There is no better way to save for retirement than by investing in a pension fund. However, with hundreds of funds available, choosing the right one is as complicated as ever. This is problematic, as being in the wrong fund can be catastrophic for your retirement savings.

Unfortunately, there are tens of thousands of people who are contributing significant portions of their salaries into pension funds that have been underperforming for many years.

Best Pension Funds by Provider

So over the past five years, which pension funds have seen the highest and lowest cumulative growth from Ireland’s main providers? Select a pension provider below to see some of their best and worst performing funds over the past five years.

With pension plans tailored to those saving for retirement in Ireland, Acorn Life is the only pension provider to record positive growth across all of its pension funds over the past three and five years.

Zurich is one of Ireland’s leading pension providers, with dozens of pension funds available. Zurich’s Prisma family is its most popular range of pension funds. The largest is Prisma 4 – with a fund size of €2.7 billion.

Aviva is one of Ireland’s largest pension providers and is known for its Multi-Asset ESG funds, among others. Its largest fund is the Aviva High Yield fund, with a size of €1.68 billion.

Irish Life is Ireland’s largest provider of pensions by number of funds available and reach. The provider’s largest fund, the Irish Life Consensus Life has a fund size of €5.20 billion.

New Ireland has Ireland’s top performing fund over the past five years – the New Ireland Technology Indexed Fund, which recorded over 140% growth.

standard-life

Standard Life’s best performing pension funds over the past 5 years have been those heavily invested in North American equities.

Best Pension Funds Based on Life Stage

The best pension fund for you depends on a number of factors, of which performance will play a role. However there are many things to consider before making a decision. 

That’s why our series of life stage pension guides based on your life age will give you tailored advice on contributions, tax incentives, risk management, inheritance, and much more, based on your current age.

Best funds for your 30s

High Growth

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Best funds for your 40s

Balanced Approach

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Best funds for your 50s

Moderate Risk

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Best funds for your 60s

Capital Preservation

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The best time to review your pension is now, and the best place to start is here: