecca Sharpe. It’s great to know she took the time to explain your options clearly, ensure you fully understood your policy, and answer all your questions with patience and care.We aim to make the process as smooth and understandable as possible, so your feedback means a lot to us! If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
John A.
John A.
Highly Recommend, Dealing with Rebecca was fantastic.
Response from the owner: Hey John,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Rebecca. It’s great to know she was able to explain everything clearly and make the process smooth for you. We aim to make every step as straightforward and stress-free as possible, so your feedback means a lot to us!If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
Aisling K.
Aisling K.
Really happy with the service I received. Shaun was extremely helpful during this process as it can be fairly confusing. He made everything a much simpler process.
Response from the owner: Hey Aisling,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Shaun. It’s great to know he was able to make the process clear and straightforward for you, especially when things can feel a bit confusing at first.We aim to make everything as simple and understandable as possible, so your feedback means a lot to us! If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
Philip C.
Philip C.
We had the pleasure of dealing with Rebecca Sharpe who went above and beyond to accommodate us ensuring we understood all the policy benifits and calling us at a convenient time to allow us time to discuss which policy suited us best. Thanks Rebecca.
Response from the owner: Hey Philip,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Rebecca Sharpe. It’s great to know she went above and beyond to ensure you fully understood all the policy benefits and took the time to accommodate your schedule.We aim to make the process as smooth and understandable as possible, so your feedback means a lot to us! If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
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Agnes C.
Very positive experience with low quotes. Isabel in particular is fantastic to deal with.
Response from the owner: Hey Agnes,We’re delighted to hear about your positive experience with Isabel. It’s great to know she made the process smooth and straightforward for you. We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with our team!We aim to make everything as simple and understandable as possible, so your feedback means a lot to us. If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out.Best Regards,LowQuotes Team
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What are the advantages of AVCs?

Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) are discretionary payments individuals can make to supplement their pension savings beyond regular contributions to workplace or personal pension schemes. AVCs offer flexibility, allowing individuals to enhance their pension pot by contributing additional funds, providing financial security for retirement. These contributions are voluntary, empowering individuals to decide the amount and frequency of payments based on their financial situation. Moreover, AVCs may offer tax efficiency, potentially reducing overall tax liability through qualifying contributions. This flexibility and potential for increased retirement income make AVCs valuable for optimizing pension planning and ensuring a comfortable retirement.

With AVCs, you have control over your investment, enabling you to adjust contributions according to your evolving needs. Whether increasing, decreasing, stopping, or restarting contributions, this adaptability ensures your investments align with changing priorities. Eligibility for an AVC Plan typically arises upon becoming a member of your employer’s Superannuation Scheme, with contributions subject to Revenue-set limits and a minimum monthly contribution of €75 (or equivalent).

Tax Relief

Investing in an AVC allows you to benefit from tax relief on your investments,  For example: If your marginal rate of tax is 40% and you invest €100, the actual cost to you is €60 as you get 40% (€40) in tax relief. This makes it much more tax efficient compared to a savings account as you can also maximise your tax-free lump sum on retirement.

Retire Early

Every investment you make into your AVC will grow your Pension fund, gaining you closer to your ideal estimated fund value. Meaning you could be retiring sooner than you think. The state pension retirement age is ever increasing, why not personally take control of when you retire?

Flexibility

flexibility to modify your Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) at your discretion. You can increase, decrease, stop, or restart your AVC contributions as needed. This adaptability allows you to align your pension strategy with changing financial circumstances, ensuring that you have control over the level of contributions based on your preferences, life events, or evolving priorities. 

Start a Retirement Planning today to have the future of your dreams!

Planning for retirement is a significant milestone. Whether you’re just starting to think about retirement or are already well into your retirement journey, this guide will help you make informed decisions and create a retirement plan that aligns with your financial goals. And it’s totally FREE! Don’t wait, download now!

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After you download your guide, one of our expert Financial Advisors will be in touch shortly to provide you with guidance and further relevant information to build you a customised retirement plan.

What are my investment options?

This is entirely your own choice and dependent on your risk profile, it is usually invested in a range of unit linked funds. You’ll have access to a wide range of different assets with varying degrees of risk, so you’ll be sure to find a solution that works for you.

Retirement options with AVCs.

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Your Questions Answered

We’re living longer than previous generations. Upon retirement, on average we will have 20-30 years of retirement. A pension plan will make sure you’re financially sound for these years. Whether you wish to travel, retire to the country, or spend time with your children & grandchildren.

The amount you will receive per month entirely depends on how much you’re willing to pay per month, the length of time you’ve been making contributions, the type of pension plan and its investment return. You can also choose to receive a lump sum upon retirement or not.

As of today, the State Contributory Pension is about €240 per week. For most people, during their 20-30 years of retirement, this simply isn’t enough. When you pay into a pension plan, you will receive both the state pension (If available to you) and your Pension Plan.

Tax relief reduces the actual cost of your pension. You do not have to pay tax on money that you put into a personal pension (This falls within the limits set out below). This is calculated at the highest rate of tax you pay (Currently 20% / 40%)

Example:
Monthly contribution = €100
Tax Relief (40%) = €40
Cost to you = €60

Warning: Past performance is not a reliable guide to future performance.      

Warning: The value of your investment may go down and up.      

Warning: If you invest in this product, you will not have any access to your money until you retire.   

Warning: If you invest in this product, you may lose some or all of your investment.     

Warning: This product may be affected by changes in currency exchange rates. 

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In the unfortunate circumstance that a customer contracts COVID-19 and dies, our life policies would pay out in line with our usual claims philosophy.

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