High Earners can beat Budget 2011 Pension Blues

High earners can beat a Budget 2011 cut in pensions tax relief if they top-up their pensions before 31 December next.

This week’s Budget cut the earnings ceiling for tax relief on personal pension payments, from €150,000 to €115,000. This means that, from 1 January 2011 onwards, the tax relief claimed by a high-income earner in respect of pension payments is limited to the first €115,000 of their earnings.

Liam Ferguson, of Ferguson and Associates has kindly confirmed to me that this lower ceiling relates to ALL contributions physically made in 2011. This includes contributions made by 31 October 2011, which can be backdated to the 2010 tax year for tax relief purposes.

So if you are in a high income bracket, and you leave it until next October to pay a Personal Pension contribution for 2010, the lower ceiling will apply to your contribution.

However, if you top up your pension by 31 December 2010, before the higher €150,000 earnings ceiling expires, you can still avail of the higher ceiling.

21 days left to act…

The National Recovery Plan – List of Tax Changes

The National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 has just been announced and is now available online

The Taxation Measures in the Plan are outlined on pages 89-103 of the document.

Page 89 lists the following ‘Key Messages’ of the Plan’s tax measures.

• Revenue measures will provide one third of the budgetary adjustment.
• 40% of total revenue measures will be adopted in 2011.
• The income tax system is unsustainable if 45% of tax units pay no income tax.
• Radical base broadening across the tax system is needed.
• All taxpayers must contribute.
• By overhauling tax expenditures, those that can afford to pay more will pay more.
• Tax policy emphasis must be on sustainable structural reform.
• Funding of local service provision must be addressed.
• The Government will maintain the 12½% rate of corporation tax.
• Supports for small and medium enterprises will be reformed.

The document proceeds to announce the following changes

Tax Credits and Bands

Tax credits and bands are to be cut by a total of 16.5% over the 4 years covered by the plan.

Pensions Tax Relief

• The rate of income tax relief on pension contributions will remain unchanged in 2011, but will be cut from 41% to 34% in 2012, to 27% in 2013 and 20% in 2014
• The existing PRSI and Health Levy relief on employee pension contributions will be abolished from 2011.
• The annual earnings cap for pension contributions eligible for relief will be cut from €150,000 to €115,000 in 2011.

Tax Reliefs

A range of Tax reliefs and exemptions are to be abolished in 2011. These are:

• Tax exemption for patent royalties.
• The investment allowance for machinery and plant and for exploration expenditure.
• Approved Share Options Scheme.
• BIK exemption on employer provided childcare.
• The accelerated allowance for capital expenditure on farm buildings for pollution control.
• The tax exemption for payments to National Co-operative Farm Relief Services Ltd.
• Income tax relief for rent paid for private rented accommodation.37
• Income tax relief for trade union subscriptions.
• Income Tax Age Credit (phased over 4 years).
• Income Tax Age Exemptions (phased over 4 years)

The following measures will also be adopted:

• PRSI, Health and Income Levy charge will now apply to Approved Profit Sharing,Save-As-You-Earn,Unapproved Share Options and Share Awards Schemes.
• Artist’s exemption from Income Tax will now be restricted to €40,000 earnings.
• Ex-gratia termination and pension lump sum payments in excess of €200,000 will now be taxed.

VAT

The standard 21% rate of VAT will increase to 22% in 2013 and 23% in 2014.

Property Tax

A ‘Site Value Tax’ will be introduced in 2012, in the form of an interim fixed “household charge” of €100 per annum in 2012, and a full charge based on property value from 2013.

Carbon Tax

Carbon taxes will double over four years.

Capital Taxes

• The 25% rate of Capital Gains Tax will change to a new system in 2012, with differing rates for different levels of gains.
• The current tax-free thresholds for Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) are to be cut.
• Current reliefs and exemptions from CGT, CAT and Stamp Duty ‘will either be abolished or greatly restricted’.

Corporation Tax

• There will be no change in the 12½% rate of corporation tax.
• The Business Expansion Scheme(BES) is to be reformed.