Personal Tax Credits

The following chart gives details of the main personal tax credits for the tax years 2013 and 2014

Tax credits for the years 2013 and 2014

Personal Circumstances

2013

2014

Single Person

€1,650

€1,650

Married Person or Civil Partner

€3,300

€3,300

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner - qualifying for One Parent Family Tax Credit (2013)

€1,650

---

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner - qualifying for Single Person Child Carer Credit (2014)

---

€1,650

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner without qualifying children

€2,190

€2,190

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner in year of bereavement

€3,300

€3,300

One-Parent Family Tax Credit ( 2013)

€1,650

---

Single Person Child Carer Credit ( 2014)

---

€1,650

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner Tax Credit (with qualifying child) - Bereaved in 2013

---

€3,600

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner Tax Credit (with qualifying child) - Bereaved in 2012

€3,600

€3,150

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner Tax Credit (with qualifying child) - Bereaved in 2011

€3,150

€2,700

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner Tax Credit (with qualifying child) - Bereaved in 2010

€2,700

€2,250

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner Tax Credit (with qualifying child) - Bereaved in 2009

€2,250

€1,800

Widowed Person or Surviving Civil Partner Tax Credit (with qualifying child) - Bereaved in 2008

€1,800

---

Home Carer Tax Credit (max.)

€810

€810

PAYE Tax Credit

€1,650

€1,650

Age Tax Credit if Single, Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner

€245

€245

Age Tax Credit if Married or in a Civil Partnership

€490

€490

Incapacitated Child Tax Credit

€3,300

€3,300

Dependent Relative Tax Credit ( - See note 1)

€70

€70

Blind Person's Tax Credit - Single Person*

€1,650*

€1,650*

Blind Person's Tax Credit - One Spouse or Civil Partner Blind*

€1,650*

€1,650*

Blind Person's Tax Credit - Both Spouses or Civil Partners Blind*

€3,300*

€3,300*

Incapacitated Person - Relief for Employing a Carer**

€50,000**max

€50,000**max

* Relief in respect of the cost of maintaining a guide dog (max €825) may be claimed under the heading of Health Expenses.

** Relief for Employing a Carer (2013 and 2014) is allowable at the individual's highest rate of tax, i.e. 20% or 41%.

Note 1- In the case of Dependent Relative Tax Credit, if the relative's income exceeds the relevant limit of €13,837 in the years 2013 and 2014 no tax credit is due.

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Exemption Limits

Exemption Limits 2013 & 2014

Personal Circumstances

2013

2014

Single, Widowed or a Surviving Civil Partner 65 years of age or over

€18,000

€18,000

Married or in a Civil Partnership 65 years of age or over

€36,000

€36,000

Single, Widowed, a Surviving Civil Partner, Married or in a Civil Partnership 65 years of age or over

- Additional for 1st and 2nd qualifying child

€575

€575

Single, Widowed, a Surviving Civil Partner, Married or in a Civil Partnership 65 years of age or over

- Additional for each subsequent qualifying child

€830

€830

Marginal Relief Tax Rate*

40%*

40%*

*The Marginal Relief Tax Rate only applies to persons 65 years of age or over.

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Tax Rates and Tax Bands

Tax rates and bands applicable to your personal circumstance in tax year 2013 and tax year 2014

Personal Circumstances

2013

2014

Single, Widowed or a Surviving Civil Partner without qualifying children

€32,800 @ 20%, Balance @ 41%

€32,800 @ 20%, Balance @ 41%

Single, Widowed or a Surviving Civil Partner qualifying for One Parent Family Tax Credit (2013)

€36,800 @ 20%, Balance @ 41%

---

Single, Widowed or a Surviving Civil Partner qualifying for Single Person Child Carer Credit (2014)

---

€36,800 @ 20%, Balance @ 41%

Married or in a Civil Partnership - one Spouse or Civil Partner with income

€41,800 @ 20%, Balance @ 41%

€41,800 @ 20%, Balance @ 41%

Married or in a Civil Partnership - both Spouses or Civil Partners with income

€41,800 @ 20% (with an increase of €23,800 max), Balance @ 41%

€41,800 @ 20% (with an increase of €23,800 max), Balance @ 41%

Note: The increase in the standard rate tax band is restricted to the lower of €23,800 in years 2013 and in 2014 or the amount of the income of the Spouse or Civil Partner with the lower income. The increase is not transferable between Spouses or Civil Partners.

