Retirement isn’t the end - it’s the start of something new
People’s greater life expectancy promises a longer retirement. However, it also highlights the importance of investing in a pension to fund the kind of retirement you’d like to be able to afford.
, managing director of Quest Retirement Solutions, advises people to work with their financial broker in order to shape their pension to reflect their goals, their circumstances, and their outlook on life
Did you know that if you retire at 65 in Ireland, you could easily have 20 years or more ahead of you to enjoy? According to the Department of Health, life expectancy here now stands at 82.6 years, one of the highest in Europe, with more than a decade of “healthy life years” after 65.
That is fantastic news for our lifestyles. But a longer, healthier retirement also means we need the financial resources to make those years everything we want them to be. Relying on the State pension alone is unlikely to stretch far enough.
Ireland’s population is changing. Government data shows that in 2022, just over 15% of people were aged 65 or older, and that figure is expected to rise by more than two-thirds by 2050.
The Central Bank of Ireland has warned that the “old-age dependency ratio”, the number of retirees compared to working-age people, stood at 23 per 100 in 2022 and is forecast to almost double to 47 per 100 by 2052.
In simple terms, there will be more people drawing pensions and fewer people paying into the system. That creates real pressure on the State pension. This is why private retirement planning has never been more important.
Unlike standard “one-size-fits-all” pension funds, self-directed pensions give you and your financial broker the freedom to decide how your retirement savings are invested.
That might mean diversifying across shares, bonds, or property. For others it is about choosing more conservative options. The point is simple. It is your money, and you should have a say in how it is managed.
From January 2026, Ireland will introduce a national auto-enrolment pension scheme for employees aged between 23 and 60 who earn more than €20,000 a year and do not already have a pension. It will be a positive step in encouraging more people to save for retirement, but it is important to understand how it works.
Contributions will be shared between employees, employers and the State, and savings will follow workers if they change jobs. However, investment choice will be limited to a default strategy and a small range of alternatives. Contribution levels and drawdown options will also be more restricted than in private arrangements.
By contrast, self-directed pensions offer greater flexibility. You can work with your financial broker to choose investments that suit your goals, vary your contributions, and have more say in how and when you draw down benefits in retirement. For people who want choice and control, the private route gives much more room to shape the future on your own terms.
At Quest, we believe our role is to give people that control. Working with their financial broker, our clients can shape their pension to reflect their goals, their circumstances, and their outlook on life.
In business more than 20 years, Quest have grown to become a leading provider of self-directed pensions in Ireland. Our model is straightforward, we work exclusively through regulated financial brokers, who act as trusted guides for clients.
Your financial broker is there to understand your big picture, your income, your ambitions, even your appetite for risk. Our role is to provide the pension structures and support that make their advice workable in practice.
It is a partnership approach: you, your financial broker, and Quest working together to create a retirement plan that is personal, flexible, and robust.
Clarity is central to what we do. All investments are held securely in individual unit trusts, separate from our own balance sheet, so clients always know exactly what belongs to them.
There is no grey area. You can see precisely what you hold, where it sits, and how it is performing. That transparency matters because pensions are one of the most important financial decisions people will ever make.
We also keep costs competitive, and portability is built in, meaning pensions can move with clients if their circumstances change. For financial brokers, this creates confidence. For clients, it provides peace of mind.
The retirement landscape has been shifting quickly in recent years. Rising living costs, global uncertainty, and a wave of retirements have put financial security firmly on people’s minds. For us, that has translated into remarkable growth.
But our growth has not been about chasing headlines. It has come from supporting financial brokers, listening to clients, and making sure the solutions we provide are genuinely useful. Service has always been at the heart of what we do.
Retirement is no longer a short wind-down. It is a third act, often lasting decades, and filled with opportunities like travelling, family time, and passions that were once put aside. But to make those years rewarding, you need a plan.
The Central Bank notes that with many retiring in their early 60s and living into their 80s, retirement can now last 20 years or more, making financial preparation essential. Think of it like a journey: you set the destination, your financial broker maps the route, and Quest provides the vehicle that gets you there.
Retirement should be something you look forward to, not something you worry about. Our job is to give people the tools and the confidence to make it theirs.
Ireland is changing. We are living longer, healthier lives, but that also means funding longer retirements. With the State pension under pressure, private planning is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity.
At Quest Retirement Solutions, working hand in hand with financial brokers across the country, we are helping thousands of people take control of their financial futures. Our approach is simple: keep it clear, keep it flexible, and keep it personal.
