Revenue moves to ease SSIA maturity fears

The Revenue has moved to reassure SSIA holders that they will receive instructions on how to mature their accounts in accordance…

The Revenue has moved to reassure SSIA holders that they will receive instructions on how to mature their accounts in accordance with the regulations well in advance of the maturation dates.

In a statement today, the Revenue's Collector-General Liam Irwin said: "We are aware that some holders of SSIAs may have concerns about the procedures which they will have to follow at the end of the five-year savings period in order to mature their accounts".

Mr Irwin said: "There is no cause for concern: the first SSIAs will not mature until May 31st 2006; depending on when accounts were commenced, they will mature on a monthly basis thereafter until April 30th 2007.

"This means that the earliest date on which a maturity declaration can be returned is March 1st, 2006. Savers don't have to do anything in the meantime," he said.

READ MORE

The regulations governing the maturity of SSIAs stipulate that for an account holder to get "the maximum benefit" they must make a "maturity declaration" to their financial institution.

The declaration, which can be made at any time in the three-month period ending on the maturity date, will simply confirm that at all times in the period from when the SSIA was commenced until the declaration is made, the holder complied with the terms and conditions of the scheme.

The Revenue and the financial institutions are finalising arrangements to ensure all paperwork can be completed and returned within the timeframe set out in the regulations.