Shereen is a Director of the firm and is an experienced and dynamic family law expert. Over the last 30 years she has successfully represented clients and resolved disputes in private client matters as diverse as divorces and relationship break-ups and post-divorce disputes, parenting disputes, relocation disputes, Hague applications and estate related disputes. She also drafts ante-nuptial contracts and co-habitation and surrogate parenting agreements. She is particularly skilled in mediation support and strategic advice. She often deals with complex proprietary disputes and all private law consequences relating to the formation and dissolution of relationships. She has dealt with many international family law matters over the years. She always considers matters from the unique perspective of her client and empowers her clients with clear explanations of their options in any given family law situation. She problem-solves creatively in order to find the best outcome for the individual client. Shereen was a member of the Cape Law Society’s Specialist Family and Gender Committee for 17 years. She is a member of the Western Cape Family Law Forum and remains involved in lobbying for positive change to the law relating to family structures and private relationships in South Africa.

Thought of the Week | Living Annuity: Part Of Accrual In A Divorce?

Simply stated, a living annuity is an investment account or portfolio of investments from which a person can withdraw an income. Living annuities are usually purchased when people retire – they invest their retirement annuities, provident funds and other retirement funds in living annuities and their retirement income is drawn from the living annuity investment. SARS limits the income withdrawals to a range between 2,5% and 17,5% of the invested capital per year and income is usually drawn in monthly payments, like a pension, although other options exist.

Is this an asset in a person’s estate so that it is included in the calculation of accrual where divorce proceedings allows one spouse to share in the accrual in the other spouse’s estate?

No, said the Gauteng High Court earlier this month, although the monthly or periodical payment of the annuity can be taken into account to assess future maintenance of the other spouse. This means that it can make a big difference if you get divorced before retirement as opposed to afterwards. A pension interest forms part of an estate for divorce purposes and will be taken into account in calculation an accrual claim or dividing a joint estate. However once the pension interest matures and is invested in a living annuity, at best it is only taken account of as income and is not an asset for divorce purposes.

Ensuring a fair outcome on divorce, is often tricky. For assistance in divorce matters, contact our Family Law Department on info@stbb.co.za.

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