Retirement Income Sustainability Planner

Retirement income is a journey—not a single percentage.

Start at 4%, then test inflation, changing spending needs and the order in which investment returns arrive.

01 Set the income02 Shape retirement phases03 Stress the journey

Your starting position

Give every year of retirement a financial foundation.

Living-annuity capital funds regular income. Accessible savings can cover a planned once-off cost and supplement income if a future drawdown would exceed the living-annuity limit.

Current ageyearsPlan until the youngest reachesageLiving-annuity capitalRAccessible savings and investmentsRKept separate from the living annuity.

Include a spouse or partner in the planning horizonThe projection continues until the younger person reaches the selected target age.

Choose your starting question

Start from capital, or start from income.

Starting living-annuity drawdown%Default 4%, reviewed against the fund each year.Other taxable monthly incomeRPension, life annuity, rental or other taxable income.Yearly increase in other income%Legacy capital targetRDesired capital remaining when the youngest person reaches the selected plan-to age.

Starting total gross incomeR 16 667 / monthLiving-annuity income plus other taxable income

Starting living-annuity drawdown4%Within the current 2.5%–17.5% range

Estimated income after taxR 15 965 / monthCurrent 2026/27 tax table; medical credits and individual deductions excluded

Income and investment path

Plan for inflation—and for retirement to change shape.

The return is after investment fees. Income is paid monthly at the beginning of each month before that month's investment growth.

Investment return after fees% paGeneral inflation% paHealthcare inflation% paOnce-off cost from accessible savingsR

Optional detail Plan different retirement spending phases+

Use active, slower and later-life spending phasesThe starting income is divided into essential, lifestyle and healthcare needs.

Starting income mix

Essential living share%Lifestyle and travel share%Healthcare share%

Slower retirement

Begins at ageageLifestyle spending becomes% of pathHealthcare spending becomes% of path

Later-life care

Begins at ageageLifestyle spending becomes% of pathHealthcare spending becomes% of path

Age 65 · Active retirementR 16 667 / monthR 16 667 in today's general purchasing power

Age 75 · Slower retirementR 29 609 / monthR 16 533 in today's general purchasing power

Age 85 · Later-life careR 58 391 / monthR 18 207 in today's general purchasing power

Age 95 · Later-life careR 112 289 / monthR 19 551 in today's general purchasing power

03 · Your sustainability result

The base plan works—but needs active monitoring

The model maintains base income, but market sequencing or future drawdown limits create pressure.

Plan until the youngest person reaches age 95

Capital when the plan endsR 4 480 465R 780 094 in today's money, when the youngest person reaches age 95

Base income shortfallNo projected shortfallAccessible savings supplement the living annuity when needed

Living-annuity limit pressureRequired from age 90,6Above this point, accessible capital is used to supplement income

Sustainable starting income · smooth pathR 17 054 / monthEstimated gross income that continues until the youngest person reaches age 95 and meets the legacy target.

Sustainable starting income · early shockR 16 117 / monthA more cautious income allowing for poor early markets.

Capital indicated for this incomeR 4 877 246R 122 754 buffer above the smooth-path estimate.

Sequence-of-returns risk

The average return is only part of the retirement story.

The early- and late-shock paths use the same five annual return adjustments in a different order. Withdrawals during early losses can permanently reduce the capital available for recovery.

Estimated sequence-risk impactR 991 705

The early-shock path ends with this much less capital than the late-shock path, despite using the same set of long-term annual returns.

ScenarioCapital at plan endIn today's moneyFirst income pressure

Smooth returnEntered return each yearR 4 480 465R 780 094Around age 90,6

Early market shockLosses arrive firstR 2 591 464R 451 200Around age 93,7

Late market shockThe same return set arrives laterR 3 583 169R 623 866Around age 94,3

Lower-return environmentInvestment return is 2% lowerR 950 373R 165 470Around age 87,7

Higher inflationInflation is 2% higherR 1 668 872R 165 848Around age 87,7

Combined difficult pathEarly losses, 1% lower return and higher inflationR 785 745R 78 085Around age 84,1

Retirement capital journey

Smooth path versus the timing of market shocks.

SmoothEarly shockLate shock

Smooth · ending capitalR 4 480 465

Early shock · ending capitalR 2 591 464

Late shock · ending capitalR 3 583 169

Age runs from left to right. The vertical scale shows projected nominal capital in rand. The three lines use the same starting capital and income plan.

How this estimate works

Useful planning—without pretending retirement is predictable.

Living-annuity range: The current selectable drawdown range is 2.5%–17.5%, normally reviewed annually. The model flags when required income would exceed 17.5%.
4% starting point: The default living-annuity income is 4% of opening capital, paid monthly. It is a planning assumption, not a guarantee.
Payment timing: Income is withdrawn at the beginning of each month, followed by that month's investment return.
Investment return: The entered return is after investment fees but before personal income tax on annuity payments.
Tax estimate: Starting after-tax income uses the 2026/27 individual tax table and age rebates. Medical credits and individual deductions are excluded.
Sequence scenarios: Early and late shocks reorder the same return adjustments. Lower-return, higher-inflation and combined scenarios change additional assumptions.
Accessible savings: Used for the entered once-off cost and to supplement income above the modelled 17.5% living-annuity ceiling.
Spending phases: Essential and lifestyle spending follow general inflation. Healthcare follows its separate inflation assumption and phase multiplier.

Important: This is an educational projection, not retirement, investment, tax or product advice. Actual returns are irregular, inflation and tax rules change, and living-annuity providers apply anniversary values and product terms. Review income and asset allocation regularly with an appropriately authorised adviser—especially after poor markets or major spending changes.