Income Tax

Budget 2021

There have been no changes to the rates of income tax. There have been no changes to the standard rate cut off points.

The entry level into the final USC rate band has been increased from €20,484 to €20,687 to ensure minimum wage workers are excluded.

The higher Employer PRSI rate entry level has also been increased from €394 to €398 per week.

The Earned Income Credit has been increased by €150 to €1,650 to bring it into line with the employee PAYE credit. This credit is available to taxpayers earning self-employed trading or professional income and to business owners / managers who are ineligible for a PAYE credit on their salary income. The Dependent Relative Credit is being increased by €70 from €175 to €245.

Tax credits (main)

Tax credit2021 (€)2020 (€)
Single person1,6501,650
Married person3,3003,300
PAYE credit1,6501,650
Earned Income Credit1,6501,500
Single person child carer1,6501,650
Incapacitated child credit max3,3003,300
Age tax credit – Single or widowed245245
Age tax credit – Married490490
Dependent relative245175
Home carer1,6001,200
Fishermen tax credit1,5001,270

Budget 2020

There have been no changes to the rates of income tax. There have been no changes to the standard rate cut off points.

There have been no changes to the USC either in rate or in terms of entry level income.

The Earned Income Credit has been increased by €150 to €1,500. This credit is available to taxpayers earning self-employed trading or professional income and to business owners / managers who are ineligible for a PAYE credit on their salary income.

The Home Carer Credit is being increased by €100 from €1,500 to €1,600.

There is an extension of 0% BIK rate on electric vehicles and VRT relief for hybrids extended to 2020.

Dividend Withholding Tax will increase from 20% to 25% from 01 January 2020 in an attempt to increase compliance in tax paid by shareholders of Irish resident companies.

SARP [Special Assignee Relief Programme] and FED [Foreign Earnings Deduction] programmes have been extended to 2022.

Budget 2019

There have been no changes to the rates of income tax. The point at which a person enters the higher tax rate has increased by €750 from €34,550 to €35,300, creating a potential tax saving of €150.

The 4.75% rate of USC has been reduced by 0.25% to 4.5%. The entry level to the 4.75% rate of USC has been increased to €19,874 in order to take full-time workers on the minimum wage out of the top rate of USC.

The Earned Income Credit has been increased by €200 to €1,350. This credit is available to taxpayers earning self-employed trading or professional income and to business owners / managers who are ineligible for a PAYE credit on their salary income.

The Home Carer Credit is being increased by €300 from €1,200 to €1,500.

Tax credits (main)

Tax credit2019 (€)2018 (€)
Single person1,6501,650
Married person3,3003,300
PAYE credit1,6501,650
Earned Income Credit1,3501,150
Single person child carer1,6501,650
Incapacitated child credit max3,3003,300
Age tax credit – Single or widowed245245
Age tax credit – Married490490
Dependent relative7070
Home carer1,5001,200
Fishermen tax credit1,2701,270


Tax bands 

Personal circumstances2019 (€)2018 (€)
Single or widowed without dependent children35,300 @ 20%Balance @ 40%34,550 @ 20%Balance @ 40%
Single or widowed qualifying for single person child carer credit39,300 @ 20%Balance @ 40%38,550 @ 20%Balance @ 40%
Married, one spouse with income44,300 @ 20%Balance @ 40%43,550 @ 20%Balance @ 40%
Married, both spouses with income44,300 @ 20% with increase of 26,300 max.Balance @ 40%43,550 @ 20% with increase of 25,550 max.Balance @ 40%


Exemption limits 

Personal circumstances2019 (€)2018 (€)
Single or widowed, 65 years of age & over18,00018,000
Married, 65 years of age & over36,00036,000


Universal Social Charge

Income (€)Rate
 2019 (€)2018 (€)
Persons aged 70 and over with a medical card and income is €60,000 or less will pay a maximum of 3.5% USCUp to 12,012 @ 0.5%12,013 – 19,874 @ 2%19,875 – 70,044 @ 4.5%Balance @ 8%Up to 12,012 @ 0.5%12,013 – 19,372 @ 2%19,373 – 70,044 @ 4.75%Balance @ 8%
Non PAYE income above 100,00011%11%

Tax rates (main)

Tax headRate
 20192017
Income tax20% / 40%20% / 40%
Corporation tax12.5% / 25% / 6.25%12.5% / 25% / 6.25%
Capital Gains Tax33% / 10%33% / 10%
Capital Acquisitions Tax33%33%
Value added Tax23% / 13.5% / 9%23% / 13.5% / 9%
Deposit Interest Retention Tax39%39%
USC0.5% / 2% / 4.75% / 8%0.5% / 2% / 4.75% / 8%
PRSI (employee / self-employed)4%4%
PRSI (employer)8.5% / 10.75%8.5% / 10.75%
Stamp Duty (residential)1% – 2%1% – 2%
Stamp Duty (commercial)6%6%

Previous tax rates

Budget 2018

There have been no changes to the rates of income tax. The point at which a person enters the higher tax rate has increased by €750 from €33,800 to €34,550, creating a potential tax saving of €150.

