Before signing up for a retirement annuity make sure you understand what type of policy you are signing up for and the financial consequences should you not be able to maintain your premiums. When Neil could no longer afford to keep up with his...
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The cost advantages of index tracking funds
by Mike Brown, Managing Director, etfSA.co.za Warren Buffett, the world’s most famous investor, made the following observation in his letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders in February this year. In his instruction to the Trustee of the Warren...
Retirement: still a valid concept or heading for extinction?
“Is retirement an idealistic industry-driven concept or is it really the picture-perfect period of peace and reflection worth striving for as a ‘natural progression’?” asks Patrick Barker, Private Client Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers....
Retirement: still a valid concept or heading for extinction?
“Is retirement an idealistic industry-driven concept or is it really the picture-perfect period of peace and reflection worth striving for as a ‘natural progression’?” asks Patrick Barker, Private Client Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers....
Retirement: still a valid concept or heading for extinction?
“Is retirement an idealistic industry-driven concept or is it really the picture-perfect period of peace and reflection worth striving for as a ‘natural progression’?” asks Patrick Barker, Private Client Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers....
Retirement: still a valid concept or heading for extinction?
“Is retirement an idealistic industry-driven concept or is it really the picture-perfect period of peace and reflection worth striving for as a ‘natural progression’?” asks Patrick Barker, Private Client Portfolio Manager at Cannon Asset Managers....
Fees can erode your retirement annuity value
Many South Africans will look to invest in a retirement annuity (RA) before the end of February, which represents the close of the country's tax year, in order to take advantage of the tax break. However, according to Steven Nathan, Chief Executive...
Simple retirement calculator
Sanlam Employee Benefits (SEB) has developed a very simple calculation that you can use to work out whether you are on track with your retirement savings. Dawie de Villiers, CEO of SEB says the beauty of the calculation is that it can be applied...
Store your pension money in a preservation fund
“I am about to change company and will receive R157 000 between my pension and provident fund. After tax I should receive R130 000. I have bank loans along with my wife of about R70 000, and we also want to renovate our kitchen and bedroom. What do...
Women and money
When it comes to investing and financial planning, women have a unique set of circumstances and issues, such as longevity and maternity leave, which they need to take into account. Living longer on less In May this year, Statistics SA revealed that...
Previous Articles
Why can’t I cash in my retirement annuity?
Sibusiso wants to know if he can cash in his retirement annuity in order to keep up with his mortgage payments. “I am 32 years old and have been unemployed since March 2012 and living off my provident fund since then. In January 2013 I had to make my retirement...
Unclaimed benefits: do you know where your money is?
More than three million South Africans are owed more than R45 billion in unpaid benefits from retirement funds they have left already, according to unclaimedbenefits.co.za. In many cases when leaving a company, employees may not be aware of funds that have accrued to...
Can I look after my own pension?
Nelson wants to cash in his pension in the hope that he can invest it for better returns. “I have been employed by the government for about 20 years. Recently the government sent a letter showing the amount I would receive if I retired, resigned, died or was...
New Retirement Annuity product still too costly
The launch of Itransact, a new index tracking retirement annuity, highlights the growth in passive investing but the costs are still too high. This week Itransact launched the first retirement annuity to invest in exchange traded funds (ETFs). Exchange Traded Funds...
The best way to preserve your pension
David Elliott of Marriott Asset Management explains how to choose between a preservation fund and a new employer’s pension fund when moving jobs When you change jobs, you receive a pension pay-out, but the best thing to do with these funds is to keep them invested for...
Putting words into practice
Putting a personal financial plan into action After writing my review on the South African version of Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, I received an email from a reader who shared his experience of getting his finances in order after reading the US edition of Total...
What you need to know before turning 40
What most 40 year-olds discover is that the choices they made ten years ago are now limiting their options when it comes to retirement, risk and medical cover. When you are in your 20s, it is hard to imagine what it would be like to be 60 years old; it is...
Valuing your retirement
We should value our retirement funds as much as we do our homes Last week I received an email from a reader who was falling behind in her debt repayments. Her only solution, she believed, was to resign from her job in order to access her pension fund to settle her...
Middle-class money worries
More than half of middle-class South Africans believe they will never be financially free, according to the Visa Wealth Worries 2013 survey. “South Africa, and indeed the whole world, has gone through a very tough time over the last few years. We wanted to assess...
Choosing the right retirement home
Most people when they retire opt to sell up and buy into a retirement home, as these offer a range of amenities, security and a social life with people of similar ages. There are a range of options available, varying from luxury retirement villages with every...