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Childcare Services Relief

Childcare Services Relief is a scheme of tax relief for income arising from the provision of certain childcare services. When the gross annual income from the provision of childcare services does not exceed €15,000 in the years 2013 and 2014, the income is exempt from tax. The childcare service must be provided in the carer's home, not the children's home and no more than three children may be cared for at any time.

For further information see: Childcare Services Relief

Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT)

From 1 January 2014, the DIRT rate will be 41% in respect of interest paid on all deposit accounts. For 2013, the rates were 33% for ordinary deposit accounts and 36% for long term deposit accounts.

The rate of exit tax that applies to life assurance policies and investment funds will also be 41%.

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Health/Medical Expenses Relief

You may claim tax relief on a Form MED 1, at the standard rate of tax (20%), (with the exception of nursing home expenses for which tax relief is still available at your highest rate of tax) for certain medical expenses incurred by you, on your own behalf or on behalf of another person. Most medical expenses, with some exceptions e.g. routine dental and ophthalmic care, qualify for relief.

You cannot claim relief for any expenditure which has been or will be reimbursed, e.g. by VHI, Laya Healthcare, Aviva Health, etc., or where a compensation payment is or will be made.

For more information see Leaflet IT 6 - Health / Medical Expenses Relief, Form MED 1 (PDF, 1.14MB).

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Home Carer Tax Credit

A tax credit at the standard rate of tax (20%) in the tax years 2013 and 2014 is available for Married Couples or Civil Partners where:

        One Spouse or Civil Partner (the 'home carer') works in the home caring for one or more dependent persons, i.e. a child for whom they are entitled to child benefit from the Department of Social Protection, a person aged 65 or over, or a person who is permanently incapacitated by reason of mental or physical infirmity and the qualifying person normally resides with the couple for the year.

        The home carer's income is not in excess of €5,080. A reduced tax credit applies where the income is between €5,080 and €6,700 in the years 2013 and 2014.

The tax credit is not available to Married Couples or Civil Partners who are taxed as single persons. Neither is the tax credit available to Married Couples or Civil Partners with combined incomes over €41,800 in the tax years 2013 or 2014 and who claim the increased standard rate tax band for dual income couples.

For more information and also to claim the relief due complete the application form in Leaflet IT 66 - Home Carer's Tax Credit and send it to your Revenue office. Alternatively, you can telephone your Revenue LoCall number with details of your claim.

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Home Renovation Incentive

The Home Renovation Incentive provides a tax credit for homeowners (owner-occupiers) for qualifying expenditure incurred on repair, renovation or improvement work carried out on their principal private residence.

Qualifying conditions:

        The work must carried out on or after 25 October 2013 and on or before 31 December 2015.

        Payments for qualifying work which are made between 25 October 2013 and 31 December 2013 will be treated as if they were made in 2014.

        If planning permission is required and is in place by 31 December 2015, then payments made in respect of qualifying work carried out between 1 January 2016 and 31 March 2016 will qualify under the incentive.

        Qualifying works must cost a minimum of €5,000 (including VAT at 13.5%). The €5,000 can be made up of a number of payments to different qualifying contractors.

        There is no upper limit on the cost of the works but the maximum amount on which relief can be claimed is €30,000 (before VAT).

        The tax credit will be 13.5% of the cost of the works (before VAT), subject to the minimum and maximum amounts. It will be included on your Tax Credit Certificate or Income Tax Notice of Assessment and will be given over a 2 year period following the year in which payment is made for the qualifying work.

        Homeowners must be LPT and Household charge compliant in order to qualify while building contractors must be VAT registered and tax compliant in order to carry out works.

For further information see: ‘Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) scheme

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Medical Insurance Premiums

Tax Relief at Source (TRS) - Changes to Medical Insurance Relief for Policies Renewed or Entered into on or after 16 October 2013 (PDF, 238KB)

The amount of tax relief due in respect of medical insurance policies entered into or renewed on or after 16 October 2013, is restricted to:

        the premium paid up to a maximum of €1,000 per adult covered by a policy

        the premium paid up to a maximum of €500 per child covered by a policy.

Tax relief is allowed on this restricted amount at the standard rate of 20%.

For policies renewed or entered into before 16 October 2013 relief could be claimed in respect of all qualifying premiums paid to authorised insurers and relief at the standard rate of tax was granted at source on the gross premium charged.

