Two-Pot Savings Withdrawal Calculator (South Africa) 2026/2027
See what you actually get from a two-pot savings withdrawal after tax and fees, and what it costs your retirement pot if left invested instead.
Two-pot savings withdrawal estimate
Two-Pot Savings Withdrawal Calculator
See what you will actually receive from a two-pot savings withdrawal after tax and fees, and what that same money would have been worth at retirement if you had left it invested.
The national average savings pot withdrawal in the 2026 tax year was about R9,290. Minimum withdrawal is R2,000, once per tax year.
Your salary and any other taxable income for the year, before this withdrawal. A savings withdrawal is not taxed on its own scale, it is added on top of this and taxed at your resulting rate, so a higher income means a bigger bite.
Two in three people who made a savings pot withdrawal in the 2025 tax year made another one in 2026. Tick this to see what that pattern actually costs.
Assumptions: fee and investment growth
Most funds charge an admin fee around R300, excluding VAT, to process a savings pot withdrawal. This varies by fund, check yours.
Real return per year, before fees.
Yearly fund and platform fees.
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What a two-pot savings withdrawal actually costs you
Since September 2024, South Africans have been able to withdraw from the savings component of their retirement fund once a year, without resigning. It is easy money to access, but the payout is smaller than the withdrawal amount, because tax and an admin fee come off first, and it is more expensive than it looks, because the full amount leaves your retirement pot and stops growing for you. This free calculator shows both sides: what actually lands in your account, and what that withdrawal costs your retirement pot by the time you retire.
The average savings pot withdrawal nationally has been running at under R10,000, and most people who make one withdrawal make another the following tax year. Put in your own withdrawal amount and income above to see your real numbers, or tick the yearly option to see what a repeated withdrawal costs by retirement.
Two-pot savings withdrawal rules for 2026/27
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum withdrawal | R2,000, once per tax year (1 March to end February) |
| Maximum withdrawal | No cap, limited only by what is in your savings pot |
| How it's taxed | Added to your taxable income for the year, taxed at your marginal rate |
| Tax-free threshold | None. The R550,000 retirement lump-sum exclusion does not apply |
| Typical admin fee | Around R300, excluding VAT, but this varies by fund |
| Outstanding tax debt | SARS deducts it from your payout first, unless you have a payment arrangement |
A worked example
Say you withdraw R9,290, the recent national average, and you earn R350,000 a year. That withdrawal is added on top of your income and taxed at your marginal rate of 26%, which works out to about R2,415 in extra tax, plus a R300 admin fee, so you actually receive around R6,575. But the full R9,290 leaves your retirement pot. If you are 35 and plan to retire at 65, and your investments grow at a real 5% a year before a 1.5% fee, that R9,290 would have grown to roughly R26,000 in today's rands by the time you retire. You walked away with R6,575 today, and gave up around R26,000 at retirement to get it.
Net payout on common withdrawal amounts (2026/2027)
What you would actually receive for some common withdrawal amounts, for someone earning R350,000 a year with a R300 admin fee, before the money you give up at retirement is even counted. Tap any amount to open it in the calculator with your own income and age.
| Withdrawal | Tax | Net payout |
|---|---|---|
| R2 000 | R520 | R1 180 |
| R10 000 | R2 600 | R7 100 |
| R30 000 | R7 800 | R21 900 |
| R50 000 | R13 845 | R35 855 |
| R100 000 | R29 345 | R70 355 |
Assumes a single withdrawal, income of R350,000 a year, under 65, and a R300 admin fee, which varies by fund. Your own marginal rate changes these numbers, so use the calculator above for your exact figure, and remember the full withdrawal amount, not just the tax, is what leaves your retirement pot.
Frequently asked questions
How much tax will I pay on a two-pot savings withdrawal?
It depends on your other income for the year. A savings pot withdrawal is not taxed at a fixed rate, it is added on top of your salary and other taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate for that year, through your fund's tax directive to SARS. So the same R10,000 withdrawal costs a low earner far less tax than it costs someone already in a high bracket. Enter your figures in the calculator above for your own number.
Is the two-pot savings withdrawal tax-free up to R550,000 like a retirement lump sum?
No. That R550,000 tax-free threshold only applies to a retirement, death or severance lump sum taken from the retirement or vested components. A savings pot withdrawal while you are still working is taxed as ordinary income from the first rand, with no separate exclusion.
What is the minimum and maximum I can withdraw from my savings pot?
The minimum is R2,000 before tax and fees. There is no maximum, other than what has actually built up in your savings pot. You can only make one withdrawal per tax year, which runs from 1 March to the end of February.
Can I make a second two-pot withdrawal in the same tax year?
No. You can only make one savings pot withdrawal per tax year, which runs from 1 March to the end of February. If you already withdrew since 1 March this year, the next window only opens on 1 March next year, regardless of how much is still sitting in your savings pot.
Will SARS take money I owe them out of my withdrawal?
Yes. SARS first deducts any outstanding tax debt from your savings withdrawal payout before you receive the balance, unless you already have a payment arrangement with SARS in place. This calculator cannot estimate that deduction, since it depends on your personal tax account, so treat the net payout shown here as before any such deduction.
What does a savings pot withdrawal actually cost me at retirement?
The full amount you withdraw leaves your retirement fund, not just the after-tax portion, so it stops compounding for you from that day. The calculator above compounds the full withdrawal at a real investment return to your planned retirement age, in today's rands, so you can see the gap between what you pocket now and what leaves your pot for good.
Is it worth withdrawing from my two-pot savings pot every year?
That depends entirely on what the money is for. National data shows most people who withdraw once withdraw again the following tax year, often for a fixed annual expense rather than a genuine emergency. Tick "assume I do this every year until retirement" in the calculator to see what that pattern actually costs by the time you retire, then decide if it still makes sense for your situation.
How is this different from the retirement calculator?
The retirement calculator answers whether you are broadly on track for retirement. This tool answers a narrower, immediate question: what you will actually receive from one specific savings pot withdrawal, and what that withdrawal costs your future retirement pot. Use this one before you submit a withdrawal, then check the bigger picture with the retirement calculator.
Is this an official SARS or fund calculator?
No, it is a free independent tool using the 2026/2027 SARS tax tables and general two-pot system rules to give a reliable estimate. It is general information, not tax or financial advice. It does not know your outstanding tax debt, your specific fund's fees, or your investment returns, so treat the results as a guide and confirm your exact payout with your fund and SARS.
This calculator gives estimates using the 2026/2027 SARS income tax tables and general two-pot retirement system rules. It is general information and not tax or financial advice. It assumes a single withdrawal, one South African tax resident, a constant real investment return, and it does not know your outstanding tax debt or your specific fund's fees. Confirm your exact payout with your fund and, for anything material, a registered tax practitioner or SARS. Last reviewed August 2026.