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The Aviva Retail Master Trust is designed to support single‑member pension arrangements. It operates under one legal trust with a single trustee board overseeing the entire structure, while each employer maintains its own dedicated section within the overall arrangement.
The Trustee plays a vital role, holding ultimate responsibility for the scheme’s investments and ensuring it delivers effectively for its members. They are supported by Key Function Holders, Grant Thornton as Internal Audit Partner and LCP as Risk Manager.
The Aviva Retail Master Trust is suitable for both regular and single contributions, offering a simple and effective way for your clients to invest in their future. Clients can choose from a ready‑made default investment solution or opt for a more hands‑on approach by building a bespoke portfolio made up of selected funds and/or individual assets.
Aviva Retail Master Trust at a glance:
A range of investment solutions to meet the needs of different types of clients.
We offer a choice of flexible commission and pricing options.
Regular: €100 monthly or €1,000 yearly. Single: €5,000.
We offer responsible investment options across our range.
Is a Retail Master Trust the right choice for your client?
Aviva recognises that employers have an important choice to make when it comes ensuring they meet any regulatory requirements for pensions provision including IORP II and Auto Enrolment.
The Aviva Retail Master Trust will provide comfort that all requirements are met and includes a number of benefits:
| My Future ARF ESG Lifestyle Strategy | This is the default investment strategy of the Retail Master Trust. This innovative, personalised, and cost-effective pension investment solution gradually and automatically reduces the risk profile of your customer’s pension savings as they near retirement. |
| Flexible Contributions | Contributions to the Retail Master Trust start from as little as €100 per month and/or single contributions (including AVCs) from as little as €5,000. |
| Competitive and Transparent Pricing | With highly competitive fund management charges and no switching fees or early exit penalties, Aviva offer a highly competitive and transparent pricing structure. |
| Membership | Our Retail Master Trust plans are suitable for employers with up to five members only. |
| Aviva Online Service Centre | With Aviva's Online Service Centre, your customers can see the value of their pension, the funds their pension is invested in, and the amount invested in each fund. They can also use online tools like our investment suitability tool, and view and download their policy documents. |
| Investments that work for you | Aviva is the best place to invest to safeguard your clients' retirement, whether they want a ready-made multi-asset solution or a tailored portfolio of funds which they have chosen with you. |
Our Fund Options
Explore our investment products and solutions across asset classes
Funds
Aviva Investors
Funds
Property Funds
Funds
SDIO
1 The following funds are not available across certain products:
Corporate Master Trust – not available: World Allocation Funds, Global Short Fixed Income Fund, AIMS Target Return Fund (Ireland), Physical Gold Fund, Global Leaders Equity Fund, Global Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Global Smaller Companies Equity Fund, Stewardship Ethical Fund, Global Equity ESG Passive Fund, European Equity ESG Passive Fund, and Emerging Markets Index Fund.
Approved Retirement Funds (ARF) – not available: Lifestyle Strategies
Savings & Investments – not available: Lifestyle Strategies and Self-Directed Investment Option (SDIO)
PRSA – not available: Self-Directed Investment Option (SDIO)
Retail Master Trust Product and Charges Summary Option A
Retail Master Trust Product and Charges Summary Option B
Retail Master Trust Product and Charges Summary Option C
Retail Master Trust Product and Charges Summary Option D
Retail Master Trust Product and Charges Summary Option S
Retirement Claims:
All documents on this page are downloadable PDFs that brokers may save, retain and store to support CPC compliance and client record‑keeping.
Retail Master Trust
Retail Master Trust
Funds
Tools
Requirements for common amendments on existing policies.
For the Aviva Retail Master Trust the minimum age is 19 next birthday and the maximum age is 67 next birthday.
Any employee or company director whose income is taxed under Schedule E. Members can only use money they’ve earned from an employment that falls within this category. Income outside of members’ employment remuneration can’t be used to save in the Aviva Retail Master Trust. The likes of rental income, foreign income and untaxed interest are not eligible.
There’s no limit to the amount a member can pay into their plan – and they can increase their contributions at any time – but tax relief is only available on amounts up to a certain level depending on their income, age and Revenue limits. This is set out in the table below:
| Age attained during the year | Tax relief limit |
| Under age 30 | 15% |
| 30 to 39 | 20% |
| 40 to 49 | 25% |
| 50 to 54 | 30% |
| 55 to 59 | 35% |
| Aged 60 and above | 40% |
There’s a limit on how much of a member’s earnings can be taken into account for the purposes of the above percentages. The maximum earnings limit is currently set at €115,000. So, if a member’s earnings are greater than this figure their tax relief will only be based on their earnings up to €115,000 – anything above that limit doesn’t qualify for tax relief.
Tax relief reduces the real cost of a pension. Members receive tax relief (which falls within the limits set out above) on the money they put into a pension. An example of how this works is set out below:
Monthly pension contribution = €100
Tax relief @ 40% = €40
Total net monthly cost = €60
Alternatively, if they pay income tax at the 20% rate, their tax relief will be €20 and their total net monthly cost will be €80.
Employers usually take the member’s contributions directly from their salary – in which case the tax relief is instant. Employers receive tax relief on any contributions the company makes towards a pension plan for their employees (once the contributions are within the agreed limits).
If a member changes jobs, they may be able to take their pension plan with them, so they aren’t tied down to working for just one employer throughout their career. On the other hand, where a new individual becomes eligible to join the Aviva Retail Master Trust, they may be able to transfer-in their accumulated pension funds from previous employments.
Ordinarily, once a member has put money into a pension plan, they can’t withdraw it until they reach age 60 unless they retire early.
If a member has to retire early because of ill health, they can take their benefits from their pension immediately.
If a member dies before they retire, we’ll pay the value of their pension plan is payable to their estate within approproate Revenue limits.
No. They can’t transfer the rights to their pension plan to a bank or another institution as security for a loan.
The minimum investment period for paying regular contributions to the Aviva Retail Master Trust is 3 years.
Employers and members can pay regular or single contributions to the pension plan. The Aviva Retail Master Trust can also accept transfers from other relevant pension arrangements – these would usually be paid as electronic fund transfers from other institutions.
Yes. Employers or members can increase contributions at any time. They can also reduce contributions to the minimum allowed (which is €100 monthly or €1,000 yearly) or take a break from making contributions.
However, don’t forget that reducing or stopping contributions will affect the value of the member’s pension fund when they retire.
Yes. When taking out a pension, you can choose to have contributions increase by 5% each year.
Download the Trustee Annual Report for the period ending 31 December 2025
To support you as a membre of the Aviva Corporate Master Trust, the following additional information is also available:
Our video library
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Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland Designated Activity Company, is a private company limited by shares, registered in Ireland No. 165970. Registered office at Building 12, Cherrywood Business Park, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin, D18 W2P5. Tel (01) 898 7950, www.aviva.ie
Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland Designated Activity Company, trading as Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland and Friends First, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
