Navigating double taxation agreements in retirement planning
DTAs shape the taxation of lump sums and annuities. This is what financial advisers can do to preserve clients’ retirement benefits.
#retirementsavings
Two-pot system reshapes behaviour, but retirement gaps remain
The two-pot system has changed how members check balances and withdraw funds, but evidence shows the reform alone won’t fix long-term retirement shortfalls.
Australia’s playbook: what SA can learn to fix its retirement crisis
Old Mutual’s Michelle Acton tells IRFA delegates that Australia’s superannuation system provides a roadmap for boosting coverage and retirement outcomes.
Two-pot system could quadruple South Africans’ savings, Discovery says
Despite fears of mass withdrawals, early data shows most members are preserving their two-pot savings – a shift that could leave South Africans up to four times wealthier in retirement.
Umbrella funds boom – advisers should assess fit, not just fees
For smaller employers facing rising compliance and governance costs, umbrella funds usually deliver better cost-efficiency and reduced fiduciary risk.
Average living annuity drawdown rate drops below 6% for the first time since 2011
Strong market returns and rising balances have prompted many retirees to reduce withdrawals – a trend ASISA encourages annuitants to maintain.
SA’s growth outlook brightens – but personal inflation could dim the gains
Old Mutual’s Johann Els says rising personal inflation could quietly erode household finances and retirement savings – making it vital to save early and more.
Tribunal dismisses N-e-FG executives’ ‘restorative justice offer’
In exchange for their admissions, they sought to substitute their debarments with an undertaking to repay R470m in client losses.
Pay and pension gaps leave women financially vulnerable in retirement
Discovery’s analysis shows that women retire with 21% fewer assets than men – driven by a 24% pay gap, unequal caregiving burdens, and conservative fund choices.
South Africans need spending discipline to turn financial plans into reality
Fewer people are pausing contributions or dipping into investments, yet many doubt they’ll have enough for a comfortable retirement, according to the Savings & Investment Monitor.
Two-pot’s billion-rand bill: future fund members could carry the cost
The FSCA finds wildly inconsistent withdrawal charges under the two-pot retirement system, with some members paying up to R750 per transaction.
South Africans swipe more, save less as financial strain deepens
The SpendTrend25 report reveals how high interest rates and stagnant incomes are pushing consumers towards credit, loyalty rewards, and early retirement withdrawals.
Groceries, gadgets and gaps: where two-pot savings are really going
Sanlam reports that most withdrawals came from financially strained members in mid-life, with little evidence that funds were used to reduce debt. Instead, spending patterns suggest pressure to cover everyday expenses.
Retirement pot withdrawals could undermine long-term savings
Danie van Zyl of Sanlam Corporate Investments warns that allowing access to retirement components in retrenchment cases might jeopardise long-term savings and place added pressure on trustees.
Life insurers pay a record R639 billion in 2024
Sales of recurring-premium savings policies continued to improve, while lapses of risk policies declined.
Budget: Key changes for taxpayers and investors
Watch Moonstone Update for an overview of some of the stories covered in the past week’s Investment Indicators and Moonstone Monitor. This weeks update focuses on the budget Income tax brackets, medical tax […]
Two-pot withdrawals linked to surge in used car sales
The Bureau of Market Research discloses what South Africans have done with their savings benefit withdrawals since September 2024.
