How Hans Turned €36,000 Into €60,000 With His Irish Pension

Hans was about to leave Ireland.

Six months ago, when we first started working together, he asked me: “Sjoerd, would there be any point in us working together if I am leaving Ireland in a few months?”

100%. We went to work.

First, we established his net worth. It was not bad, but it was nowhere near where it could have been for his age and salary. It had never been on his mind. We found spending that did not match his values, and he cut it without sacrificing his quality of life.

Then something clicked. He calculated his financial freedom number. For the first time, he had a goal to work towards. He was no longer earning money just for the sake of it.

Hans had never spent a second thinking about his Irish pension as part of his wealth building strategy. Most people do not. I explained why it is the biggest thing he could do before leaving Ireland: tax free contributions, tax free growth, access at age 50, strong investment options, and very low fees.

So he went to work.

The first €8,000. Because Hans was 39, he could invest €20,000 extra into his pension and claim 40% back from his 2024 taxes.

The second €8,000. He raised his personal contribution through his payslip for the second half of 2025, then topped it up to bring the total AVC to €20,000 again. Another €8,000 claimed for 2025.

The third €8,000. Even though it was his last month in Ireland, he was still earning €80,000 between January and February. Because he was turning 40 that year, he could contribute 25% of that to his pension and claim tax relief. 25% of €80,000 is another €20,000 tax free into his pension. Another €8,000 back.

The result: he invested €60,000 extra and got €24,000 in tax refunds. He turned €36,000 into €60,000. When we started, Hans had €35,000 in his Irish pension, money he probably would have forgotten about. Now it is worth €114,000. And that will compound to more than €600,000 in retirement.

If you did not follow all of that, it is normal. I do this for a living, and Hans and I spent a few calls going through it.

You probably do not earn as much as Hans. Most people do not. I certainly did not. But the challenges are the same. You are working hard. You know there is something better you should be doing with your money. You are confused by all the information out there. So you do nothing. Until one day you look back and wish you had started years ago. That was me too. Once I figured it out, I was kicking myself for not knowing it earlier. It is why I do what I do now: to give people the shortcut I wish I had had.

If you would like my help, here is a short video on what I actually do: https://go.bamillionaire.com/watch-now. Or if you are ready, book a call: https://go.bamillionaire.com/apply

Want this in your inbox every Saturday, before it reaches the blog? Subscribe here: https://bamillionaire.kit.com/newsletter