Most property investors in Ireland are leaving thousands of euros on the table.

In this episode of Ask About Wealth, Paul sits down with Philip O’Connor, Managing Director of CA Partners, a specialist in capital allowances for property investors and businesses. Philip reveals how Irish taxpayers, individuals, landlords, and business owners are missing out on legitimate tax relief simply because they don’t know it exists or lack the right expertise to claim it.


✅ What capital allowances are and why they matter

✅ Why most accountants don’t identify all the allowances you’re entitled to

✅ How you can retroactively claim allowances for up to 4 years and get cash refunds from Revenue


✅ The kind of properties and expenses that qualify


✅ Two real client examples where missed claims turned into tens of thousands in savings

00:00 Introduction to the Ask About Wealth Podcast

00:29 Meet Philip O'Connor: Capital Allowances Specialist

02:02 Understanding Capital Allowances

02:26 Types of Capital Allowances

04:15 Claiming Capital Allowances: Process and Benefits

08:11 Missed Opportunities and Retroactive Claims

13:32 Detailed Breakdown of Property Purchases

22:41 Client Case Study: Rental Properties

23:25 Analysing and Correcting Tax Claims

24:22 Significant Tax Savings for Clients

29:04 The Importance of Specialist Expertise

36:31 The Role of Revenue in Tax Claims

40:46 Encouraging Property Owners to Claim Allowances

If you own an investment property, are developing or refurbishing a building, or have spent serious money on your business premises, you’re probably entitled to more tax relief than you think.

This episode could put money back in your pocket.

Join The Masterclass:

https://askaboutwealth.ie/MasteringYourFinances

Ask About Wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth:

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

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Should You Repay Your Mortgage Early? The Pros & Cons Explained.

In this episode, we delve into the question of whether you should repay your mortgage early. With recent statistics showing substantial mortgage debt in Ireland, we examine the pros and cons of early repayment versus investing the money.

Utilising real-life examples and detailed calculations, we compare the financial and emotional impacts of both strategies. From guaranteed returns and peace of mind to opportunity costs and investment returns, this comprehensive guide will help you make an informed decision based on your financial priorities and risk appetite.

Join The Masterclass:

https://askaboutwealth.ie/MasteringYourFinances

Ask About Wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth:

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Ask About Wealth, Paul tackles one of the most misunderstood yet life-changing ideas in finance: the FIRE movement, Financial Independence, Retire Early. With just 3% of Irish people believing they can retire by 55, Paul explores why the majority are stuck in the rat race and how you can break free.

Learn how to calculate your financial freedom number, avoid the traps set by biased financial advice, and understand the real impact of tax and fees on your wealth. This episode offers a clear, actionable roadmap to becoming financially free, even if you’re starting late.

Key Takeaways:

• The 5 essential questions you must answer to calculate your “freedom number”
• How tax and fees silently erode your wealth, and how to stop it
• Why investing through a pension can double your return vs. doing it personally
• How starting early (like Alex) can shave 10+ years off your working life
• Why most financial advice is biased, and what impartial advice really looks like

You can use the Financial Freedom calculator here:

https://askaboutwealth.ie/tools/financial-freedom-calculator

Join The Masterclass:

https://askaboutwealth.ie/MasteringYourFinances

Ask About Wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth:

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Ask About Wealth, Paul sits down with Andrea McNamara, Director, Private Client Law at EY Ireland, to dissect the real-life pitfalls of inheritance planning in Ireland. From outdated wills to misunderstood tax implications.

• When and how wills can be legally challenged 
• Common clauses that sound good but can cause major problems later
• How trusts and family partnerships can be powerful tools in legacy planning
• Why high-net-worth families often need a more sophisticated structure than just a will

If you want to understand inheritance tax in Ireland, then this episode is essential listening.

Join The Masterclass:

https://askaboutwealth.ie/MasteringYourFinances

Ask About Wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth:

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Using a cautionary tale from the Celtic Tiger days and hard-earned experience, Paul exposes how biased information leads to poor decisions, and why impartial guidance is rarer (and more valuable) than most people realise.

Key Takeaways:

• The costly Budapest property story every investor should hear
• How to tell if your financial advice is truly independent
• Why even factually correct information can still mislead
• The one rule Ireland’s wealthy follow, and you should too

If you want to make smarter, more informed financial decisions, without getting sold to then this episode is essential listening.

Join The Masterclass:

https://askaboutwealth.ie/MasteringYourFinances

Ask About Wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth:

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealthJoin the Masterclass:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Paul sits down once again with Aidan McLoughlin, Group Managing Director of ITC, to discuss how pensions can be used far beyond traditional retirement saving, as powerful tools for long-term wealth accumulation, tax sheltering, property investment, and legacy planning.

They also dig into Malta-based retirement structures, why more Irish clients are using them, and how they can legally reduce tax and increase flexibility.

Some episode highlights:

•The overlooked tax and asset protection benefits of private pension structures

•How Irish pension rules compare to Malta’s, and why flexibility matters

•Pension borrowing, non-recourse lending, and property investing within your fund

•The mistake in pension death benefits most people don’t see coming

•Why early pension planning is now more crucial than ever

This is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, consultants, and professionals looking to preserve wealth, protect family assets, and retire on their own terms.

Join The Masterclass:

https://askaboutwealth.ie/MasteringYourFinances

Ask About Wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth:

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealthJoin the Masterclass:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Paul talks with private equity expert Kevin MacSweeny about how entrepreneurs can release equity, unlock value, and scale their businesses. Without losing control.

Key takeaways:

• Why equity release can help founders de-risk and still double or triple their business
• The difference between working in the business vs. on the business, and why it matters
• Why minority equity stakes don’t mean minority control (if structured properly)
• How private investors access deals with real ownership and alignment, not just products
• What kind of businesses attract private equity: the numbers, the mindset, and the journey

Ask about wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth.

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sole Trader vs. Partnership vs. Limited Company: Which is Best for Your Business in Ireland?

In this video, we delve into the three primary business structures in Ireland. Sole tradership, partnership, and limited companies. We explore the tax implications, risks, and wealth creation potential associated with each structure.

Learn why limited companies often offer superior tax benefits and greater asset protection. If you're deciding on the best structure for your business, this video provides essential insights to help you make an informed choice.

Ask about wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth.

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Markets are down, headlines are panicking, but should you be?

In this episode, Paul explains why most investors worry at exactly the wrong time and how to stay calm, rational, and profitable when markets drop.

💡 You’ll learn:

- Why "you haven’t lost money" unless you sell

- How pensions = stock market exposure (whether you realise it or not)

- The truth about lifestyle funds and automatic sell signals

- Why capitalism is built to boom and bust

- The McIlroy mindset every long-term investor needs

If you’re invested in the stock market directly or through a pension this is essential listening.

Ask about wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth.

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week on the Ask About Wealth Podcast

Not all investments are created equal, and not all of them should do the same job.

In this episode, Paul breaks down the real reason most people mess up their investment strategy, and how to avoid it with the core and satellite approach.

💡 You’ll learn:

• Why your investment objectives matter more than your attitude to risk
• How to separate financial freedom assets from surplus assets
• The mistake of drawing income from growth-focused investments
• Why the financial industry’s idea of “risk” is actually just volatility
• How to match the right asset class to the right goal, using decades of history, not guesswork

This is essential listening if you’re building, protecting, or passing on serious wealth.

Ask about wealth helps Ireland’s high earners preserve and grow wealth.

https://linktr.ee/askaboutwealth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.