Masterclass for executives: Addressing International Corporate Pensions to Create Global Financial Independence and Freedom

Recent client interactions have made us aware that in addition to the traditional worry of improving revenue and profitability they are also looking for a long-term savings vehicle outside of the rigid South African pension system. It is safe to say that these executives seek the peace of mind of knowing that they will have the financial means, for them and their family, to live with financial freedom anywhere in the world they choose to, when they choose to.

Long-term financial security is the ultimate objective, but this is proving difficult to control with all the uncertainties we currently face in South Africa. Factors such as low economic growth, high unemployment, rising crime, increasing taxation, corruption, sovereign credit rating downgrades and the volatile Rand are amongst a myriad of factors that are reducing business confidence in South Africa to all-time lows.

Any further downgrades by the rating agencies could result in international pension funds not being allowed to hold South African government bonds. This would result in massive sell-offs of these assets, further reducing the value of our currency and placing more strain on our economy, which is already struggling to grow and create the jobs that we need to reduce unemployment.

The unemployment rate of 57% for South Africans under 25 years of age is the highest of all groups, resulting in many talented South African graduates being forced to seek employment in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Europe and America. The emigration of their children has focused the attention of many of our clients upon the currency wherein they accumulate their retirement savings, as they do not wish to be shackled by the economic imprisonment of a weakening currency that reduces their ability to move abroad to be with their grandchildren.

Surely it is prudent to save in a highly regulated international environment that can dramatically increase diversification, leaving you with peace of mind that your long-term savings are on track and growing steadily in a stable economic and political climate. This is especially true of any supplemental savings that executives would like to put away, over and above their tax deductible South African contributions.

To date such a solution had not been developed, but the good news is that change to exchange control regulation has opened the door to globalising retirement wealth and a robust, international solution is now available.

If you are a Director, Exco Member or Senior Executive of a firm operating domestically in South Africa and/or cross-border the chances are high that you’re controlling not only your own pensions, but those of your employees as well. Are you informed when it comes to corporate pension options and protecting yourself and your employees?

Would you like to receive a detailed insight into how international occupational pensions can build international wealth and deliver significant levels of asset protection, offer seamless succession of benefits to dependents, mitigate geopolitical risk and create a safe haven for retirement wealth outside of South Africa?

If your answer is yes, then our exclusive Masterclass is not to be missed.

The exclusive Masterclass hosted by Carrick Wealth in cooperation with Overseas Trust and Pension (OTAP) and MitonOptimal will be held on 19 September in Cape Town and 26 September in Johannesburg – contact chantel.brown@carrickfs.com to book your seat or for more information.

Speakers at the event are specialists in their respective fields and will bring with them significant insight and knowledge. You will have the opportunity to engage with them on issues such as:

• The financial ability to emigrate or live abroad for extended periods in retirement.
• Building up assets for your financial independence in retirement in a hard currency and investing in global markets, recognising that relying on Rand-based domestic investments to meet future expenses based in hard currency is a high-risk option providing no certainty.
• A simple solution for dealing with the complexities of cross-border taxation in respect of future foreign assets and protection for the wealth that you build.
• A seamless, efficient transfer of your non-South African wealth to your beneficiaries free from foreign death duties and the need for foreign probate or executors in the event of your death.
• Accumulating foreign wealth for retirement in as unrestricted a manner as possible, with a choice over where your funds are invested in a well-diversified international investment portfolio.
• Achieving international portability and future flexibility to access your funds when needed, irrespective of where you and your family may choose to live.

Cape Town event details can be viewed here

Johannesburg event details can be viewed here

Anthony Palmer

Director: Investments and Products, Chairman of the Carrick Investment Committee

Anthony is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA), a USA Series 7 and 63 Representative and a UK Securities and Financial Derivatives and Commodities Representative. He spent eleven years working abroad in structured credit sales and derivative marketing at JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank in London and New York. His last position at Deutsche Bank was as managing director and global head of the alternative risk markets group.