A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE NEW TAXATION OF RETIREMENT FUND CONTRIBUTIONS

From 1 March 2016, new legislation regarding the taxation of contributions towards retirement funds has been implemented with the objectives of harmonising tax deductions and strengthening retirement savings, while maintaining the current` savings rate. The aim of this study is to establish if these objectives have been met by conducting a critical analysis of the impact of the new regime on disposable income and tax incentive. The result of the study indicates that objectives have been achieved in the new tax regime; however, the new provision is ambiguous and requires clarity, as it affects calculations based on taxable income. Though retirement fund members can maintain or increase their contributions, the incentive to save more may only be in theory, as the reduction in tax payable does not outweigh the reduction in disposable income.