Informed Decisions Independent Financial Planning & Money Podcast

As you get closer to retirement, move your money to safer investments. It sounds reasonable. But what if that one piece of conventional wisdom could cost you €80,000 or more? In this episode, Paddy unpacks one of the most consequential (and most overlooked) investment decisions you'll make: whether to reduce investment risk before you retire. For a lot of Irish pension holders, this decision has already been made for them automatically, through something called lifestyling often without their knowledge or consent. Paddy works through the two opposing risks at the heart of the decision: de-risking too early and leaving significant growth on the table in your final accumulation years and sequence-of-returns risk, the single most underappreciated danger in early retirement. Using two scenarios he shows how a default setting can quietly create an €85,000–€100,000 gap, and why the order in which your returns arrive matters more than the average. You'll come away with a simple three-question framework to bring deliberate, personalised thinking to your own pension, instead of leaving it to a system designed for an average that doesn't exist. What this Episode covers: • The two real risks and why most people only know one • Lifestyling: what your provider may be doing without telling you • The €85k–€100k cost of de-risking too early • Sequence-of-returns risk and the retirement 'red zone' • The bucket strategy as a simple income buffer • A three-question framework for the ten years before retirement And if you like to read this episode again, read the full blog post here: www.informeddecisions.ie/post/reduce-investment-risk-before-retirement-ireland Chapters: 00:00 - The €80,000 question 01:30 - The two real risks 04:00 - Lifestyling explained 07:00 - The real numbers 12:00 - Sequence-of-returns risk 17:00 - The decision framework 21:00 - Mistakes to avoid + ARF considerations 24:30 - Summary & key takeaways 📊 Check out our new Retirement Readiness Scorecard: www.informeddecisions.ie/retirement-readiness-scorecard 📖 Find out how we work at www.informeddecisions.ie ABOUT THE SHOW The Informed Decisions podcast is hosted by Paddy Delaney, QFA RPA APA, independent, fee-only retirement planner in Ireland. The podcast and the blog at informeddecisions.ie are educational resources for Irish professionals, business owners, and high-net-worth individuals navigating retirement, tax efficiency, and investment strategy. DISCLAIMER This podcast is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute personalised financial advice. Figures and rules referenced reflect the position as at May 2026 and are subject to change. Always speak to a qualified, independent financial advisor about your specific situation.

A lot of investors have written off bonds after 2022. In this episode, Paddy Delaney explains why that conclusion is based on a misreading of how bonds work — and what the historical data actually shows. The 10-year US Treasury yield went from under 6% to over 11% during the 1970s. Bonds still returned 5.4% per year. The worst single year was a loss of less than 1%. If bonds survived that rate environment, what does it mean for the environment we are in today? In this episode: - How bond returns are calculated (starting yield and duration) - Why rising interest rates improve your future bond returns, not reduce them - What the 1970s data shows, using Damodaran historical records - What this means practically for anyone with bonds in an ARF or occupational pension - A short note on lifestyling: being moved into bonds automatically is very different from choosing to hold them This episode is relevant if you are approaching retirement, already in retirement, or reviewing an ARF or pension that includes a bond allocation. If you would like to talk through your own situation, book a Clarity Call at www.informeddecisions.ie Full blog post: www.informeddecisions.ie/post/bonds-arf-retirement-ireland • All Informed Decisions podcast episodes: www.informeddecisions.ie/podcast/ ABOUT THE SHOW The Informed Decisions podcast is hosted by Paddy Delaney QFA RPA APA — independent, fee-only retirement planner in Ireland. The podcast and the blog at informeddecisions.ie are educational resources for Irish professionals, business owners, and high-net-worth individuals navigating retirement, tax efficiency, and investment strategy. Find Paddy at www.informeddecisions.ie TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Bonds and Market Perceptions 02:43 Understanding Bonds: Their Role and Functionality 05:20 The Impact of Interest Rates on Bond Investments 08:20 Predictability of Bond Returns and Historical Context 11:11 The Mechanics of Bond Funds and Their Advantages 14:01 Current Bond Market Landscape and Future Outlook 17:03 Strategic Considerations for Investors and Pension Holders 19:46 Common Misconceptions and Mistakes in Bond Investing 22:25 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts DISCLAIMER This podcast is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute personalised financial advice. Figures and rules referenced reflect the position as at May 2026 and are subject to change. Always speak to a qualified, independent financial advisor about your specific situation.