In effect subscribers paid a reduced premium (80% of the gross amount) to the authorised medical insurer. This reduction was the same as giving tax relief at the standard rate of tax (20%).

Employees whose medical insurance premiums are paid on their behalf by their employer, as a Benefit-in-Kind, will not have been allowed tax relief at source. To claim the relief due it will be necessary to notify your Revenue office with the relevant details or by completing an annual tax return.

The Age-Related Tax Credit (ARTC) no longer applies in respect of policies entered into or renewed with effect from 1 January 2013.

For more information see Leaflet: IT 5 - Medical Insurance Relief

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PRSI - Employers/Employees/Self Employed

PRSI queries should be directed to Department of Social Protection, Information Service at 1890 662 244, or if self employed at 1890 690 690 or visit: www.welfare.ie

For PRSI Contribution Rates see: PRSI Contribution Rates User Guide (SW14)

Rent-a-Room Relief

Where an individual lets a room (or rooms) in his or her sole or main residence as residential accommodation, the income may be exempt from income tax where the aggregate of the gross rents and any sums for meals or other services supplied in connection with the letting is below a certain threshold (€10,000 for the tax years 2013 & 2014).

The exemption does not affect any entitlement to mortgage interest relief or to Capital Gains Tax exemption on the disposal of the residence.

The exemption is not due where the payments are to a parent from his or her child. Neither is it due where the payments are to an individual who is an office holder or an employee of the person making the payments or, of a person who is connected with the person making the payments or to a person connected with the office holder or employee.

For more information see Leaflet IT 70 - A Revenue Guide to Rental Income.

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Rent Relief for Private Rented Accommodation

Relief is due at the standard rate of tax (20%) in the tax years 2013 and 2014 subject to the following upper limits:

Personal Circumstances

2013

2014

Single under 55 (max.)

€1,000

€800

Single over 55 (max.)

€2,000

€1,600

Widowed, a Surviving Civil Partner, Married or in a Civil Partnership under 55 (max.)

€2,000

€1,600

Widowed, a Surviving Civil Partner, Married or in a Civil Partnership over 55 (max.)

€4,000

€3,200

Note: Rent Relief only applies to individuals who were renting a property on 7 December 2010. No credit is due to individuals who began renting after 7 December 2010.

Relief can be claimed by completing Form Rent 1 - Claim for Rent Relief on Private Rented Accommodation (PDF, 313KB)

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Revenue Approved Permanent Health Benefit Schemes

Where an employer deducts the contributions from gross pay the tax relief is given at source. Therefore no further action is necessary to claim relief.

Where an employer does not deduct the contributions from gross pay relief can be claimed, by notifying your Revenue office of the relevant details or by completing an annual tax return.

Revenue Job Assist

Up to and including 2013, additional tax relief at the individual's highest rate of tax, i.e. 20% or 41%, was available for people who were unemployed for one year or more and who took up a qualifying job.

This scheme has ended for any employments commencing on or after 1 July 2013. Tax relief under the scheme will continue to be available for successful claims processed for employments that commenced on or before 30 June 2013 until the end of their natural lifecycle.

For more information see: Leaflet IT 58 - Job Assist Information for Employees.

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Single Person Child Carer Credit

The One Parent Family Tax Credit (See leaflet IT9 - One Parent Family Tax Credit) has been abolished with effect from 31 December 2013 and replaced with the Single Person Child Carer Credit. To qualify for this tax credit the primary claimant must be a single parent who has a qualifying child residing with him or her, or a person who has custody of and maintains a qualifying child who is living with him or her for the whole or greater part of the year of assessment (i.e. more then six months).

If the child was born during the year, he or she must reside with the claimant for the greater part of the year from birth.

A primary claimant can only be someone who is single, widowed, a surviving civil partner, deserted, separated (from spouse or civil partner), divorced or whose civil partnership has been dissolved.

A child can only be the subject of one claim, and a claimant can only make a claim for one child for a year of assessment irrespective of the number of children that reside with him or her. The credit will be granted for a child up to the age of 18 years or, if over 18 years, where they are receiving full-time instruction.

The credit can also be claimed in the case of a permanently incapacitated child where the incapacity occurred before age 21, or if older, while the child was in full-time instruction.

Note: Full-time instruction does not include post graduate and doctorate programmes where the student is primarily involved in self-managed research and learning.

