Middle and upper-class South Africans are earning more than enough to afford comfortable lifestyles, but they need to come to terms with the trade-offs required to ensure that their lifestyles are sustainable well into a long retirement. Andrew...
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What to do if you’ve cashed in your pension fund
The continued mass resignations and cashing-in of pension funds by employees belonging to the Government Employees Pension Fund is a concern that has been highlighted widely. The biggest risk in withdrawing your pension fund is the issue of...
How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions
We know if we want to lose weight we need to eat less and exercise more and we know that in order to grow wealth we must spend less and save more. So why then do we give in and buy the chocolate bar at the counter when we purchase our groceries, or...
Financial tools to keep you on track in 2015
In today's Internet age, keeping yourself on track financially has never been easier. There are a range of websites, smartphone apps and online financial tools to help you along the way. Track expenses and create a budget Find a way to track your...
Prioritising your retirement savings in 2015
Steven Nathan, CEO of 10X Investments, tells us why saving more and spending less is one New Year's resolution we should all be sticking to. Research suggests that most people have abandoned their New Year's resolutions by the beginning of...
Should I pay off my bond with my pension?
If you cashed your pension in to pay off your bond make sure you replace it over time. Sego writes: I have R100 000 from my pension fund which I cashed out last year. I am 30 years old and have a retirement annuity which I took out recently. Should...
Investing a lump sum near retirement
Make sure your retirement is taken care of before you help out your adult children. Themba writes: I have just sold my home for just over R 1 000 000 and would like advice on how to invest the money in a responsible way. In December this year I...
Settle your mortgage or invest the capital?
By Ferdi Booysen, Head of Strategic Relationships at Old Mutual Wealth The higher interest-rate cycle begs the question: is it currently better to use your investable funds to pay off your mortgage or to add to your retirement savings? Recent...
Using dividends to earn an income
When it comes to passive income most people think of property, yet a share portfolio can also be used to generate an income – one that is well diversified, tax efficient and does not require any tenant management. When it comes to investing in...
Preparing for life’s surprises
Our parents’ experiences can teach us a great deal about how we should be making plans for our own futures. My mother, who is now 75 years old and relies on a pension, has seen her food bill increase from R500 per month to R1 200 in just six years...
Previous Articles
New retirement products for a new reality
Recent innovations around retirement products address the issue of how to leave a legacy while still guaranteeing your income in retirement. People generally have two fears when it comes to retirement: firstly, whether they will have sufficient income in retirement,...
How much do I need to retire?
Clifford, like many people nearing the age of 50, is starting to worry about his retirement and whether or not his current savings will be enough to provide a decent income in retirement. “I would like to live on R3 million in my retirement. My mortgage bond will be...
Financial planners vs asset managers: who provides more value?
We should be giving more awards for excellence in financial planning than for excellence in asset management. Over a 30-year period, more than two-thirds of your retirement fund costs will go to the asset manager. In fact in the final year of retirement, the active...
Long-term perspective: about more than just investments
Ensure that the “sandwich generation” is only a one-generation phenomenon, writes Kagisho Mahura In 1974, sociologist Dr Edward Banfield of Harvard University wrote a book entitled The Unheavenly City. In it he described one of the most profound studies on success and...
The truth about retirement reform
Setting the record straight in terms of how the government's proposed retirement reforms will affect you. Over the last few weeks vested interests have tried to create fear and confusion around the proposed retirement reform. Between unions flexing their political...
Using life cover to leave a family legacy
Every parent would like to be able to leave a family legacy to help their offspring get an advantage in life and have a greater chance of creating real wealth in the family. Leaving an inheritance is one of the main goals identified by retirees when it comes to...
Why retirement may be redundant
If you are 45 or younger, forget retirement. Immortality may be within reach in the next 40 years – or at the very least we will all be living a lot longer than we are now. Viresh Maharaj from Sanlam Employment Benefits says that scientists are working on ways to...
When can you withdraw from your retirement annuity?
One of the most common questions we receive about retirement annuities is around when one can withdraw funds from them. The bottom line is that you are unable to access the funds until you retire, unless the entire amount saved in your retirement annuity is less than...
Don’t chase market performance
Steven Nathan, CEO of 10X Investments, warns investors not to be influenced by short-term market performance. Every year, legendary investor Warren Buffett's annual letter to shareholders offers valuable investment advice. In his most recent letter, he reaffirms the...
Are your children wrecking your retirement planning?
Lara Warburton of Imara Asset Management warns of the dangers of putting your children's financial needs before your own. How long should you financially support your children and when do you start looking out for your own future and that of your spouse? It’s a tough...