Have you left South Africa?

Access 100% of your South African retirement annuity now (even if you’re younger than age 55).

Don't wait for further Rand devaluations to deplete your retirement investments.

We can arrange for your inheritance to be paid, and any other assets, including moving funds with your discretionary allowance, at excellent forex rates.

Contact Julian Haw now for a no cost, no obligation assessment of your tax and emigration status.

ABOUT JULIAN HAW

I have been in the financial services industry in South Africa for nearly three decades, before which I was in business. I am a Chartered Secretary (ACIS) and a registered tax practitioner with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). I have been arranging the formal emigration of clients since 2001.

In 2008, SARS changed the tax laws allowing formal emigrants to access 100% of their retirement annuities at any age. I use my tax expertise in assisting former South African residents to access their own money whether this is from retirement annuities, inheritances and any other funds or investments which remained in South Africa.

I control operations worldwide from my Brisbane office ably supported by Glynnis and her staff at the South African clearing centre in Durban. We can arrange the following services:

— Facilitate the opening of your bank account in South Africa.

— Reactivate your SARS tax account.

— Establish if you have any outstanding taxes.

— Lodge your Tax Clearance Certificate application with SARS.

— Lodge your Reserve Bank application.

— Arrange the surrender your retirement annuities.

— Keep you informed every step of the way.

— Advise you when payment is in your South African bank account with instructions on transferring these funds.

For more information, please contact me so that I can make an assessment of your particular situation.

Why use Julian Haw Consultants?

My area of expertise is in helping you to complete the required emigration formalities. This process includes obtaining forms from SARS, your bank and the Reserve Bank, preparing your supporting documentation and liaising with all of these institutions. If you have already emigrated I can arrange the maturity of your retirement annuity. This includes re-activating your SARS account, re-opening your blocked account, etc. Approximate fees are AUD2,500 (ZAR26,500) to arrange your emigration, which includes arranging for the maturity of your retirement annuity.

This amount is only payable when the assurer has paid the proceeds into your South African blocked account ready to transfer the proceeds to you.

Whether you have R100,000 or R10 million, I will charge you a set fee, rather than a figure based on a sliding scale, because the volume of paperwork is the same. This fee will be lower for amounts below R100,000.

It may be better to retire rather than withdraw the 100% of your retirement annuity if the value is more than R800,000. This is because of the different possible tax scenarios. Please contact me now.

HOW I CAN HELP YOU

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) revised the rules on retirement annuities in July 2008. South African expatriates are now able to access 100% of retirement annuities irrespective of age or when formal emigration took place.

The significance of this is that South Africans of any age can now withdraw their retirement annuity in full. If you left South Africa without formally emigrating, you can emigrate now and benefit from the new legislation. Formal emigration implies a tax clearance, South African Reserve Bank approval and a blocked account.

Why should I emigrate formally?

There are additional benefits of formal emigration:

— You are able to transfer your funds. South African residents who emigrate can take up to R10 million per person. Unofficially, there is no limit in practice.

— You are able to inherit from a deceased estate and remit the full inheritance from South Africa. There is no maximum limit.

How can I find out more?

For more information, please contact me so that I can make an assessment of your particular situation. My assessment will include:

— An estimate of how much South African tax is payable on the surrender of your retirement annuities.

— An offer to arrange the surrender of any retirement annuities.

— An offer to arrange for your emigration, if you have not already done so.

What if I have already emigrated?

You can draw 100% from your retirement annuity even if you are not yet 55.

If you prefer you can retire after 55 and take one third in cash. There are several types of annuities available and I will be happy to illustrate these in detail for your particular situation. They include:

— Capital preserver annuities where the capital is paid out on your death.

— Joint life annuities.

— Single life annuities.

— Market-related living annuities.

THE PROCEDURE

These are the steps involved to arrange formal emigration. You may emigrate at any time even if you are already a citizen in your new country. It does not matter how long ago you left South Africa.

