Question:
Good day. At the moment I'm going through financial stress. I am currently employed; is it possible to get access to a small portion of my pension fund?
Answer:
Pieter,
You can access your pension fund pre-retirement (earliest age 55) either by way of a loan - if the fund rules permit and the loan is for a purpose as envisaged by s19(5) of the Pension Funds Act (essentially housing-related) - or if you resign from your employer. But as an employee, you cannot access your fund to help you through short-term financial stress.