Learn about the most effective way to retire in South Africa

Being able to retire in South Africa is almost impossible for many reasons that impact this result. Continue reading this article to learn all about this scenario and how to achieve a quality retirement.

The General Population Problem

The root of the overall problem is concentrated in the very low financial literacy, implying low understanding of the subject, with little access to essential information and standardized social background. In this case, to prevent this from happening, it would be necessary to focus on improving the financial education of the general population.

They must help employees gain the confidence to improve their financial well-being and the confidence to cope with changes, both in their personal circumstances and in the broader economy, without losing focus on work.

But how does this happen in practice, where does the money accumulated for a few years go? Well, we also have the answer to that question.

Withdrawing money from retirement

The data shows that South Africans over 50 are not confident that they have enough savings for retirement. To give you a better idea, only two in five believe that their income will cover their monthly expenses if they live to be 100.

All of this happens when people change jobs and cash out their retirement savings when they change jobs instead of saving their retirement savings from their previous employer.

By doing this, a large portion of the population ends up getting caught on two sides because they spend the money intended for retirement and, more importantly, they lose the growth and compounding of the money over time.

Unfortunately, because of short and poor literacy skills, and restricted access to this kind of information, the African population ends up making what is only one of the mistakes, one of the reasons that prevent most South Africans from retiring.

The most effective way to retire in South Africa

The reality is that about half of South Africans have no retirement plan, while only 6% are able to retire comfortably. This is a truth that outrages many when it is revealed.

To break out of this cycle one needs to take some positive actions and follow one strategy, out of several that exist within the market. Let’s get to know some of them:

1. Replacement rate of 75%

Retiring comfortably in South Africa requires many things, mainly a budget forecast, spending and some necessary calculations, as you will see below.

To be able to retire comfortably, based on this strategy, you need a replacement rate of 75 percent. This is considered a reasonable target for members in general. On average, members should contribute 17% of their salary over the age of 40 (from age 25 to 65) to their retirement savings to achieve a 75% replacement ratio.

If you were confused, consider this: this 75% ratio means that for every R1,000 earned before retirement, you aim to replace R750 as income during your retirement. During life, situations will happen that may or may not influence the desired replacement rate for each person.

The rule is simple: the latter in life you start saving, the higher the contribution rate needed to reach the 75% target.

2. 15% minimum rule

This strategy is different, as global investment management firm T.Rowe Price says that contributing as much as possible as early as possible will help you reach your retirement savings goals.

Based on this company, they recommend that you save at least 15% of your income annually. They further suggest that by the time you are:

• 45 years old: you should have saved up to three times your salary
• 55 years old: 7 times your salary saved
• 65 years old: saved up to 11 times your pre-retirement salary

3. 4% rule

This method was created by investors that determine the fixed amount that investors need to provide an adequate annual income when they retire. In this case, if retirees withdraw 4% of their savings annually (adjusting for inflation every year thereafter), their savings would last for at least 30 years.

Many experts recommend using the 80% rule as a benchmark for what you will need to cover your monthly expenses when you retire in South Africa. If you currently earn R15,000 per month and apply the 80% rule, you will need at least R12,000 per month after retirement to maintain your current standard of living.

Choose your strategy and start practicing from today. Only this way you will be able to break this paradigm and retire with quality of life and money in your account, unlike most of the population.