Retirement Planning Council

29/08/2026

🤗 Self-care refers to the intentional actions, practices, and behaviours that anyone can adopt to maintain and improve their overall well-being, encompassing physical, mental, and social health.

26/08/2026

'The course was excellent, very informative and presented very well. I will be recommending the course to colleagues'

'Excellent program, should be mandatory retirement prep. Would save a lot of stress, apprehension & possible future heartache for many.'

'I found the pre-retirement course delivered by RPC fantastic.'

➡️ Book your retirement planning course at www.rpc.ie.

21/08/2026

Can time spent working abroad count towards social welfare benefits in Ireland?

Yes, if you’ve spent time working outside Ireland, you may still be able to count contributions towards your Irish state pension and other benefits. However, it’s only if you don’t qualify for benefits based on your Irish record that you would look at time spent abroad.

You may also qualify for payments from other countries; it’s not always one or the other. But it depends on where you worked and the agreements that are in place.

We recommend contacting the Department of Social Protection (DSP) or your local Intreo Centre for specific advice at least 6 months in advance of reaching pension age. You should be able to provide details of where you worked, when and for which employers.

Our Planning for Retirement programme covers this topic in more detail. You can book a place on our programmes at www.rpc.ie

18/08/2026

💪 When you perform resistance exercises, your muscles are challenged to contract against force. This causes small, controlled muscle fibre breakdowns, which the body repairs and rebuilds stronger over time.

From the age of 30 onwards, adults naturally lose 3–8% of muscle mass per decade if they don’t actively work to maintain it.

Here’s why resistance training should be part of your routine:

✅ Boosts Energy & Focus: Stronger muscles, improved posture, circulation, and productivity.

✅ Protects Bone & Joint Health: Especially important after 35 to prevent age-related decline.

✅ Reduces Stress & Lifts Mood: A proven way to combat burnout and improve mental wellbeing.

✅ Future-Proofs Your Body: Building strength today to stay mobile, independent, and healthy later on.

Start small, stay consistent, and your future self will thank you.

15/08/2026

☀️ Happy National Relaxation Day! ☀️

After years of hard work, deadlines, and busy schedules, retirement can offer the chance to enjoy life's quieter pleasures.

Today is the perfect reminder to put your feet up, take a deep breath, and do something that brings you joy. Whether that's meeting friends for a chat, spending time with family, enjoying a hobby, or simply sitting back and watching the world go by.

Because relaxation isn't about doing nothing, it's about doing what makes you happy.

What does relaxation look like for you?☺️

10/08/2026

Stress is something everyone experiences at different points in life, but when it becomes constant it can affect sleep, mood, focus and long-term health.

As retirement approaches, change can bring new sources of stress, such as financial worries, uncertainty about daily routine or adjusting to a different pace of life.

Taking time to manage stress is not a luxury, it is an investment in your wellbeing.

Here are a few small things we can do to reduce stress:

🚶‍♂️ Light exercise such as walking, yoga or swimming.
🤝 Spending time with friends and talking things through.
🧘Practising relaxation with meditation or journaling.
💻 Learning something new, such as a recipe or skill.

Wellbeing is a part of every course offered by the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland. Our programmes go beyond finances to help people build confidence, resilience and a positive outlook for the years ahead.

Find out more about our courses on retirement at rpc.ie/courses.

07/08/2026

Why take an RPC course?

Retirement isn’t just about finances - it’s about your future lifestyle, wellbeing, and sense of purpose 🌿

An RPC course can help you prepare for this next chapter with confidence.

Here’s why it’s worth considering:
✔️ Take a holistic approach - covering finance, health, legal matters, and lifestyle.
✔️ Build a personalised retirement plan tailored to your goals.
✔️ Understand key topics like social welfare, taxation, and entitlements.
✔️ Learn how to navigate the emotional and social changes retirement brings.
✔️ Gain lifetime access to expert support even after the course ends.

With over 50 years of experience supporting people across Ireland, our courses are designed to help you make the most of your retirement - not just prepare for it!

Start planning today for a more confident tomorrow. Find out more at www.rpc.ie

01/08/2026

Retirement planning is often seen as a numbers game focused on pensions, savings, and financial security. But a happy and fulfilling retirement is about so much more.

In this episode of Talkabout, Deirdre Walsh is joined by Paul Kenny, Programme Leader with the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland, to discuss the key concerns people have about retirement and why it's never too early to start planning for the future.

🎧 Listen here:

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29/07/2026

🔊 Our Programme Leader, Paul Kenny, joined Sally-Ann Barrett on Midlands 103 on Saturday to share insights from our latest research and discuss what the findings mean for retirement planning.

👂Listen to the full podcast here:

Saturday Focus with Sally-Ann Barrett

26/07/2026

📰 This Irish Examiner article highlights our research on retirement planning in Ireland, exploring when people start preparing for retirement and their main concerns about this life stage.

💡 The article includes insights from Laura Farrell, CEO of the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland, who stresses that “planning is the key to a successful outcome” and that the sooner people consider the practical, financial and social aspects of retirement, the better prepared they will be to enjoy it.

⬇️ Read the full article here:

Retirement Planning Council of Ireland chief said planning should not be put on the back burner