Pensions: Investment & Withdrawal

Thank you to Amicus: Search and Recruitment for Sponsoring this episode. To find your next Finance or Accounting Role, head to https://amicus.ie/ and tell them that we sent you!In this episode, I’m tackling one of the examiner’s favourite topics: Pensions. While you won’t see them coming up as a full 20-mark question, they appear often enough and can carry a sizeable number of marks. That means they’re well worth your time to understand.I walk you through the examinable areas around both pension investment and withdrawal, explaining the tax treatment, the limits you need to remember, and the pitfalls to watch for in exam questions.Main Topics Discussed:The difference between personal pensions and occupational pensions – and why it matters in exam questions.How tax relief works on personal contributions, including the age-related percentage table and the €115,000 cap.Why employer contributions to occupational pensions are so tax efficient – and how this could influence the incorporation decision for high earners.What happens on pension withdrawal: lump sums, ARFs, and annuities, plus how they’re taxed.How to spot the pension type you’re being asked about and where to find the key tables in your tax tables booklet.If you’re preparing for ATX, pensions are a topic you really can’t afford to ignore. I’ll help you cut through the detail so you can answer with confidence on exam day.Thank you for listening to Study For Tax in your Coffee Break! If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to leave a rating and review on your Podcast platform and share it with others to let them know you enjoyed the podcast.To improve your study for the ACCA ATX Exams this year, head to Paula Byrne's website to purchase the ACCA ATX IRL Revision Book for Exams in 2025 and Tax Conditions - the Spoken Word for audio-based revision.Thank you to Matthew Bliss for editing and production of this episode. If you'd like him to edit your podcast, send an email to [email protected] or head to https://www.mbpod.com/.Mentioned in this episode:Get your Audio Revision for the 2026 ACCA Exams