retirement
Single retirees also present a special set of estate planning requirements which retired couples do not face, specifically when it comes to distributing their wealth after death. While most couples tend to bequeath their respective estates to each other, single
As a function of ageing, death becomes more pervasive as retirees get older. Experiencing friends and acquaintances falling ill and dying is depressing, morbid and sad – and this can lead to what is referred to as death anxiety. The
While there is no legislated retirement age in South Africa, keep in mind that many employers have a pre-determined retirement age at which point employees are required to retire from the company. Where the employer sponsors a retirement fund, such
In the ‘Profile of older persons in SA’ prepared by Stats SA it was estimated that around 38% of South Africans over the age of 60 use chronic medication, around 20% use assistive devices such as spectacles, 10% wear hearing
Make funding for your own retirement a priority and resist the temptation to dip into your own savings. Don’t leave free money on the table by failing to use tax-efficient retirement funding vehicles. Before helping others and to ensure that
Through the retirement fund harmonisation process, the options at retirement have been streamlined across pension, provident and retirement annuity funds, although there remain certain technicalities when dealing with the vested benefits in respect of provident fund contributions made prior to
or many retirees, having companion animals is important to them and, thankfully, many modern retirement homes are making allowances for retirees to keep small pets such as cats and dogs. Pet food, vet care, medication, medical treatment and pet accessories
Ideally, avoid using rules of thumb when determining your post-retirement income needs, and consider your actual situation. Firstly, make a list of those expenses that are likely to fall away when you retire, such as bond and car repayments, long-term
We all know that medical inflation outstrips consumer inflation by around 3% - 5% per year, and it is, therefore, essential that you build these increases into your post-retirement budget. However, there are a number of other factors that should
Understanding the potential expenses you may be faced with at various stages during your retirement is key to developing realistic scenarios. For example, one could reasonably expect to spend more on travel during the first decade of your retirement with
