Income Tax

Welcome to the Taxes & Duties section. This section will help you to look for information on a specific tax or duty (listed alphabetically) and provides relevant leaflets, guides and forms within each tax or duty type. Some of this and additional material are also available in the Personal Tax and Business & Self Assessment sections.

Main Personal Tax Credits

Personal Tax Credit	2014	2015

Single Person	€1,650	€1,650

Married or in Civil Partnership	€3,300	€3,300

PAYE Credit	€1,650	€1,650

Widowed Person or Surviving civil Partner (without dependant children)	€2,190	€2,190

Single Person Child Carer Tax Credit	€1,650	€1,650

Incapacitated Child Credit Max	€3,300	€3,300

Blind Tax Credit	2014	2015

Single Person	€1,650	€1,650

Married or in a Civil Partnership – One Spouse or Civil Partner Blind	€1,650	€1,650

Married or in a Civil Partnership – Both Spouses or Civil Partners Blind	€3,300	€3,300

Widowed Parent Bereaved in 2014	-	€3,600

Widowed Parent Bereaved in 2013	€3,600	€3,150

Widowed Parent Bereaved in 2012	€3,150	€2,700

Widowed Parent Bereaved in 2011	€2,700	€2,250

Widowed Parent Bereaved in 2010	€2,250	€1,800

Widowed Parent Bereaved in 2009	€1,800	-

Age Tax Credit	2014	2015

Single or Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner	€245	€245

Married or in a Civil Partnership	€490	€490

Dependent Relative	€70	€70

Home Carer	€810	€810

Income Tax Rates

Personal Tax Credit	2014	2015

Single or Widowed or Surviving civil Partner, without Dependant Children	€32,800 @ 20% Balance @ 41%	€33,800 @ 20% Balance @ 40%

Single or Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner, qualifying for Single Person Child Carer Credit	€36,600 @ 20% Balance @ 41%	€37,800 @ 20% Balance @ 40%

Married or in a Civil Partnership, one Spouse or Civil Partner with Income	€41,800 @ 20% Balance @ 41%	€42,800 @ 20% Balance @ 40%

Married or in a Civil Partnership, both Spouses or Civil Partners with Income	€41,800 @ 20% with increase of 23,800 max. Balance @ 41%	€42,800 @ 20% with increase of 24,800 max. Balance @ 40%

Rent-a-room scheme The threshold for exempt income under the rent-a-room scheme, which applies to sums arising where a person rents out a room or rooms in his or her principal private residance, is being increased from €10,000 to €12,000 per annum.	€10,000	€12,000

Marginal Rate Reliefs

Relief (Allowed at the taxpayer’s top rate of tax)	2014 € MAX	2015 € MAX

Employing a carer	€50,000	€50,000

Mortgage Interest - Tax Relief

Interest paid on qualifying home loans taken out on or after 1 January 2004 and on or before 31 December 2012 will (subject to the exception 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 or widowed and €10,000 for individuals who are unmarried and not in a civil partnership. 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 or widowed and €3,000 for individuals who are unmarried and not in a civil partnership.

Exception

However, notwithstanding the rates of tax relief mentioned above, for individuals who purchased their first principal private residence 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, be 30%.

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

Rent Tax Relief

Relief for rent credit will be withdrawn on a phased basis over the next 6 years by reducing the amount of rent that can be relieved at the standard rate of income tax as indicated in the following table.

Tax Year	Single Under 55	Single Over 55	Widowed/ Married under 55	Widowed/ Married over 55

2010	€2,000	€4,000	€4,000	€8,000

2011	€1,600	€3,200	€3,200	€6,400

2012	€1,200	€2,400	€2,400	€4,800

2013	€1,000	€2,000	€2,000	€3,600

2014	€800	€1,600	€1,600	€3,200

2015	€600	€1,200	€1,200	€2,400

2016	€400	€800	€800	€1,600

2017	€200	€400	€400	€800

2018	€0	€0	€0	€0

Claimants who were not renting at 7 December 2010 and who subsequently enter into a rental agreement will not be able to claim relief.

Exemption Limits

Personal Circumstances	2014	2015

Single or Widowed or a Surviving Civil Partner, 65 years of age and over	€18,000	€18,000

Married or in a Civil Partnership, 65 years of age & over	€36,000	€36,000

Marginal Relief Tax Rate	40%*	40%*

* The above exemption limits are increased by €575 for each of the first two dependent children and by €830 for the third and subsequent children.
* Marginal Relief may apply, subject to an income limit of twice the relevant exemption limit.