Mortgage cleared-AVCS?

Well done on being mortgage free. Probably one of the lucky ones who bought 2012 ish.

Yep, push on with the pension and build up a decent pot. It gives you huge options as you move into your 50's and less dependent on paid work.

I was in a similar position OP. Cleared my mortgage in my late 20's and then I immediately started maxing out my AVC.

My own thinking around it was to take advantage of the tax benefit and to ensure that I was building a pot in the most efficient manner possible.

Other savings pots were set up for kid's college and a sinking fund for the house. I had income enough to contribute nicely to each pot.

If you haven’t had kids yet, and you are planning on having kids, I wouldn’t be locking up money for the long term. There are just too many variables, IVF, disabilities, parental leave, education.

Yeah, but he can adjust that from year to year as needed. My limited knowledge of private pension (have a PRSA) is that you specify a retirement date when setting it up, so money locked in till then. Maybe this can be changed too at any stage if need arises, I never bothered enquiring.

I suppose the other thing people do with spare cash is that great Irish thing to buy property and become a 'mom & pop' landlord etc. Loads of pros and cons I'm sure.

Things change. Share prices crash. Businesses close. Entire markets crash. Adults experience disabilities or mental health issues. Relationships break up.

Plan for the unexpected.

That's a very positive take on where you stand, I agree 100% with your attitude. Especially compared to the doom and gloom in the previous post. Which I read to suggest ('plan for the unexpected') that you should stash all your spare cash in a bank account. In which case (as you pointed out), it would gradually be eaten away by inflation.

The point is much higher growth than leaving the same funds in the bank. The tax and CGT impacts are the same either way.

Lots of people invest outside of their pensions, either to be able to access their funds on demand, or because they've maxed out their pension contributions.

I wasn't comparing to a pension fund. I was comparing it to leaving funds in the bank, the option that the OP seemed to be outlining.

If you're happy with the restrictions on getting access to your funds, then yes, it is a much better option.

This.

You’re a man with assets. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you could lose half of it.