“I Thought My Retirement Was Sorted”. Why Every South African Needs an Investment Audit
- Gary Andrew
- Nov 10
- 3 min read
Most South Africans believe they are “on track” for retirement simply because they contribute to a pension, provident fund, or retirement annuity every month.
It feels responsible. It feels automatic. It feels sorted.
But for many people, that feeling is an illusion.
Because contributing money is not the same as knowing:
Where your money is invested
How much it is costing you
Whether it is actually growing
If it aligns with your goals
Or if it will be enough when you need it
The danger is not that people are doing nothing. The danger is that they are doing something but not paying attention. And that’s how the silent damage happens.
The Most Common Financial Sentence in South Africa
“My broker / fund manager said it’s handled.”
And because the paperwork is complicated and the statements are confusing, people trust that everything is fine. Until retirement.
At retirement, there is no more time to adjust. There is no “undo.”
By the time most people realise something was wrong, one of these things has already happened:
They’re retiring on less than they expected
Their investment growth has been lower than the market
A policy has locked them in with penalties
Their advisor has been paid for years without guiding anything
What they thought was “sorted” was actually just out of sight.
The Illusion of the Annual Statement
Most statements are:
Overly complex
Filled with technical terms
Designed to inform without revealing
You might see:
Contribution amount
Current value
Maybe a percentage growth line
But you almost never see simple transparency like:
Question | Answer (Most Statements Provide) |
How much am I really paying in fees? | Not clearly shown |
What is my actual investment return after costs? | Not stated plainly |
Is my risk level appropriate for my goal or age? | No context given |
Am I on track to retire comfortably? | Never answered |
It’s not your fault you don’t know.
These statements weren’t designed to teach, they were designed to report. There’s a big difference.
The Real Reason People Don’t Check Their Investments
It’s not laziness. It’s this:
Investments feel intimidating.
The language is complicated: “Balanced fund”, “preservation product”, “lifestyle portfolio”, “asset allocation”, “capital guarantee”, “drawdown risk”…
Most people never learned this in school. So they feel:
Embarrassed to ask
Afraid of looking inexperienced
Worried they won’t understand the answer anyway
So instead, they trust. But trust is not a retirement plan.
What Financially Confident People Do Differently
Financially confident people don’t know more — they simply ask the right questions:
“How much am I paying in total fees?”
“What is my annual return after fees?”
“Is my investment appropriate for my age and risk profile?”
“Is there a cheaper product that does the same job?”
They don’t assume. They verify. That’s the difference. And that’s also exactly what an Investment Audit gives you:
Verified transparency, not trust-based hope.
Why an Investment Audit Matters
An Investment Audit shows you:
✔ What you’re invested in
✔ How it’s performing
✔ What it’s costing you
✔ Whether it actually fits your life stage and goals
✔ And what to do next — clearly, simply, honestly
No jargon. No product sales. No pressure. Just the truth about your money. And the truth is powerful because once you know what’s happening, you can make adjustments before it’s too late.
When Should You Get an Investment Audit?
The only answer to that is right now. The sooner you have the transparency an Investment Audit provides, the sooner you can make informed decisions. Compound interest waits for no one. Don't wait until it's too late.
If You’ve Ever Thought “It Should Be Fine”…
This is your moment to make sure it actually is.
You may be on track which is great. Or you may be losing money you don’t have to which is fixable now, not later.
Either way, clarity is always the right choice.
Request Your Investment Audit — Only R499
A once-off review.
Clear, plain-language results.
No ongoing fees.
No sales agendas.
Just understanding.
Your future self will thank you sincerely.
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