Tag: retirementplanning

Nearly half of under-60s with retirement products have dipped into their savings pots, mostly to get through the month. Our 2026 Retirement Insights Survey suggests the right response is empathy and better design. Nobody raids their retirement savings unless they are facing difficult economic pressure today. That is worth saying upfront. The two-pot retirement system has become one of the most moralised subjects in South African money conversations, and the moralising has taught us very little.

Women play a vital role in driving economic growth and supporting households across South Africa. As more women take control of their financial futures, investing remains one of the most effective ways to build long-term wealth, financial resilience and independence. While women increasingly take control of their financial futures, many remain underrepresented in investment markets.

For millions of women, managing money means more than paying the bills. It means doing the invisible work of keeping a household on track. Often, they do this at the expense of their own financial future. You’re halfway through the workday when you remember the school fees are due. While doing a quick grocery run on the way home, you do rapid mental sums. You need to make sure the food budget will last until payday if you treat the family to take-out tonight.

Before your South African Revenue Service (SARS) refund disappears into a holiday or shopping spree, consider how that lump sum could change your financial future. Who doesn't love that little ping telling you SARS has just paid your tax refund into your account? Suddenly, Mauritius is calling, and you can already hear the clinking of ice in your cocktail.

With geopolitical conflict, elections, oil prices and inflation risks dominating headlines, it is easy to believe everything is beyond your control. However, that is not the case. The most important drivers of long-term investment success are often the factors you can control. They start with understanding how you behave when markets feel uncomfortable.

Retirement planning is often framed as a question of how much you save. Most people contribute to a Maximising. However, very few understand how to use it strategically. For many investors, retirement annuities function as a routine savings vehicle. People contribute consistently without considering the structural role these products play in a broader wealth strategy.

For at least three decades, South Africa’s financial services industry has raised the alarm about the urgent need to increase consumer savings. Yet little has changed. The elephant in the room is clear. Unless we meaningfully close the gap between product availability and true independent advice, this will not change.

Estate planning and retirement planning rarely appear in the same discussion. This separation often obscures the importance of retirement and estate planning as a connected process. This is because they focus on different life stages. People often treat them as separate aspects of financial planning. However, it remains important to consider your retirement funds when constructing your estate plan.

More people are starting to save for retirement in their twenties, however, many still feel financially unprepared for the future. According to our 2025 Retirement Insights Survey, the average starting age for retirement saving is 27.