The relevant claim form  SPCC1 - Claim for Single Person Child Carer Credit Primary Claimant (PDF, 286KB) must be completed and submitted to your Revenue office for the initial claim.

Relinquishing a claim to the Single Person Child Carer Credit in favour of another claimant

The primary claimant of the credit may, if he or she wishes, relinquish his or her entitlement to this tax credit to another individual by completing the relevant section on Form SPCC1. However, once it is relinquished and claimed by another individual, known as the secondary claimant, the tax credit stays with the secondary claimant for the remainder of that tax year.

If the primary claimant withdraws his or her relinquishment subsequently, he or she cannot avail of the credit until the year following the year in which the relinquishment was withdrawn. The primary claimant must notify their Revenue office, in writing, if they wish to withdraw a relinquishment.

The Secondary Claimant must also be someone who is single, widowed, a surviving civil partner, deserted, separated (from spouse or civil partner), divorced or whose civil partnership has been dissolved.

A qualifying child must reside with the secondary claimant for not less than 100 days during the tax year. For the purposes of this legislation the greater part of a day will be counted as a day. Therefore where a child resides with a claimant from before noon on one day and stays with that claimant until the following evening that would be counted as two days.

The relevant claim form  SPCC2 - Claim for Single Person Child Carer Credit Secondary Claimant (PDF, 332KB) must be completed by the secondary claimant and submitted to his or her Revenue office. This form is not to be completed unless the primary claimant has relinquished his or her entitlement to the Tax credit.

Only one credit will be granted in the year to either the primary claimant or secondary claimant.

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Start your own Business

Individuals who have been long-term unemployed for at least 15 months prior to starting their own business as a sole trader can claim a two-year income tax exemption up to a maximum of €40,000 income per annum. For more information see: Start your own Business.

Tax Relief for Loan Interest (Secured and Unsecured)

Tax Relief at Source (TRS) on Secured loans

Income tax relief for home mortgage interest is granted at source by your mortgage lender on behalf of Revenue and the relief due is based on the amount of qualifying interest paid during the year subject to the overall limits.

For more information see: Tax Relief at Source (TRS) for Mortgage Interest Relief.

Your mortgage repayment is reduced by the amount of the tax relief. Any future adjustments in the tax relief (for example, arising from changes in interest rates) will be made automatically by the lender on behalf of Revenue. It is not necessary to claim mortgage interest relief in the annual tax return, and it no longer appears on your Tax Credit Certificate. Borrowers who are taking out new mortgages or who wish to claim for relief due for previous years must apply online at: Mortgage Interest Relief (TRS).

Unsecured Home Loans

Relief for interest payments made on unsecured Home Loans taken out on or before 31 December 2012 and used for qualifying purposes, i.e. repair or improvement of your sole or main residence can be claimed from Revenue at the end of the tax year. If, however, you are paying interest on a qualifying private residence mortgage in excess of the ceiling for relief, listed below, and you are receiving Tax Relief at Source on this interest then there will be no additional relief due in respect of a qualifying unsecured home loan.

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Tax Relief at Source - Mortgage Interest Relief

Interest paid on qualifying home loans taken out after 1 January 2004 and on or before 31 December 2012 will (subject to the exceptions below) qualify for tax relief up to the end of 2017 at the following general rates and thresholds -

First time buyers

The tax relief on interest paid on qualifying home loans is 25% for years 1 and 2; 22.5% for years 3, 4 & 5 and 20% for years 6 and 7. The upper thresholds in respect of the amount of interest paid qualifying for tax relief are €20,000 for individuals who are married, in a civil partnership, widowed or surviving civil partner and €10,000 for single individuals.

After year 7, the rates and thresholds for relief are as for non-first time buyers.

Non-first time buyers

The tax relief on interest paid on qualifying home loans is 15%. The upper thresholds in respect of the amount of interest paid qualifying for tax relief are €6,000 for individuals who are married, in a civil partnership, widowed or surviving civil partner and €3,000 for single individuals.

Exception 1 (30% rate of relief)

For individuals who purchased their first principal private residence (or second or subsequent principal private residence but only where the first principal private residence was purchased on or after 1 January 2004), on or after 1 January 2004 and on or before 31 December 2008, the rate of tax relief on the interest paid on the loan to purchase that property will, for the tax years 2012 to 2017 inclusive, be 30%, subject to appropriate first time buyers and non-first time buyers threshold.