The Earned Income Credit has been increased by €200 to €1,150. This credit is available to taxpayers earning self-employed trading or professional income and to business owners / managers who are ineligible for a PAYE credit on their salary income.

The Home Carer Credit is being increased by €100 from €1,100 to €1,200.

0% rate on BIK on electric vehicles for 2018 with a review thereafter.

Budget 2016

There have been no changes to the rates or thresholds of income tax.

Workers earning under €13,000 per annum will be exempt from the USC.

There has been a change in the USC rates and thresholds as per table 4 on page 7.

An Earned Income Credit of €550 is being introduced for taxpayers earning self-employed trading or professional income and to business owners / managers who are ineligible for a PAYE credit on their salary income.

A new farm succession plan is to be introduced with a maximum €5k tax credit per annum for 5 years available. This new model is subject to EU State Aid approval.

General stock relief, stock relief for Young Trained Farmers, stock relief for Registered Farm Partnerships is being extended until 31 December 2018.

The Home Carer Credit is being increased by €190 from €810 to €1,000 with the income threshold increasing to €7,200 from €5,080.

The entry level to the higher employer PRSI rate is increasing from €356.01 per week to €376.01 week.

The statutory minimum wage will increase to €9.15 per hour from €8.65 per hour from 01 January 2016

Budget 2015

The top rate of income tax has been reduced from 41% to 40%.

The standard rate cut off point has been increased from €32,800 to €33,800 and proportionately for married couples and single parents.

A new water tax credit will be available at 20% of charges incurred (subject to a maximum charge of €500) payable in arrears. For example, a €350 charge incurred in 2015, a tax credit of €70 will be available in 2016.

Income averaging for Farmers will be available to farmers who derive off farm income and increased to 5 years from 3 years. This will be reviewed after 3 years.

There is a 50% increase in the exemption threshold for leasing out farmland with a new threshold for leases of 15 years and over.

New Film Relief scheme is to commence in 2015.

There is an increase in the amount of finance that can be raised by a company under the Employment and Investment Incentive to €5m annually subject to a lifetime maximum of €15m.

The table below outlines the income tax position with regard to the main tax credits for 2015.

Tax credit2015 (€)2014(€)
Single person1,6501,650
Married person3,3003,330
PAYE credit1,6501,650
Incapacitated child credit max3,3003,300
Single Person Child Carer credit1,6501,650

The table below sets out the tax rates and bands for 2014.

Personal circumstances2015 (€)2014 (€)
Single / Widowed without 
dependent children
33,800 @ 20%
Balance @ 40%
32,800 @ 20%
Balance @ 41%
Single / Widowed qualifying
for one parent family tax credit
37,800 @ 20%
Balance @ 40%
36,800 @ 20%
Balance @ 41%
Married couple, one spouse 
with income
42,800 @ 20%
Balance @ 40%
41,800 @ 20%
Balance @ 41%
Married couple, both spouses 
with income
42,800 @ 20% with
increase of 24,800 max    
Balance @ 40%
41,800 @ 20% with
increase of 23,800 max
Balance @ 41%

Top slicing relief on taxable lump sum termination payments is to be abolished.

Maternity Benefit which has been taxable from 01 July 2013 is now to be standardised at €230 per week (from a high rate of €262 per week).

Tax relief on medical insurance premiums is to be capped with the limit to be €1,000 per adult and €500 per child.

The One-Parent tax credit is to be replaced by a Single Person Child Carer Tax Credit with only the principal carer of the child able to claim this credit (as opposed to both parents).

A 2 year Income Tax exemption will be introduced to assist individuals who have been unemployed for at least 15 months start their own unincorporated business.

  • Relief on service charges is being abolished for 2012 and subsequent years.
  • Rent tax relief is being withdrawn on a phased basis and will be abolished in 2018.