After the 22 April IORP II deadline, thousands of Irish directors are now in a pension structure they didn't deliberately choose. Most transitioned from an executive pension to a Master Trust or a PRSA under time pressure. Few sat down to ask whether the resulting structure is actually the one that serves them best. In this episode, Paddy walks through the PRSA versus Executive Pension / Master Trust decision in detail: Funding mechanics, lump sum comparison, death benefit treatment, and the second decision most people never review: the investment mandate inside the structure. The episode is anchored to an anonymised client story: a company director in his mid-60s who came to Informed Decisions in early 2023 with a €1.4m pension and one question. Less than three years later, with a different structure and a different investment mandate, that pension is worth over €2m. The estimated cost of taking the "safe" advice he was offered elsewhere: approximately €500,000 of growth. WHAT'S COVERED Why the IORP II deadline forced a structural decision under time pressure How PRSA contribution rules changed in 2023 and 2025 When the Master Trust's salary-and-service formula beats the PRSA's 100 % cap How the 1.5× salary lump sum compares to the PRSA's 25 % rule Why the PRSA's uncapped death benefit can change estate planning How the Standard Fund Threshold (€2.2m → €2.8m by 2029) affects strategy Why de-risking at 65 doesn't fit modern Irish retirement timelines Full written breakdown with comparison table, IORP II timeline, and FAQs: www.informeddecisions.ie/post/prsa-vs-company-pension-ireland If this episode raised questions about your current contribution strategy is going to get you where you want to go, that's exactly what we work through with clients. Find out more at https://www.informeddecisions.ie ABOUT Informed Decisions is an independent, fee-only financial advisory firm in Ireland. Paddy Delaney works with a small number of clients each year, typically business owners and senior professionals approaching retirement, to plan and protect retirement decisions in coordinated, tax-efficient ways. If today's episode raised questions about your own pension: whether the structure is right, whether the investment mandate has been reviewed, or how to think about both together: visit https://www.informeddecisions.ie to see how we work. DISCLAIMER This podcast is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute personalised financial advice. Everyone's situation is different. Always speak to a qualified, independent advisor before making pension or investment decisions. Tax rules and pension regulations change; figures quoted are accurate at time of recording.

Most Irish high earners are claiming roughly half the pension tax relief available to them. Not because the rules are complicated, but because the contribution percentage set years ago has simply never been revised. In this episode, Paddy walks through the age-related contribution limits (15% to 40%) the €115,000 earnings cap and what it actually means in practice and a real worked example of a director, age 56, on €180k — who could be claiming €16,100 in tax relief every year but isn't. He also covers the year-end October timing window (you can still reduce last year's tax bill with one decision), five common mistakes that quietly cost high earners thousands, and why the personal contribution question and the structural question, PRSA versus company pension, really need to be looked at together. There's a full written article with the age-related table, the worked example, and year-end timing details on the blog at www.informeddecisions.ie/post/pension-tax-relief-ireland-explained Free Webinar: Should You Sell Your RSUs? - A Practical Guide for Tech Employees in Ireland, 20th May 2026: https://www.informeddecisions.ie/webinar/webinar-should-you-sell-your-rsus If this episode raised questions about where you sit on the age-related table or whether your current contribution strategy is going to get you where you want to go, that's exactly what we work through with clients. Find out more at https://www.informeddecisions.ie DISCLAIMER: This content is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute personalised financial advice. Always speak to a qualified, independent advisor about your own situation.

You've built a €2 million pension. Now here's the question nobody asked you: how much of it will you actually keep? In this episode, Paddy runs the real numbers on what a €2 million ARF looks like in Ireland in 2026: mandatory drawdowns, income tax, USC, PRSI, and the phased strategy that could save you tens of thousands every year in the early stages of retirement. What this Episode covers: Why a €2M ARF triggers a mandatory €120,000 income. Whether you need it or not The real net income after tax: €72,614 at a 39.5% effective rate How phasing your drawdown across two crystallisation events drops your annual tax bill from €47,386 to €8,088 What happens to the deferred pot if it grows at 6% for 8 years, and how that interacts with the Standard Fund Threshold The couple scenario: why joint assessment changes everything SFT mechanics at each Benefit Crystallisation Event and where the margin gets tight The numbers are stark. The structure matters. And getting this wrong (or not thinking about it at all) is one of the most expensive planning gaps we see. Discover the full blog post and show notes on informeddecisions.ie

In this week's podcast, Paddy talks about what a €1 million pension can actually generate in retirement—and why the headline number doesn't always match the reality of income. The tax-free lump sum explained You can take 25%, but only the first €200,000 is fully tax-free. The rest may be taxed, reducing what you actually receive. ARF income isn't as high as you think A €750,000 ARF might generate around €30,000 per year—but after tax, that's closer to €25,000 net. The State Pension makes a big difference Adding the State Pension can bring total income to roughly €45,000+, improving monthly income significantly. Annuities offer certainty—but at a cost They provide guaranteed income for life, but you give up control, flexibility, and access to your capital. You can take more—but it comes at a price Higher withdrawals from an ARF are possible, but they increase your tax bill and may reduce long-term sustainability. A mix of ARF and annuity may work best Combining both can give you a balance of guaranteed income and flexibility. Couples have a clear advantage With two State Pensions and wider tax bands, married couples can generate significantly higher net income. What matters isn't the €1 million It's the income it produces—and whether that income supports the life you want. What's realistic, what's sustainable, and what €1 million actually means in retirement. Enjoy listening!

