SA Two-Pot Retirement System (2026)

The two-pot retirement system started on 1 September 2024. Since then SARS has paid out hundreds of thousands of savings-pot withdrawals. This is the practical 2026 guide: how to apply, what tax you'll pay, when you can apply again, and what happens at retirement.

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Two-Pot Calculator - estimate your savings-pot balance + tax on a withdrawal

Guides

How to Apply for a Two-Pot Withdrawal (Step-by-Step, 2026)

Step-by-step 2026 walkthrough for withdrawing from your two-pot savings pot. Tax registration, fund application, SARS directive, and how long the money takes to land in your account.

Two-Pot Tax 2026: How Much SARS Takes from Your Withdrawal

What SARS deducts from your two-pot savings-pot withdrawal in 2026. Marginal rate explained, examples at R20k / R50k / R100k withdrawal, how old SARS debts are now offset against your payout.

Two-Pot Withdrawal Eligibility: When Can I Withdraw Again? (2026)

How often you can withdraw from your two-pot savings pot, what the R2,000 minimum is, when the tax year resets, and what happens if you withdrew last year already.

Two-Pot at Retirement: What Happens to the Savings + Retirement Pots

What the two-pot system means when you actually retire. Tax tables, lump-sum withdrawal rules, the R550,000 tax-free portion, and how the retirement pot is forced into a living or guaranteed annuity.

The basics

Savings pot - one-third of post-1-Sept-2024 contributions plus the once-off seed capital (up to R30,000). Accessible before retirement.
Retirement pot - two-thirds of post-1-Sept-2024 contributions. Preserved until retirement.
Vested rights - your pre-1-Sept-2024 balance, still under the old retirement rules. NOT affected by two-pot.
One withdrawal per fund per tax year. Minimum R2,000. Tax-year resets 1 March.
Tax at marginal rate. Plus SARS deducts any old tax debts before paying out.

Two-pot calculator
Income tax calculator - work out your marginal rate
Retirement calculator - project your retirement income

General guidance, not financial advice. Sourced from SARS, National Treasury two-pot FAQ, and major SA retirement fund administrators. Last verified 2026-05-14. For your specific situation contact your retirement fund or an independent financial planner.