Exception 2 (certain loans taken out in 2012 and 2013)

Mortgage interest relief is available, in certain circumstances, for the tax years 2013 to 2017, in respect of:

        Interest paid on a loan taken out in 2013 to construct a home on a site, but only where such site was bought by way of a loan taken out in 2012, and

        Interest paid on a loan to repair, develop or improve a home but only where loan approval was in place in 2012 and part of the loan was used in 2012 and the balance used in 2013 on such repair, development or improvement.

In both instances above, in order to qualify for relief, any necessary planning permission must have been in place on or before 31 December 2012.

Loans taken out prior to 1 January 2004

Loans taken out prior to 1 January 2004 are no longer eligible for mortgage interest relief. However, top up loans/equity release loans taken out since 1 January 2004 on these pre-2004 loans may be eligible for mortgage interest relief, provided they adhere to eligibility criteria as listed above.

Note: The relief will be abolished completely by the end of 2017.

For more information see: Tax Relief at Source (TRS) for Mortgage Interest Relief.

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Top Slicing Relief

Top Slicing Relief, which was an additional relief granted in respect of the tax payable on a lump sum payment, has been abolished in respect of all ex-gratia payments (both redundancy and retirement), made on or after 1 January 2014.

For the period 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013, individuals who received an ex-gratia payment, excluding statutory redundancy, where the amount was €200,000 or more are not entitled to claim Top Slicing Relief.

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Tuition Fees

Tax relief at the standard rate of tax (20%) is available for tuition fees which includes the Student Contribution but does not include examination fees, registration fees and administration fees. The maximum limit on such qualifying fees for the academic years 2013/2014 is €7,000 per individual per course.

The amounts of qualifying tuition fees shown in the table below are disregarded in respect of each claim.

Year

Full time -

(Where any one of the students

in respect of whom relief is claimed is a

full-time student)

Part time -

(Where all the students

in respect of whom relief is claimed are

part-time students)

2011

€2,000

€1,000

2012

€2,250

€1,125

2013

€2,500

€1,250

2014

€2,750

€1,375

2015

€3,000

€1,500

The disregards set out above are in respect of a claim, the subject of which may be one or more students. The general effect of this is that claimants who are claiming for more than one student will get full tax relief on the Student Contribution for 2nd and subsequent children in their claim.

Where fees are refunded or partly refunded, the claimant must notify their Revenue office within 21 days. Failure to do so may result penalty charges

For more information see Leaflet IT 31 - Tax Relief for Tuition Fees.

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Universal Social Charge (USC)

USC is a tax payable on gross income, including notional pay, after any relief for certain capital allowances, but before pension contributions.

The Standard Rates and Thresholds of USC are as follows:

2013

Rate

2014

Rate

Income up to €10,036.00

2%

Income up to €10,036.00

2%

Income from €10,036.01 to €16,016.00

4%

Income from €10,036.01 to €16,016.00

4%

Income above €16,016.00

7%

Income above €16,016.00

7%

The Reduced Rates and Thresholds of USC are as follows:

2013

2014

Individuals aged 70 years or over whose aggregate income for the year is €60,000 or less.

Individuals aged 70 years or over whose aggregate income for the year is €60,000 or less.

Individuals (aged under 70) who hold a full medical card whose aggregate income for the year is €60,000 or less.

Individuals (aged under 70) who hold a full medical card whose aggregate income for the year is €60,000 or less.

2% - Income up to €10,036.00

2% - Income up to €10,036.00

4% - Income above €10,036.00

4% - Income above €10,036.00

The Exempt categories for USC are:

2013

2014

Where an individual's total income for a year does not exceed €10,036

Where an individual's total income for a year does not exceed €10,036

All Department of Social Protection payments and payments similar in nature to such payments paid by other Government bodies

All Department of Social Protection payments and payments similar in nature to such payments paid by other Government bodies

Income already subjected to DIRT

Income already subjected to DIRT

Note 1. 'Aggregate' income for USC purposes does not include payments from the Department of Social Protection.

Note 2. A ‘GP only’ card is not considered a full medical card for USC purposes.

There is a surcharge of 3% on individuals who have non-PAYE income that exceeds €100,000 in a year, regardless of age.

        For more information see: Universal Social Charge FAQs (PDF, 680KB)