Calculate the tax on your two-pot retirement fund withdrawal. See your exact net payout using SARS 2026/2027 tax tables.
Calculates exact tax using your income bracket and SARS tax tables
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Two-pot retirement withdrawals in South Africa are taxed at your marginal income tax rate. The withdrawal amount is added to your annual taxable income, and the additional tax is deducted before you receive the funds. For example, if you earn R400,000/year (31% bracket) and withdraw R50,000, you would pay approximately R15,500 in tax and receive R34,500. The minimum withdrawal is R2,000 and you can make one withdrawal per tax year from each fund.
Money withdrawn cannot be put back, reduces your retirement savings, and may push you into a higher tax bracket. Only withdraw for genuine financial emergencies.
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Everything you need to know about South Africa's two-pot retirement system
From 1 September 2024, all new retirement fund contributions are split: 1/3 goes to the savings component (accessible once per tax year) and 2/3 goes to the retirement component (locked until retirement).
Up to R30,000 from your vested component (pre-September 2024 savings) was transferred into your savings component as seed capital, giving you an immediate balance to access from day one of the new system.
Your pre-September 2024 retirement savings remain in a vested component and continue to operate under the old rules. These funds are generally preserved until retirement, with limited withdrawal options.
Withdrawals from the savings component are taxed at your marginal income tax rate. The withdrawal is added to your annual taxable income, and SARS deducts the additional tax before you receive the funds.
The minimum withdrawal is R2,000. You cannot make a withdrawal below this threshold. If your savings balance is below R2,000, you will need to wait until it grows before you can make a withdrawal.
You can make one withdrawal per tax year (1 March to 28 February) from each retirement fund's savings component. If you have multiple funds, you can withdraw from each of them once per year.
Your withdrawal is taxed at the marginal rate applicable to your income + withdrawal amount
| Taxable Income | Marginal Rate |
|---|---|
| R 0,00 – R 245 100,00 | 18% |
| R 245 101,00 – R 383 100,00 | 26% |
| R 383 101,00 – R 530 200,00 | 31% |
| R 530 201,00 – R 695 800,00 | 36% |
| R 695 801,00 – R 887 000,00 | 39% |
| R 887 001,00 – R 1 878 600,00 | 41% |
| R 1 878 601,00 and above | 45% |
Common questions about the two-pot retirement system and withdrawal tax in South Africa
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