Retirement income planning

Living annuitants carry their own risk of money running out before they do. And where annuitants can’t afford to (or don’t) draw an income at a sustainable level to last beyond their average life expectancy, they face increased risks.

New research from retirement income specialist Just SA reveals that South African women claim to have saved more on average than their male counterparts by almost half a million rand.

If you want an income that lasts in retirement, don’t eat the marshmallow.  What does this mean?  It means being able to say no to an unnecessary purchase today on behalf of a greater prize – financial certainty and dignity when you retire.

Findings from our 2022 retirement insights tracking study are out today, and the results suggest a more permanent mind shift in what pensioners want from their retirement income.

There is a window of opportunity for pensioners to lock in certainty of income for life, against an increasingly uncertain and volatile future.

Our experience has seen retirees make the same errors time and time again when it comes to important decisions about retirement income. There are five common mistakes that you should try to avoid.

One way to better manage the higher risk of living annuities and the rigidity of guaranteed annuities is to use a blended annuity, a retirement income product that has the best of both in one.

Current regulations require you to use a minimum of two thirds of your retirement fund income to purchase a life annuity or a living annuity, or a combination of both. It's a big choice for retirement! Which one should you choose? 

Fresh uncertainties could have people looking for financial certainty, and there’s some good news for those considering their retirement income options. 

Increased global longevity is giving us more years of active health and possibly a longer retirement. But within current economic and political constraints, how can South Africans approaching retirement make these extra years count for more than just ‘bought time’?