— When we receive your enquiry we will send you our initial response letter together with a questionnaire and authority letter, where you authorise us to check on the status of your SARS account and to obtain values for your policies.

— We advise you on your values and tax payable, as determined by SARS.

— We use your questionnaire answers to send you the correct documents and required supporting documents which the banks and SARS need.

— You authorize us to liaise with your bank so they can advise their requirements to open a bank account for you. The bank is obliged to open an account even if you have not had one for years

— When you return the above documents to us we:

 — Lodge the application for your emigration Tax Compliance Status (TCS).

— We wait for SARS to issue the TCS and PIN. This can take three to eight weeks depending on your SARS tax status.

— When we receive the TCS from SARS, we lodge the original with the bank.

— Your bank then opens a non-resident account for you or converts your existing account to a blocked account.

Note: the bank is obliged to take control of ALL your South African assets.

— After the non-resident account is open, we send you the surrender forms which we will lodge with the assurers as soon as you return them (by email).

— Once the maturity documents have been lodged, the assurer applies for a tax directive to SARS before they pay the cash into your account.

— After you have been paid, we advise you of the amount paid and the amount of tax deducted. We have a standard completion letter which attaches copies of the TCC and ECA letter from the bank. You can now ask the bank to send your cash anywhere you want including Australia, the United Kingdom or the United States (for example). You may close the account or keep it open if you wish.

— We invoice you.

This is a long process that can easily take between three and six months.

If you are married, our fee quoted is the same for one or both of you. However, if a spouse has no assets, he or she need not emigrate.

You may ask to be put in touch with previous clients to find out how they experienced our service.

SARS RULING

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has agreed to issue directives for emigrants who wish to withdraw their retirement annuities irrespective of their age. A major change was made on 1 March 2021 and SARS has now taken control of the emigration function from the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Residents and non-residents are treated as the same by SARB. It is still called financial emigration but the term used by SARS is residents who have changed their residence.

SARS requires the following documents before they will issue a directive:

— Copy of the Tax Clearance Certificate issued by SARS.

— Copy of the letter from the bank confirming that you have emigrated through them and that you have a blocked account.

— Copy of the permanent residence permit for your new country of residence.

— Certificate of residence from the tax authority in your new country.

YOUR QUESTIONS

What is a form IT21(a)?

This form has been withdrawn since SARS took over the emigration function on 1 March 2021. However, we use it to make sure we have all the answers when we apply for a person to change residence. This is still called financial emigration. You cannot apply for this until you have been out of South Africa for three years.

What is a form 336(b)?

This form has also been withdrawn since SARS took over the emigration function on 1 March 2021.

I left South Africa years ago and have a new foreign passport. Does that mean I have emigrated formally and can access my Retirement Annuities?

If you have not previously submitted the form IT21(a) and form 336(b) you have not formally emigrated. However, even if you have previously emigrated, SARS has changed the rules and you now have to obtain a foreign allowance Tax Compliance Status (TCS) certificate if your previous certificate is more than 12 months old.

If I emigrate formally do I lose my South African Citizenship?

No. If you were born in South Africa you have the right to return unless the law is changed. However, if you become a citizen of another country by application, you lose the right to a South African passport whether you emigrate formally or not. The South African department of Home Affairs may not know of this until you apply for a new passport and answer the passport application question: “Have you ever applied for or been granted citizenship of another country?”

I left South Africa years ago and have no South African bank account. Why do I have to open a South African account?

In practical terms, a South African bank will not transfer funds unless it is from a South African account. However, if the proceeds are from a retirement fund (retirement annuity, pension or provident fund), the Pension Funds Act prohibits payment into a third party account. This is because these funds are protected against creditors and therefore the insurers will only pay into an account in South Africa in your own name.

I formally emigrated years ago but no longer have a South African account. Does the above still apply?

You have to re-open a new account with the bank which handled your emigration. This is where we occasionally have a problem as some banks have failed to keep your records especially if it is more than five years since you emigrated. However, the problems are usually solvable.

