We have recently seen a series of impactful legal and regulatory developments that reflect a continued shift toward greater accountability, legal clarity, and modernised regulatory oversight. This update outlines several of the most significant changes...
We are living through great transformation in the financial planning profession. Technology, once a back-office tool, has now moved to the forefront, reshaping how financial planners communicate, analyse, and serve their clients. From AI advice engines to...
The Institute of Retirement Funds Africa (IRFA) has accomplished a great deal over its years of service to the retirement sector, through extensive strategy and operational development fully aligned with the South African (and to some extent the continental)...
Background The case concerned a funeral policy with Liberty Life (“the insurer”). The complainant was the beneficiary and premium payer. Ms R was both the policyholder and the life assured. Ms R (“the deceased”) died some 12 months after the policy was...
In the first part of this article around annuitisation (“Let's talk about annuitisation – Part I” featured in Pensions World Q4 2024), we discussed the need for trustees to review the annuity strategies and products available to members in light of the...
Umbrella trusts and beneficiary funds house the assets left to minor dependents; the source of the assets can be retirement fund death benefits in the case of beneficiary funds or testamentary and other non-retirement fund payouts in the case of trusts....
In South Africa, employers are currently not legally required to offer employee benefits. However, this is set to change as the government moves closer to implementing social security reforms such as Universal Coverage through auto-enrolment. While this...
It is undeniable that retirement fund trustees face growing risks from cyber threats with the responsibility for managing and mitigating these risks ultimately resting with the board. These funds hold vast amounts of sensitive personal and financial data,...
South Africa's pension fund boards manage large amounts of extremely sensitive data, making cybersecurity critical. Many trustees, whether elected or professional, overlook risks that could expose funds to breaches. Board portals provide a secure solution,...
Trust. Integrity. Irrespective of whether you are an investment manager, financial advisor, wealth manager or another stakeholder in the South African financial services sector, these two words are core to your value proposition and your ability to win and retain...