On 18 July 2018, I told readers that buying an annuity at retirement was a more secure way to ensure you don't run out of money. Rather than taking a lump sum and managing it yourself.
Following this article, I received the following letter from G:
“Francois,
I read your email regarding retiring with R5.5 million and receiving a monthly income of R46,777 guaranteed for life.
I just d... ››› more
What would you prefer? A pay out of R5.5 million the day you retire, or lifetime guaranteed income of R46,772 per month every month till you pass away.
If you started saving R300 per month towards your retirement in 1978 (roughly 7.5% of the average household income back then) you'd sit with exactly that choice today…
So what's the best choice? How do you ensure that your money lasts you a... ››› more
It's never too early to start planning for retirement. And this means thinking somewhat differently about retirement planning for your later years.
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself these questions?
1. How much will I need to save for retirement in order to live comfortably?
2. What are my retirement goals?
3. When should I start?
4. What should I do?
5. What costs might I... ››› more
You won't have enough money to retire.
I know I sound like the harbinger of doom, but it's a reality that you and most South Africans need to face up to.
Now you might be asking, why am I saying this about you? Well, I am only looking at the statistics.
The Financial Planning Institute of South Africa says less than a quarter of South Africans can afford to retire. If you think that's ... ››› more
According to biomedical gerontologist, Dr Aubrey De Grey, the next person to live to the ripe old age of 150 has already been born.
What if that's you?
What if you live till 80 or 100? Will you have enough money to last you that long after you retire?
Ten or twenty years ago, collecting your last paycheque at the age of 65 was a reasonable expectation. But as life expectancy and the co... ››› more
There are so many things you need to consider when planning for your retirement.
Of course, there's the obvious retirement planning concerns, like how much you earn and how much debt you have but there are other factors that could leave you scrambling around trying desperately to build up your retirement savings.
To help you prepare for your retirement, I've found 20 of the most common ret... ››› more
Have you ever asked yourself, “Will you live as well as your parents did when you retire?”
That's a question thousands of South Africans ask themselves everyday when they reach retirement. The sad truth is, the answer is probably always, “No, I won't”
And, it's no surprise...
You know the statistics that say, only a quarter of South Africans will retire comfortably. The rest wi... ››› more
If you know just a few simple tricks you can take control of your own retirement back from your financial advisor - and save a small fortune in fees at the same time. Today, Aiden Sookdin speaks to the experts and explains exactly how to set up your own fool-proof retirement savings plan - DIY style. It's a lot easier than you may think. Just follow this simple four-step plan and you'll be well on... ››› more
Planning for retirement isn't an easy thing to do. There are so many choices about how you can save and invest for your future.
One option you have is to contribute to a retirement annuity.
So what exactly is a retirement annuity? And how do they work?
Read on to find out more…
What is a retirement annuity?
A retirement annuity is a way to save for your retirement.
You can... ››› more
If you're anything like me, not having enough money for retirement is something you worry about.
I feel I'm running out of time and don't have enough put aside so that I can look forward to a comfortable retirement.
So in searching for a way to ensure that I have enough put away for my later years, I came across a book called Start Poor, Retire Rich.
From reading this book, I feel I know ... ››› more
When you retire, you want to be in a financially secure position.
This means taking the time now to plan and ensure that you stick to specific retirement planning goals so you achieve this end goal.
Read on to find out more…
What you need to do before you hit retirement
You need to take steps now to ensure that retirement isn’t a time when you’re worrying about money. To do th... ››› more
You most likely already know that the earlier you start preparing for retirement, the better.
From when you start work until you reach retirement age, there are certain things you should focus on in terms of planning for your retirement.
Let's take a closer look…
Planning for retirement in your 20s
In your 20s, retirement planning isn’t likely to be top of mind, but this is whe... ››› more
Planning for your later years is no easy task. There are so many decisions to make.
You know you need to make provisions and save for retirement, but what are your options?
Read on to find out more about five ways you can fund or top up your retirement savings…
How to plan for your retirement
Planning for retirement is a time consuming task. Of course, the earlier you start the be... ››› more
Endowments, also known as endowment policies or endowment plans, are essentially savings vehicles provided by life assurance companies.
Endowments can be a good option for you to consider for providing additional income once you reach retirement if you sit in a higher tax bracket.
Let's take a closer look at endowments…
What are endowments?
Endowments are targeted savings plans. T... ››› more
You no doubt know that planning for retirement from a young age gives you the best chance of achieving your financial goals for when you get there.
To really prepare adequately for retirement, you need to spend time now making some decisions. This will help you plan more effectively.
Let's take a closer look…
Work out your retirement budget
When you retire, the expenses you have n... ››› more
It's never too early to start planning for retirement. And this means thinking about a pension or another way of investing for your later years.
So what should you consider when it comes to finding the best pension solution for you?
Read on to find out…
The earlier you start planning for retirement, the better
Read anything about retirement planning and you’ll no doubt come acro... ››› more
It's probably not a surprise to learn that many South Africans haven't adequately prepared for retirement and have little or no savings.
Saving for retirement is something that you need to do. How else are you going to support yourself when you're older?
You may think you don't have enough money to save towards retirement, but chances are you do.
Read on to find out more…
Stop was... ››› more
When you're saving for retirement (or other goal), the one rule you should never break is never touch your principal amount.
If you touch your principal amount, you're going to damage your future gains.
But once you get a bit older, there will come a time when you can break this rule. So how do you know when it's time?
Read on to find out…
If you’re nearing or in retirement
W... ››› more
Not having enough money for retirement is a worry many people have.
Do you feel you don't have enough money put away? Or have you not even started making any contributions towards your retirement?
Whatever your worries about having enough money for a comfortable retirement, you can sort it out within ten years.
So how is this possible?
Read on to find out…
You just need ten ye... ››› more
When you put money to work for your retirement, you face investment risk. This investment risk will depend on what assets you invest in.
It's easy to ignore risk and focus on how much your investments for retirement could return.
For example, if you invest in a unit trusts that's shown good performance over the years, there's no guarantee this will continue.
So what risks face your retire... ››› more