I left South Africa many years ago and have no South African tax number. My tax advisor has also emigrated.

I have not yet had a problem reactivating a tax account.

I have heard that the Reserve Bank has relaxed the rules with regard to a bank account and the time to obtain Exchange Control approval. Is this true?

It is true that since June 2011 the bank can give approval "immediately" to qualifying emigrants who have already left and who have less than R10 million in assets. They also technically do not need a South African bank account. However, in practice, the assurers will not issue a cheque and they are precluded by law from paying into a general bank account. I recommend that an account be opened in your name to ensure you receive all the cash due to you.

I have a preservation fund and have already taken my one withdrawal before retirement. Is it true that I cannot access the rest before my retirement age even if I emigrate formally?

Yes, it is true. Preservation funds do not come under pension, provident or retirement annuity fund rules. However, since 2021, provident funds must purchase a pension like a pension fund unless you have financially emigrated.

My wife was a housewife and has never worked or paid tax in South Africa. How do I reactivate her non-existent account?

It is not necessary to financially emigrate as you can produce a certificate of residence from your new country to prove you are not resident in South Africa.

I have heard that formal emigration takes about six weeks. Why does the process take so long through you?

A good question. If you are in South Africa and approach your own tax office and bank, it can take as little as six weeks to be classed as an emigrant with a blocked account. However, due to postal delays, it takes two weeks to receive your original documentation, SARS takes two or more weeks to issue an emigration Tax Compliance Status (TCS). The bank also takes much longer to re-open an account if you are not in South Africa. After the blocked account is open and clearance given, the application to mature your retirement annuity is made and SARS takes around four weeks to calculate your tax and give you a directive. This should improve when it is no longer a manual application. I do, however, keep you informed of progress regularly.

What is the process after I give you the go ahead?

1 You authorise me to reactivate your SARS account. I accept appointment as your representative tax payer.

2 You authorize me to liaise with your bank so they can advise their requirements to open a blocked account for you.

3 SARS issues the emigration TCS which we lodge with the bank and the bank issues a non-resident account or converts your existing account to a non-resident account.

4 The maturity documents are lodged and the cash is paid into your account.

5 I advise you how much was paid and what tax was deducted and you tell the bank to send it to you in your new country of residence and close the account.

6 I invoice you.

REFERRALS AND TESTIMONIALS

Below are some referrals from satisfied clients. The originals are in my files and the referees can be contacted.

2024

Thank you so much for all the work you have done for us in this regard. You guys have been amazing. We could never have done this without you. V&GD, Illinois, USA

My sincere thanks to Julian and Glynnis for all the help they have given me over the years. Ten years ago, they arranged for me to finalise my emigration and access my annuities. They have assisted me with numerous queries over the years and, after unsuccessfully spending six months trying to re-register for SARS eFiling, I contacted them this year and was registered within a couple of weeks. BC, New South Wales, Australia

A very big thank you, to you and your staff, for the professional and efficient handling of my administration work involving getting my insurance policies paid out. With the ever changing legislation rules and stipulations of SARS and Insurance companies, it would be almost impossible for anyone to complete without the help of companies such as yourselves. AD, Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia

Thanks, Glynnis, you really went the extra mile for me and I appreciate it so much. Thanks, Julian; you guys are amazing. You came highly recommended through friends so glad to let you know you have a very good reputation out there. FV, Queensland, Australia

Thank you, Brenda and the team, for doing all these transactions in such a professional way. Initially, I had no idea how to receive these funds from South Africa and you guys were a Godsend. NM, Queensland, Australia

Julian and Glynnis, thank you for helping me getting my funds out of South Africa. I would never have been able to do it without you. AK, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you very much for everything. You made it so easy for me. EV, Queensland, Australia

Many thanks for all your help, Julian and team. We honestly could not have done this without your help. I am so pleased with the result and would happily be a reference for you and will mention your services to all our friends. A&JC, Victoria, Australia

