Withdraw pension in Ireland funds early and claim your tax-free lump sum if you are over 50 and have left a previous employer. Many people are unaware that they can legally unlock a pension from a previous employer years before they reach the standard retirement age. Whether you held a Mercer, Ark Life, or CWPS scheme, this regulated process allows you to access up to 25% of your fund entirely tax-free.

How to Withdraw Your Pension in Ireland Early?

If you are aged 50 or older and have a pension from a previous employer (such as Cardinal Health or a Midlands pharma firm), you can legally withdraw your pension in Ireland before retirement. You are typically entitled to a 25% tax-free lump sum from your preserved fund.

Why Now is the Time to Withdraw Pension in Ireland

Many people leave behind “preserved benefits” when they switch careers or leave companies like Cardinal Health or Steris. These funds don’t have to sit idle until you are 65. If you are over 50, the option to withdraw pension in Ireland allows you to take control of that money now, perhaps to pay off a mortgage, fund a business, or simply reinvest. By choosing to withdraw pension in Ireland early, you are accessing your 25% tax-free entitlement at a time when that capital might be most useful to your family.

Do You Work in the Midlands Medical or Pharma Sector?

If you have a deferred pension from a career in the Midlands’ thriving medical and pharmaceutical hub, you could be sitting on a significant tax-free lump sum.

We specialize in helping former employees of major local employers unlock their pension benefits early. This includes professionals who have previously worked at:

• Cardinal Health (Tullamore): If you’ve moved on from Cardinal, your preserved benefits are yours to access from age 50.

• Steris AST (Tullamore): Many former staff in the Sragh Industrial Estate have “lost” pension pots waiting to be claimed.

• Teleflex & Novo Nordisk (Athlone): If you’ve transitioned between roles in the Athlone pharma cluster, you likely have multiple previous employer pensions.

• AbbVie & Viatris: Former team members from these global leaders often qualify for a pension withdraw of up to 25% tax-free.

Whether you were based in Axis Business Park, Sragh, or the IDA Business & Technology Park, our pension tracing service can locate your funds and calculate your pension transfer value in days.

Key Pension Rules for 2026

Navigating the rules to withdraw pension in Ireland requires staying up to date with the latest Revenue and Central Bank guidelines. As of 2026, here are the core regulations:

The Age 50 Rule: You can generally only access a “preserved” or “deferred” pension from a previous employer once you reach age 50. If you are still currently employed by the company that holds the pension, the age requirement is usually 60.

The 25% Tax-Free Entitlement: Under current Irish law, you can take a lump sum of up to 25% of your pension fund’s value.

Standard Fund Threshold (2026): For 2026, the fund threshold stands at €2.2 million. While the first €200,000 of your lump sum is entirely tax-free, any portion of the lump sum between €200,001 and €500,000 is taxed at a flat rate of 20%.

Previous Employer Requirement: To withdraw pension in Ireland early (pre-retirement), the fund must be from a company you no longer work for.