Three completely different tax regimes apply to what most people think of as "just investing" in Ireland. An ETF or pooled fund is taxed under the 38% exit-tax "gross roll-up" regime with deemed disposal every 8 years; an individual share or investment trust is taxed under 33% CGT only when you actually sell; and the same money routed through a pension grows with no tax at all until you draw it down. This calculator runs the same contribution through all three.
The ETF path compounds your contributions and applies exit tax on the unrealised gain every 8 years, funded by redeeming units, then again on the remaining gain at final sale. The shares path compounds untouched and applies 33% CGT once, at the end, less the €1,270 annual exemption. The pension path grosses up your net monthly outlay by your marginal Income Tax relief rate, compounds with zero tax on growth, and applies one assumed flat rate at withdrawal — a simplification, since real pension decumulation involves a tax-free lump sum and ARF rules of its own.
It comes down to which regime the fund falls under. Most retail ETFs and pooled funds are "investment undertakings" taxed under the exit-tax/gross-roll-up regime — 38% from 1 January 2026, with no annual exemption, no loss relief against other gains, and a deemed disposal every 8 years. A direct shareholding or an investment trust (a company, not a fund) is taxed under ordinary CGT rules instead — 33%, with the €1,270 annual exemption, and no tax event until you actually sell.
On pure numbers, usually yes for the accumulation phase — no exit tax, no CGT, no deemed disposal, plus relief on the way in. The trade-off is access: pension money is locked up until retirement age, while ETFs and shares can be sold whenever you want, which is worth real money if you might need the cash sooner.
No — the exit tax paid at each 8-year deemed disposal is creditable against the tax due when you eventually make a real disposal, which this calculator models by resetting the cost basis after each event. What it does cost you is compounding: money paid out in tax at year 8 can't keep growing for the next 8 years the way it would have in a share or pension.
Figures are estimates for informational purposes only, based on the assumptions you enter, and are not tax advice. Consult a tax advisor or Revenue.ie before making financial decisions.