Whoever said PRSI was just another stealth tax can eat their words! Er, well maybe not – but there is a hidden entitlement that most of us are unaware of and so, are missing out on a freebie from the government. And who doesn’t love a freebie?!
Image via thejournal.ie
Before you get all excited though, it’s probably the thing that we all dread most – a trip to the dentist! And, by paying PRSI you are actually entitled to a free annual dental check-up. But, if you are like the majority of people in Ireland, you haven’t been making use of your freebie.
In fact, according to thejournal.ie, out of almost two million people who are entitled to a free examination as a result of paying PRSI contributions, less than 15 per cent actually made use of it last year.
As with all things, the scheme used to cover a whole range of treatments – including fillings, root canal, x-rays and dentures – but this has been cut back to only include the annual check-up.
Don’t forget you can always claim back 20% of your expenses for “non-routine dental work” such as crowns, bridgework, orthodontic treatment and many others. Unfortunately, this doesn’t included the likes of fillings and x-rays (Why? Who knows!). But, non-routine dental can be claimed directly from Revenue or you can hand it all over to your tax agent (such as ourselves!), who will claim it all back for you.
If you’re anything like me, visits to the dentist are put on the long finger. But, now that I can get my check-up for free, I may just book in for mine.
Post Written by Nerilie Watson