Question:
I have about 5 or 6 different retirement annuities, which in the not too distant future I will have to (or not)somehow consolidate to buy living annuities. In order to do that, can I liquidate them one at a time and pay each one into 1, 2, or 3 different living annuities, or must all this happen simultaneously? Can I own living annuities at various providers of my choice? When will 10X accept living annuity investments? Kind Regards M. Grawe
Answer:
Mr(s) Grawe, You can pay each of your retirement annuities into a different living annuity, with a different provider, or you can pay them all into the same living annuity at the same time, or you can add them to the same living annuity, one by one, as you choose to withdraw from your retirement annuities. .
Having multiple annuities provides you some flexibility, as you are not able to split your living annuity, once you have consolidated your funds. However, you will then also multiply your admin, and you may be duplicating some costs. It may compel you to pay extra tax at year end, as each living annuity provider will tax you as though the income they pay is your only income. Annuity provides may have minimum amount provisions (eg R750 000 at 10X), which may force you to consolidate one or two of your retirement annuities, to make the limit. The 10X Living Annuity charges fees on a sliding scale (the fee drops above R5m) so from that perspective, it would make sense to consolidate the funds.