Thank you all for your assistance with the surrender of my Retirement Annuity and non-resident tax status. I know that I asked many questions and for clarification over what may have seemed trivial issues to you. Thank you for your patience. I had put this off for a few years as it was just too daunting to tackle. It was a comfort to know that I had a professional team sorting it out for me. HH, South Australia, Australia

Thanks, Julian. Very smooth end-to-end process so I will certainly pass on your details as a reference. WV, Queensland, Australia

2023

Julian and Glynnis, a huge thank you for your fabulous support and advice. You have all been wonderful, 10 years ago with my emigration, and again this time around. TB, Kenya

Thank you so much for your patience in answering all our questions. I will definitely refer you should I meet anyone requiring assistance in retrieving their money. It certainly has been a long saga and you were both very patient. D&JJ, Queensland, Australia

Thank you so much for your assistance with my inheritance. I can’t begin to tell you how stressed I was with everything, and it has been an absolute pleasure dealing with you and Brenda. If I hear of anyone else needing your assistance and expertise I will definitely be referring them to you. MD, Queensland, Australia

Julian, I would like to take this opportunity to say a “HUGE” THANK YOU to yourself, Lynn and Glynnis for successfully arranging my financial emigration. DL, Brisbane, Australia

Julian and Glynnis, we thank you for your help and guidance through the process. To us it was foreign but you made it look simple and easy. When we didn't understand and we asked you a silly question, you answered professionally. We will definitely refer you to everybody we know, and tell them how professional you guys were. A&JH, Queensland, Australia

Julian and team, thank you so much for your help. You can be sure that we will keep on recommending you to all who need your services. B&AM, Queensland, Australia

Thank you for all your help. It was a pleasure working with you. If I hear of anyone needing help, I will pass on your email address to them. VS, UK

Thank you so much for services and all your help getting the funds out. Will recommend you to others. C&CM, Queensland, Australia

Lynn and Julian, many thanks for your ongoing and patient service to us. The journey has been long, but it is now done with funds transferring today. We were very happy with the support you gave us; we clearly could not have done this without you, and we will happily refer you both to potential new clients. P&KV, Queensland, Australia

Thank you so much for services provided and for answering questions so patiently. Filling in forms is my nemesis, and when it comes to such a large ‘scary transaction’ I was completely out of my depth. I do appreciate your time, effort, and patience. MA, SA, Australia

Thank you for getting this all sorted out for me. I would be happy to provide references to others looking to do the same thing. GW, Queensland, Australia

Thank you. You guys have been amazing and so efficient. We have never had such good service and really do appreciate it. We will have no hesitation in referring to anyone that is in the same position that we were in. GM, WA, Australia

2022

I just wanted to say thank you for assisting us in this matter. We are very grateful that we are finally able to close this chapter. Working with you all has been effortless. A-MU, SA, Australia

Thank you for your outstanding service. We really do appreciate all Julian Haw Consultants Pty Ltd has done for us. JB and LB, New South Wales, Australia

Glynnis and Julian, I would like to personally thank you both. I don’t think I would have been able to do this without your help and I really appreciate it. KM, UK

Thanks for the pain-free and very efficient service. We will definitely tell others. SC, Queensland, Australia

Thank you so much for your help in this absolute minefield. The speed, knowledge and professionalism with which you handled this have been impressive and I'm more than happy to refer friends to you. I know I could not have done this on my own. JL, New South Wales, Australia

I am over the moon knowing financial emigration is completed. Thank you so much for all your help, patience and support across your team. MC, New South Wales, Australia

Julian and Glynnis, this week I was in receipt once again of my annuity payments. It has all happened after this lengthy and protracted affair with SARS. This is wonderful. Thank you both for your attention to and ongoing perseverance in tracking down the comprehensive detail required to satisfy SARS. I am totally indebted to you both for your wonderful cooperation. CG, WA, Australia

What a journey and thank you for your help. I am sure I would not have been able to access the funds. SN, Victoria, Australia

