BUDGET 2016 TAX CHANGES BREAKDOWN

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Now that the highly anticipated and much talked about budget for 2016 has been announced, the one thing on everyone’s minds is “how will this affect me, am I really any better off now?” In the hope of clearing some of the most important topics of interest from the budget up for you, we have compiled a breakdown of the major changes in terms of tax.

Most changes are expected to come into effect on 1st January 2016.

Income Tax:

  • No changes in income tax announced for 2016.

PRSI for Employees:

  • There were some cuts to PRSI announced for lower paid workers announced in this budget. Employees earning between €19,552 and €21,355 can now access relief of up to €624 per year. There will also be some relief for those earning between €21,355 and €22,048.

PRSI for Employers:

  • Employers should also see a reduction in the cost PRSI as it was announced that the 8.5% rate would be made available to those who earn up to €19,552 which is an increase in threshold of over €1,000

Universal Social Charge (USC):

  • All bands reduced on all earnings up to €70,044.

2015                                        2016

1.5%                                        1%

3.5%                                        3%

7%                                           5.5%

  • Entry threshold for USC increased from €12,012 to €13,000.
  • Threshold for 3% rate widened to over €18,688 which is an increase of over €1000.
  • Threshold for 5.5% rate widened.

Tax Credit for the Self-Employed:

  • An earned income tax credit of €500 was introduced for those who are self-employed, farmers, and those business owners who are not eligible for a PAYE credit (which stands at €1,650) on their income.

Tax Credit for Home Carers:

  • The tax credit for home carers is to increase from €810 to €1,000.

Tax Increases on Products:

  • The only tax increase seen on products in Budget 2016 is a 50cent increase on a packet of 20 cigarettes. There was no sign of the proposed tax on sugar.

That’s it for our rundown of the main tax changes for Budget 2016, stay tuned for more updates and advice from us following on from these Budget announcements.

If you have any queries or concerns about how budget 2016 will affect your finances, please don’t hesitate tocontact us at DCA Accountants.