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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Shinu M.
14 hours ago
Great service.
DJ 1.
5 days ago
Cormac Logue was very helpful throughout the process of assigning life cover. He was also very patient as a number of changes were required from my side along the way
Chinju N.
6 days ago
Chloe was brilliant. She was friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. She explained everything clearly and made setting up my Income Protection policy simple and easy to understand. Excellent customer service and a credit to Royal London. Thank you, Chloe.
Claire M.
2 weeks ago
Niamh was fantastic. So patient and helpful, and nothing was ever a problem. Delighted with the outcome and I would definitely recommend.
Jean C.
2 weeks ago
Delighted with the service I got from Low quotes. Very competitive prices and brilliant service. Highly recommend. Aoife Morgan was the rep I was dealing with. She was very patient and listened to my every need and request. Couldn't recommend highly enough. She got me the best deals on my insurance and consolidated a few to make it a lot simpler for me ... Thanks Aoife
Aaron S.
2 weeks ago
Very understanding, gave great advice
Sreehari K.
2 weeks ago
I recently took out a life insurance policy and had a great experience throughout the process. The quotes offered were very competitive and affordable compared to others I looked at. Cormac Logue was extremely helpful, professional, and explained everything clearly, making the whole process simple and stress-free. I really appreciated the support and guidance provided from start to finish. Highly recommend Cormac to anyone looking for reliable advice on life insurance and financial protection.
Siobhan L.
2 weeks ago
Have dealt with Shaun over the last year on numerous occasions and he has always been so helpful and goes above and beyond to find the right cover. Highly recommend contacting Shaun for any health insurance quotes.
Astha A.
3 weeks ago
Can’t thank Cormac enough for helping us get the mortgage protection policy in time for our drawdown. Would definitely love to work with him in future for my investment and savings related needs. Highly recommend LowQuotes and Cormac.
Policey T.
3 weeks ago
My name is Dupe and I dealt with Aoife, An absolute gem!!! Very knowledgeable and most importantly helped to feel like I was putting the right things in place for my future and my kids. I highly recommend low quotes because of her 🥰
Reenu Mariam T.
4 weeks ago
Hi, I had a very great experience in setting up and discussing my plans with Alan, our Financial Advisor from Low Quotes. He is really very helpful, patient and helped us choose the right plan for our family. Really recommend Alan and the Low Quotes for any financial scheme or advice to be taken to secure our future. Thanks a lot.
Stephy B.
4 weeks ago
Cormac Logue was very patient and highly professional. His advice was clear and very helpful throughout the process. I really appreciated the support and guidance provided. Thank you
Jen N.
4 weeks ago
Chloe was a great assistance when guiding me through the minefield of Income Protection and successfully secured me a great quote with Royal London who I have taken out my policy with. Thanks for all your help Chloe! 💯 recommend Low Quotes.ie
Andrea G.
1 month ago
Great service and super helpful and friendly staff 😊
Aft G.
1 month ago
Shaun Young dealt with my enquiry with the upmost knowledge and professionalism. A credit to his company. DS
Enda K.
1 month ago
We started to look for a mortgage in January 2026. We spoke with Bernadine, and despite having many complications in our own situation, we drew down a mortgage and moved into the house of our dreams only 3 months later. I cannot recommend highly enough the service we recieved through bernadine at lowquotes.
Apeksha M.
1 month ago
We had a very smooth journey in the insurance process, thanks to Cormac Logue. He was quick to respond, prompt to follow up and was extremely helpful. We didn’t need to chase anything, he was proactive.Delighted with our experience, highly recommended.
Brigid R.
1 month ago
We had a great experience dealing with Low quotes and specifically Cormac Logue. He made the process so easy and simple and clearly explained the differences in the products we were looking at. Highly recommend.
claire M.
1 month ago
We had Seamus Phelan as our advisor for Income Protection. He was absolutely brilliant and made the process run so smoothly He responded quickly to emails and phone calls he was an absolute gent to work with and would highly recommend Thanks a million Seamus from Claire & Gareth
Garreth D.
1 month ago
Great advisor Alan Broderick easy to talk to and very helpful

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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