This is how the 2016 retirement changes affect you

There is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding around the changes to retirement funds that I want to clarify. These changes relate to two issues; the tax free deductibility of retirement fund contributions and the lump sum at retirement from provident funds. It does NOT change the right to cash in 100% of your pension or provident fund prior to retirement, called a withdrawal from your retirement fund upon resignation from your employer. Let me repeat: You can still cash in 100% of your pension and provident fund if you withdraw from their fund before retirement. I am not saying this is a sensible thing to do but making the point you retain this flexibility.

So what two things are changing?

  • From 1 March 2016, tax free contributions to all retirement funds (pension, provident and RA) will be capped at the lower of 27.5% of remuneration or R350 000K pa. At present there are different tax free rates for pension, provident and RA funds which is confusing and inconsistent thus simplifying to one regime is positive. There is presently no cap on tax free deductions so this is changing.
  • At retirement (not if you withdraw from the pension/provident fund before retirement) provident fund contributions (plus the growth thereon) will be subject to the same annuitisation rules as pension funds ie. two thirds must be annuitised with a maximum withdrawal of one third in cash. Prior to 1 March 2016, the full provident fund value can be taken as a lump sum at retirement (with tax paid thereon) – this is called a vested right as 100% of this can still be taken as a lump at retirement ie. it’s only contributions (plus growth) from 1 March 2016 that are impacted. The tax tables for lump sums pre and post retirement are shown below.

For a detailed review on these changes please see our blog on the impact of retirement reform coming into effect on 1 March 2016.



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