Thank you so very much to yourself and your team for all you have done. Your knowledge, advice and prompt service has been outstanding. ML, Queensland, Australia

Transferring funds from South Africa, through Julian, has been an awesome experience. He patiently explained all the details along the way so that the process made complete sense. Thank you so much for all your help and for making this transaction so easy. I appreciate your efficient professionalism and the speed of your execution. SR, WA, Australia

Thanks once again for the sterling service you have all provided. I know that I could not have got here without your help. I will certainly recommend Julian Haw to anyone who needs to expatriate money from SA. PJ, Massachusetts, USA

Thanks so much for your assistance and for walking this journey with us. We really could not have done this without your help. M&H, Brisbane, Australia

I want to say a HUGE thank you to you and Glynnis for agreeing to help me. Without your help, I would not be getting this money. Also, thank you for your patience with me with getting all the forms done and sent off. You have both been an absolute pleasure to deal with and extremely professional. Much appreciated. JP, WA, Australia

We would like to thank you for your patience with us. It's been a frustration and I think I will write a book when the dust settles. NV and FV, WA, Australia

Thank you for everything you accomplished for me. This whole emigration situation had been weighing on me for so long. It has been a pleasure working with your team. GS, Wilmington, Delaware, USA

Thank you very much for attending to this matter. I will certainly tell my friends about you guys and will not hesitate to recommend you and Lynn. DVA, Queensland, Australia

Julian and Lynn, It has been a pleasure to deal with both of you and I thank you for your assistance in this matter. KR, Guildford, UK

Thank you very much, Julian. You guys have been outstanding and very professional. It has been such a seamless experience. I will definitely refer you to anyone I know who may need your help. Thanks heaps. BDSP, WA, Australia

Thank you for handling this matter and for all your patience and support. I will certainly recommend you when someone wants help with transferring funds from SA. BVS, New Zealand

Julian and Lynn, thank you. I will most definitely recommend your service as and where I am aware of such a need. LDP, SA, Australia

Lynn and Julian, many thanks for your service. I will be sure to pass on your details to anyone I know who may require your services. You were professional and prompt and without your assistance I would not have known where to start. CDB, WA, Australia

Julian and Glynnis, thank you so much for all your help. Your service was exceptional and I definitely would recommend you to anyone else that would need this service. DC, Victoria, Australia

Julian, you guys were an amazing help. We will gladly pass your details on to anyone who needs your assistance. KB and CB, Victoria, Australia

Thank you so much for some of the most professional and expedient service experienced in a long while! It’s been an absolute pleasure dealing with you and your team. M-C VDM, Kingston, Canada

It was an absolute pleasure dealing with you and I will definitely be recommending you to family and friends. It can be such an emotional and stressful time and you made everything just happen without any hassle. Can't thank you enough for your professionalism. It is greatly appreciated. AVZ, WA, Australia

Julian, Lynn and team, thank you all for all the hard work. Much appreciated. I will certainly recommend you guys if the opportunity arises in the future. GSM, New South Wales, Australia

2021

Thank you very much. Let it be said that, without you, nothing would have been achieved. Without your expertise and hard work, my feet would still be glued to the starting blocks. MB, WA, Australia

Thank you so much. We have received our money. You guys are awesome; we will most definitely tell more people about your services. MB and DB, Western Australia

Thank you so much for your patience, support and assistance. I'm happy to refer friends to you. JB, Tasmania, Australia

Thank you Julian, Glynnis and Brenda for your professional and friendly help. We will definitely pass on good referrals to anyone we hear of in similar circumstances. NM and SM, Auckland, New Zealand

Julian and Glynnis, I am happy to advise that the remittance has been received. Thank you both for your efforts and support in helping to get this over the line. It has been a pleasure doing business with you. D, Queensland, Australia

Thank you so much for your helpful service. I can't tell you how happy and relieved I am to have this matter sorted out. I will certainly recommend your services. BB, Queensland, Australia

