Your Pension is a long term investmentThe ins and outs, and ups and downs of investment markets are infamously hard to understand, which can be quite confusing, especially if your pension savings are affected. Most of us don’t even Your Irish Life pension is a long-term investment, designed to weather market ups and downs over time. In periods of volatility, staying the course and remaining steady and consistent with your savings is key to reaching your retirement goals. We’ve also put together some great supports for those of you who want to learn more... |
1. Market update and volatility considerations |
Here you can download market updates, which are updated regularly, so you always have current market insights at your fingertips along with considerations for long term investment which are particularly relevant when financial markets are volatile. Read our monthly market update to find out more about recent financial market developments and long-term investing. Get the latest performance information from our dedicated Investment Centre or log in to Pension Portal. |
2. Dedicated on-demand webinar |
If you've ever wondered how the investment side of your pension works, or been worried about how the ups and downs of the investment markets might impact your pension savings, this webinar is well worth a watch. In this session you'll:  |
3. Frequently Asked Questions |
| Here, you'll find answers to the most commonly asked questions from our members about market ups and downs and their pension: |
What to do during times of market volatility? We know that, when it comes to investing, uncertainty is uncomfortable for most people. Equity market highs and lows can often prompt short-term, emotional decision-making and the desire to buy or sell when perhaps the right thing to do is nothing. It can be tempting to switch some or all of your retirement savings to lower-risk funds or even cash. While switching is available to you as a free option, it is worth remembering that even professional investors find it difficult, if not impossible, to consistently time when markets will rise or fall. More often, people are driven by sentiment and may exit funds when they have already fallen, only to buy them back later at a higher price when equity markets have recovered. This simply erodes the value of your pension savings over time. Getting invested and staying invested has been shown to be the most effective strategy over time. How can I view my fund value? If you want to check in on your pension, register or log in to Pension Portal. To check the latest fund price and performance information, click here. How can I get access to my pension online? Log in to Pension Portal where you can access all of your plan information, view transactions, update contact details and download documents. If you haven’t signed up already, you can sign up here. Watch the short video below to learn more:
In a hurry? Watch this 30 second video instead to get started. I'm invested in a Personal Lifestyle Strategy fund - how can I learn more? Saving into the Personal Lifestyle Strategy (PLS) has two main benefits over the years of saving for retirement: Managing investment risk and personalised fund switches. PLS includes a whole range of options to manage market volatility. We’ve created this summary document, which outlines the fund options and characteristics within a Personal Lifestyle Strategy to help you better understand your long-term investment. How can I make a fund switch? You can switch funds two ways – online or by post. The below steps are for members of Defined Contribution schemes, Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) schemes and PRSA policies. Online: If you are going online, you’ll need to be at your PC or laptop, not on your mobile phone. 1. Log in to Pension Portal 2. Visit the Investment Section. You will see a switch funds button, click this. 3. Follow the simple steps from there. By post:
2. Post the completed form to: Irish Life Assurance plc, CODE, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1 3. Alternatively, email the completed form to: happytohelp@irishlife.ie If you would like to contact us directly, you can email happytohelp@irishlife.ie If you have a Personal Retirement Bond (PRB) policy, you can download and complete the form here, please remember to include the name of the fund you wish to switch to and email happytohelp@irishlife.ie. Alternatively you can post this to: Irish Life Assurance plc, CODE, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1. How long does it take to make a fund switch and when will I see the change in my investments? It can take up to 4 working days to show the updated investment information online. Rest assured your switch request applies from the date we receive it. Please note, the date we receive your request is defined as before 5pm, Monday - Friday. How can I transfer my previous pension benefits into my Irish Life plan? If you're wondering how you can transfer your previous pension benefits into an Irish Life plan, click here. The rules around transferring benefits from a previous pension plan into your Irish Life plan will depend on a number of factors. I'm invested in a PRSA fund - how can I learn more? We’ve created this summary document which outlines the investment choices within a PRSA and the options and characteristics within the Personal Lifestyle Strategy (PLS) to help you better understand your long-term investment. |
| 4. Your Pension Portal |
Your Pension Portal gives you 24/7 access to your pension. The dashboard lets you see the status of your pension savings at a glance, the projections tool shows you how small increases today could make a big difference to your projected retirement income in the long run, and the My Next Step tool shows you the next best step you can take today to take control of your financial future.
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| Current Market Value Adjustments (MVA) on Capital Protected Fund & Secured Performance Fund |
A Market Value Adjustment (MVA) is an adjustment that life companies sometimes apply to certain withdrawals or switches from certain funds, usually when challenging investment conditions have adversely affected fund performance. This adjustment is necessary to protect the interests of those long-term investors who remain in the fund. To find out more about current MVAs, please click here. |
| Property Funds |
| Notice Period: From time to time, a notice period may be put in place for any switches or encashments from property funds. These notice periods are a result of the illiquid nature of property and the length of the notice period may depend on how long it takes to sell the assets within the fund. |
| Contact Us |
| We’re here to help. Reach out to us anytime by post, email or phone using the details below, or you can check in online via the Pension Portal: By post Irish Life, Irish Life Centre Lower, Abbey Street, PO Box 129 Freepost Dublin 1 Ireland D01 PK03 By phone Call 01 704 2000 By email happytohelp@irishlife.ie Or you can check in online Register or log in to Pension Portal |
think of our pension as an “investment” in the first place!
Irish Life has extensive and long term experience of providing pensions across Ireland for many members. We have provided pensions over the long term through many different financial market conditions. 
1. Simply download and complete the form