Most people with significant pension assets have no real idea what their financial advisor earns from their money. Not because the information is illegal to share — it isn't — but because the system is designed in a way that makes it genuinely difficult to see. In this episode, Paddy looks at how commission structures work in Irish financial advice, why the difference between a percentage and a euro figure matters enormously, and what a truly transparent client-advisor relationship should actually look like. Key points covered: How initial and trail commissions work on Irish ARFs, pensions and investment products — and what those percentages look like when converted into real euro figures Why the structure of commission-based advice creates a conflict of interest that isn't malicious, but is very real The difference between a suitability standard and a fiduciary duty — and why that distinction could be worth a significant amount of money to you A real client story: a couple who were being advised to keep working and keep contributing, when in fact they already had enough to retire comfortably What good transparency would actually look like — and the three questions every investor should be asking their advisor right now I hope it helps.

Michael Houghton returns to the Informed Decisions Podcast seven years after his first appearance to share how his thinking on money, work and property has evolved. Michael is a personal finance writer, former software developer, FIRE advocate, Irish Independent columnist, and now an active property investor building income and wealth through rental property in Ireland. In this conversation, Michael explains why financial independence is really about choice, not simply giving up work. He shares how he and his family went from extreme saving and FIRE to a more flexible life built around purposeful work, property income, and long term planning. Key talking points • Michael's journey from New Zealand visitor to living in Ireland for 15 years • How he and his family pursued FIRE by saving aggressively and working towards financial independence • Why hitting your number does not always mean you want to stop working • How he thinks about retirement, purpose, and the value of meaningful work • Why he sees property as a strong long term wealth building tool • The role of rental yield, leverage, refinancing, and bank appetite in building a portfolio • The risks of property investing, including concentration, leverage, insurance, and tenant issues • How property fits alongside pensions and other investments in an overall financial plan I hope it helps.

We can spend decades building our wealth, protecting our families, and planning for retirement. But there's one question most people avoid until it's too late: what happens if you can't make decisions for yourself? In this week's podcast I look at Enduring Power of Attorney. I hope it helps

If you're saving for retirement or nearing the end of your career, or eyeing retirement or a 'handier' role :) a significant change is on the horizon that could meaningfully affect how much tax you'll pay on your pension. From 2026, the Standard Fund Threshold (SFT), the maximum value you can accumulate across all retirement benefits without triggering additional tax charge, will begin to increase for the first time in over a decade. For many high earners and diligent savers, this represents a genuine opportunity to improve tax efficiency, reduce liabilities, and plan more strategically around when and how to access your retirement benefits. This piece aims to keep it plain English, and I hope you will learn: ‍ • What the Standard Fund Threshold is in 2026 and why it matters • How your pension is valued for SFT • What tax applies if you breach it, and differences between Defined Benefit, and the rest! • Smart planning moves before you retire • When to get help and stop guessing

If you have an Executive Pension/SSAS or are a member of an Occupational Pension Scheme approaching retirement, you might want to know about these big changes coming your way! Two major pension updates are colliding; - One from European regulation relating to 'Exec Pensions' and 'Small Self Administered' schemes (SSAS) which impacts self employed directors - One from Revenue relating to employees and losing control over their group pension schemes after 'Normal Retirement Age' (NRA) Both can change where your pension sits, how it is invested, and when you can access it. And all of it can happen without your say so, if you do nothing. ‍Key points I'll share today; What the European IORPS2 deadline really means for Executive and SSAS pensions How automatic moves to Master Trusts work The big Revenue change limiting pension transfers from Occupational Pension Schemes Why early retirement plans are most exposed What practical steps make sense now I hope it helps.

In this week's podcast - Your Essential Pre-Retirement Checklist Retirement starts long before you hand back the laptop or walk out of the office for the last time! The real work happens in the final decade, when you bring everything together; pensions, savings, tax, debts, lifestyle, and the practical bits that make life run smoothly. This pre-retirement checklist Ireland will hopefully give you a clear, practical path that helps you can step into the next stage with clarity and confidence (not a big ask is it!?). What we'll explore in this week: • How to calculate your retirement number • How to review pensions and income sources in an Irish context • How to tidy up investments without derailing long-term returns or compounding • The key tax and admin tasks to complete before leaving work • When professional planning adds value I hope it helps

This episode looks at practical ways to pull income from pensions without handing more to Revenue than you need to. You hear how rental income fits into the picture, how a non-earning partner's tax band can save you money, and why timing matters when you've no salary coming in. The chat keeps circling back to one point. Your own setup dictates the smartest drawdown plan. Takeaways • You can pull income from pensions in a planned, tax-efficient way. • Your personal position drives every decision. No two households look the same. • Rental income changes the order in which you tap different pots. • A partner with no taxable income can unlock unused standard-rate band. • Taking modest amounts early can help you avoid chunky tax later. • A quick yearly review keeps you from drifting into higher tax. • State pensions may give you room to delay pension withdrawals. • Mixing income sources often gives you steadier and cleaner results. • Avoiding forced withdrawals in later life protects long-term value. • You worked for it. You should enjoy it.