Saving for education   

Discover all of our savings and investment options suitable for education savings

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Investment Excellence Award & Pension Provider Excellence Award, Brokers Ireland, 2014 - 2025. No awards held in 20201.
Pensions and Life Assurance Company of the Year, InBUSINESS Recognition Awards, 2017 - 20252.
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Regular savings

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Save regularly for at least five years from €100 per month.

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Option to vary regular payments.

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Option to access your savings without penalties.

Regular savings

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Investment bond

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Invest a lump sum of over €5,000 for at least five years.

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Move and switch between a range of investment funds.

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Option to access your savings without penalties.

Investment bond

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Combined option

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Invest a lump sum and make regular contributions for at least five years.

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Ideal if you do not need instant access to your savings.

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Benefits of regular savings and investment bonds

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Excellent investment fund choice to suit your attitude to risk.

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Login to Zurich’s Client Centre to see how your savings are performing.

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Potential to earn a good return on your savings and investments.

Saving in a tax-efficient manner

The Small Gift Exemption allows you to gift up to €3,000 from any one individual (€6,000 from a married couple) each calendar year to another person, completely free from Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT). These gifts also do not affect your lifetime tax-free thresholds for CAT.

Zurich has developed the Small Gift Saver (Child Savings Plan), which allows you to invest in our full range of investment funds while you can make full use of the annual gift tax exemption.

Small Gift Saver (Child's Saving Plan)

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For parents, god-parents and relatives (donor) who would like to save for a child's future.

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Invest in our full range of investment funds at the start of the policy. Your fund choice applies for the life of the plan.

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Legally assign the plan to the donee (child), making full use of the annual gift tax exemption limit of €3,000 from any individual (€6,000 from a married couple).

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Upon encashment / payout of the policy, the donee is entitled to the proceeds thereof. Benefit is payable to the child once the child reaches 18 - otherwise it is paid to the parent/ guardian but for the benefit of the child.

What savings plan should I choose?

The plan you choose depends on your needs and on your attitude to risk, so it's a good idea to get financial advice.

How your savings could grow in the Prisma 4 fund

The table below illustrates just how much your regular savings could grow with a Zurich Savings plan. For example, if you saved €100 of the Government child benefit every month for eighteen years (as of June 2026) in the Prisma 4 fund from when your child was born, by the time they started college you could have built up savings of €28,608 in time to help fund this crucial stage in their education.

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A gross investment return of 6% per annum has been used in these savings fund illustrations. We have assumed that on death, encashment, partial encashment or assignment of the policy or on each 8th policy anniversary, tax is deducted on the gains made at the current rate of taxation being 38%. A government insurance levy, currently 1% as at June 2026 and may change in the future, applies to this policy. No surrender penalties apply. An annual management charge of 1.35% and an allocation rate of 101% apply. The information contained herein is based on Zurich Life’s understanding of current Revenue practice as of June 2026 and may change in the future.

Our Prisma investment funds

Risk targeted

Each Prisma Fund aims to maximise long-term capital growth while targeting the specific level of risk appropriate to you. 

Diversified

Each Prisma Fund is fully diversified and can include investments in equities (the stockmarket), bonds, property, cash and alternatives (such as oil and gold).

Built on expertise

The Zurich investment team consists of experienced and highly-qualified investment specialists, with a proven track record of making the right investment decisions at the right times.

Actively managed 

The Prisma Funds are actively managed by the Zurich Investment team. This means that it is our fund managers that make the specific investments within each fund. It also means our investment managers can respond to market movements as and when they happen.

Great value 

Today’s investors want an investment solution that meets their needs, but they are also conscious about price. The Prisma Funds have been designed with these investors in mind - they provide risk appropriate solutions - and are very competitively priced

How much will your children's education cost you?

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Our Cost of Secondary School Calculator is a tool that helps you work out how much you need to save to cover the costs of putting children through secondary school.

Use our Cost of College Education Calculator to work out the estimated costs of sending your children to college and to see how much you might need to save each month to meet these college costs.

Questions

Which of these options is actually right for my child’s education?

The right choice depends on factors like your child’s age, how long you have to save, whether you prefer regular savings, a lump‑sum contribution, or both, and how much flexibility you want. Because no two families are the same, an advisor can help match the most suitable option to your specific goals, so you don't have to compare products on your own.

How much should I realistically be saving?

College and education costs can vary widely, and many parents are unsure whether what they’re saving is enough or even where to start. The amount needed depends on future education costs, how long you have to save, and how your savings are invested. An advisor can help estimate realistic monthly or lump‑sum contributions and show how different levels of saving may impact the outcome over time.

Can I afford the risk?

Savings and investment options are designed with different levels of risk and potential return. Parents are often concerned about market fluctuations, especially as their child gets closer to college age. An advisor can explain how risk works, help you choose an approach that matches your comfort level, and adjust the strategy over time to help protect what you’ve built up.

What happens if life changes?

Parents worry about committing to a plan if their circumstances change, for example, if income fluctuates, priorities shift, or education plans change altogether. While many options offer flexibility, the terms can differ. An advisor can help explain what flexibility is available, such as changing contributions or accessing funds, so you understand your options before starting.

Am I doing this in a tax‑efficient way?

Tax can have a significant impact on long‑term savings, yet it’s often complicated and easy to misunderstand. Different savings and investment options can be taxed in different ways, particularly when money is taken out. An advisor can explain how tax applies in plain language and help ensure your approach is as tax‑efficient as possible for your situation.

Who owns the savings and who controls the money?

Many parents want to be sure they remain in control of the savings until the money is actually needed for education. Ownership and control can vary depending on how a plan is set up. An advisor can clarify who owns the policy, who makes decisions, and when control may pass to your child helping you avoid misunderstandings later.

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Apply online for a regular savings plan

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Not sure where to start from?

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Warning: The value of your investment may go down as well as up.
Warning: If you invest in these products you may lose some or all of the money you invest.
Warning: This product may be affected by changes in currency exchange rates.
Warning: These figures are estimates only. They are not a reliable guide to the future performance of your investment.
Warning: The income you earn from this investment may go down as well as up.
Warning: Past performance is not a reliable guide to future performance.

1Investment Excellence Award & Pension Provider Excellence Award, Brokers Ireland, 2014 - 2025. No awards held in 2020. 

2Pensions and Life Assurance Company of the Year, InBUSINESS Recognition Awards, 2025.