Just in the Media

NETWERK24: If there is one lesson that living under lockdown has taught us, it’s that we are able to survive on less. Lockdown has afforded a timely opportunity to understand what regular spending can be considered essential and how this is impacted during the time of COVID-19. Twane Wessels says this is especially important for those in or approaching retirement, who must ensure that their retirement income is able to sustain them for life.

“Hybrid annuities will help to optimise the pension benefits to balance the competing objectives pensioners face. Hybrid annuities provide a sustainable income on the one hand, versus having flexibility for unforeseen events and the ability to leave an inheritance on the other,” says John Anderson in Bruce Cameron's DAILY MAVERICK op-ed on hybrid (blended) annuities.

[Related article: HYBRID ANNUITIES: SOME OF THE CHOICES]

MOONSTONE reports that Covid-19 has certainly changed the thinking about life annuities significantly. Guaranteed products fell from grace during the time of positive returns, with living annuities making up the bulk of sales. Now is not a bad time to reconsider the peace of mind provided by guaranteed products until, and if, sanity returns to the markets.

In his latest op-ed for DAILY MAVERICK, Bruce Cameron says that the best way to overcome the disadvantages of living annuities and guaranteed annuities is to use both. This becomes even more important with COVID-19 and the downgrading of South Africa’s credit rating.

If you are within about five years of retirement and your savings have taken a hit with the recent market falls, there are some things you need to think about, writes Laura du Preez in a recent SowetanLIVE article featuring Just CEO, Deane Moore.

Bruce Cameron has written a series of articles for the DAILY MAVERICK dealing with some of the pros and cons of guaranteed annuities versus living annuities. Our CEO Deane Moore features in his latest article on retirement earnings and death benefits, and aims to clear up some misperceptions surrounding guaranteed annuities and leaving a legacy. 

The more income you require from an investment-linked living annuity the less the death benefit you will receive. As one goes up, the other goes down. What that means is that benefits for heirs are seldom achieved. A DAILY MAVERICK op-ed explores the complexity of living annuity investments from Bruce Cameron, and why it is recommended to seek financial advice. 

A regular contributor to the DAILY MAVERICK, Bruce Cameron says: "Most living annuity pensioners had already received a serious body blow even before the virus and the downgrade of South Africa’s debt, with many already having high drawdowns. Despite this, 90% of South African pensioners want living annuities on which to retire, while at the same time research undertaken by Sanlam and Just SA finds that 87% of retirees want security of income." 

BUSINESS DAY reports that almost every asset class is showing severe losses for the quarter to date and asset managers are calling March an unprecedented month for investments as concerns on the effect of the coronavirus on economies around the world spread. Good news for pensioners is that the cost of purchasing a guaranteed income for life has gone down by almost as much as the fall in value of balanced portfolios, says Just CEO Deane Moore.

Should market conditions persist for the next 12 months, retirement income specialist Just believes that pensioners may run out of money years earlier than in normal investment conditions. Just CEO Deane Moore looks at some sensible steps that pensioners can take to protect their income in the current climate in an article featured on BUSINESS TECH.