If you are a South African living abroad, you’ll be delighted to discover you can turn your South African retirement annuity and various other South African-based savings and investments into cash, even before you turn 55. This opportunity exists because of a change to South African tax legislation in 2008.
The benefits of this for South African expats living abroad are significant:
- You can access the proceeds of your retirement annuities before you turn 55
- As a South African expat you can cash in the full amount
- Your funds can be used for any purpose – whether you choose to invest in property, your children’s education or re-invest for retirement, there are no restrictions
- You eliminate future exchange rate risks due to the volatile South African rand
- You eliminate the risk of any future changes to the pension legislation
Your age-related options
If you are under 55, you can cash the policy in full and transfer the proceeds wherever you choose. Alternatively, you can take no action now and access your funds after you turn 55.
If you are over 55, you can cash the policy in full and transfer the proceeds wherever you choose. Alternatively, you can choose to receive a pension in rands, irrespective of the policy maturation date. If your policy is below R247 500 in value, you can cash the policy in full without having to financially emigrate.
Why financially emigrate?
In order to transfer the proceeds of your retirement annuity offshore before you turn 55, you need to financially emigrate from South Africa. Financial emigration is the process of exiting South Africa financially and simply means that your status – for exchange control purposes – is changed from resident to non-resident with the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). You do not have to give up your passport or your right to reside permanently in South Africa. In fact, you can return and pick up where you left off, should you so choose.
Financial emigration does not stop you from making money in South Africa or moving that money abroad. Your assets in South Africa can still generate an income – which will be placed in your capital account with the banking institution that arranged your financial emigration. When you need the money, you can simply transfer it abroad from this account.
This includes:
- South African source inheritance
- The proceeds of assets declared in your emigration application
- Passive income, i.e. rent, dividends, director’s fees, salary for services rendered in South Africa and income from discretionary or vesting trusts
The next steps
If you are planning on living abroad permanently, accessing your South African retirement annuity before you turn 55 is an option that is open to you. At FinGlobal, we have helped thousands of South Africans abroad navigate the red tape and administrative hurdles that this entails. For more information, contact us today.
Morning
My brother inlaw has a RA which matures end September 2019. Is there anyway that this can be cashed now? as he is unemployed at the moment and really needs the money.
I would appreciate your feedback.
Many Thanks
Hi Jeanitte,
Thank you for your query. If you can please submit your or your brother in law’s details on our website one of our financial consultants will contact you. They will explain the process and provide you with a free and no obligation quote if necessary : https://www.finglobal.com/please-call-me/
I am 50yrs. I owe tax can I use my retirement annuity in south Africa to pay tax
Hi Dekeledi,
Thank you for your query. If you can please provide us with your contact number and email address we’ll aks one of our financial consultants to contact you. Alternatively you can submit your contact details via our website for a free and no obligation quote and consultation: https://www.finglobal.com/please-call-me/
Good evening,
I desperately want to cash out my RA and would appreciated it if one of your consultants and contact me and see if it would be possible.
Hi Tanya.
Thank you for your query. If you can please provide us with your contact number and email address we’ll ask one of our financial consultants to contact you. Alternatively you can submit your contact details via our website for a free and no obligation consultation and quote: https://www.finglobal.com/please-call-me/
Hi. I have an RA with Liberty worth about 17K that has gone into paid-up status. I am not yet 55 and I need the money desperately. Is there any way I can access it. I also have a provident preservation fund of about 600K. Is there anyway to get part of this funds. I have already taken one withdrawal 4 years ago
Hi Pinky,
Thank you for your query. If you can please submit your contact details via our website one of our financial consultants will contact you to explain the process and provide you with a free and no obligation quote: https://www.finglobal.com/please-call-me/
i am 54 and have 4 retirement annuities which is R4.5 mil i need advice as to how to invest and what are the cost when investing through a broker.
Hi Gavin,
Thank you for your query.
If you can please submit your contact details via our website, one of our financial consultants will contact you to explain the processes and provide you with a free and no obligation quote if necessary: https://www.finglobal.com/please-call-me/
Hi. I have an RA with Liberty worth about 28K that has gone into paid-up status. I am not yet 55 and I need the money desperately. Is there any way I can access . And how soon can it come into my bank account
Hi Rahlabi,
Thank you for your query.
You can submit your contact details via our website and one of our financial consultants will contact you to explain the process: https://www.finglobal.com/please-call-me/
Need to cash out my RA was meant to pay after the age of 55?
Hi Robert,
If you can please submit your contact details via our website one of our financial consultants will contact you to explain the process and provide you with a free and no obligation quote: https://www.finglobal.com/please-call-me/