Glynnis and Julian, thank you for your work in getting my RAs sorted out. I will most definitely refer you to other potential clients. MM, New Zealand

Thank you so much, Glynnis and Julian. We have been very impressed with your service. VdP, Western Australia

Thanks so much to you, Julian and Glynnis, for getting this done for us. It’s been a pleasure dealing with you both and we’ll definitely refer you to any of our friends who need help in the future. BH and RH, Victoria, Australia

Thank you once again, Glynnis and Julian. Our accountant in Perth has already asked us who we used to assist with getting our RA policies out of SA and we have referred you and JHC to her and her client. DS and CS, Perth, Australia

Thanks for all your help with our financial emigration. You guys have done extraordinary work for us and there is absolutely no way we could have done this without your help. Thanks very much Lynn as well. DG and JG, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you for outstanding service, Julian and Lynn. GVJ and SVJ, Victoria, Australia

Thank you very much, Lynn and Julian, for all your work with our financial emigration. You have been very responsive to and meticulous with all our queries. We will be sure to pass your details on to family and friends. SW and LW, New South Wales, Australia

Julian and Glynnis, a very big thank you from us. We would not have been able to complete this process without you. Thank you, Glynnis, for all your patience and hard work. We really do appreciate it. We have already mentioned you to other friends in Aus and will continue to do so. AH and MH, Victoria, Australia

Thank you so much for all your help with this, Glynnis and Julian, we really do appreciate it. We will definitely be recommending you guys to anyone and everyone. It has been a real pleasure to deal with you. KVZ and EVZ, Queensland, Australia

Glynnis and Julian, just a final thanks to you guys for all the effort to get my last bit of cash out of SA. Now in my Oz bank so I am delighted. As said previously I am happy to be used as a reference for your business. I am sure there will be people that I can refer to you the next few years. Much appreciated. NC, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you for your services, Lynn and Julian. Much appreciated and did not envisage such a complicated process. We appreciate your guidance and persistence in getting this across the line especially since we fall within the time frame of the new rules. You navigated this professionally and successfully and for this we are grateful. We will definitely be recommending you to others. GVR and AVR, Gold Coast, Australia

Everything has settled and the money arrived in my account this morning. An easy, painless process. Thank you to you and your team for all your help and support. WM, Queensland, Australia

Thank you very much, Julian and Lynn, for your patience and assistance with our financial immigration. I can honestly say that it feels like a mountain has been taken off my shoulders. CD and JD, Queensland, Australia

April 2021

Thank you, Glynnis, for all your hard work on this. We will refer if we come across someone that wants their money out of South Africa. FL and LL, Queensland, Australia

Thank you for the confirmation received and the guidance on how to get the funds transferred to our Australian account. Appreciate all your assistance in this regard. JH and FH, Western Australia

We just want to thank you and your team for the excellent and smooth service you gave us in assisting with all the processes to get our financial immigration sorted. Greatly appreciated. DS and AMS, Auckland, New Zealand

Lynn and Julian, thank you both for all the work in getting our funds out here. It’s much appreciated and very useful. We most certainly will tell our friends and steer people your way. TB and MB, Victoria, Australia

Lynn and Julian, we would like to thank you for your assistance in this marathon financial emigration process. You made it so much easier and made the last bit of it an absolute pleasure. Thank you for bringing light to this process; we would not have been able to do this without you. It was an absolute pleasure working with you and we will recommend you to whomever needs to have their funds brought over to Australia. RT and AT, Queensland, Australia

Julian and Lynn, thank you both for assisting with this. It is one of those matters that you need to start to get finished, and is complex to undertake. I shall certainly pass on recommendation to others in the same position. KL and JL, Perth, Australia

Thank you very much for all your work with this financial emigration. It is greatly appreciated. Julian and his team come highly recommended. They are knowledgeable on the entire process and easy to work with. Feedback during the entire process was timely and proactive. GV and GV, Queensland, Australia

Older referrals can be viewed here.