Pensioner help

[grim101]

My dad is 61 years old now. He is with me in the business but does not draw a big salary anymore. I pay most of the stuff from my account.

His salary is R5000 a month.
His wife salary is R5000 a month. (53 years old now)
Combined assets is R700 000.

Do you think its a good idea to apply for old age pension for him? Will it be worthwhile as they say its on a sliding scale? Any income to help him enjoy life will be good. Any one that helped thy re parents with grants?

Any advice would be appreciated. Is there any one that know what he can ''Score" on for being a 'Pensioner" like long term camping?

 

[Grant]

My dad is 61 years old now. He is with me in the business but does not draw a big salary anymore. I pay most of the stuff from my account.

His salary is R5000 a month.
His wife salary is R5000 a month. (53 years old now)
Combined assets is R700 000.

Do you think its a good idea to apply for old age pension for him? Will it be worthwhile as they say its on a sliding scale? Any income to help him enjoy life will be good. Any one that helped thy re parents with grants?

Any advice would be appreciated. Is there any one that know what he can ''Score" on for being a 'Pensioner" like long term camping?

make sure your parents have adequate medical cover - it is probably one of the best things you can do.
as we get older our bodies need more repairs and maintenance - private health care is fast becoming prohibitively expensive.

in any transaction ask straight up for a pensioners discount - in most cases you will get a discount of sorts, if you do not ask, you will never receive.

ensure thier assets are well protected from potential creditors

 

[Nefertiti]

My dad is 61 years old now. He is with me in the business but does not draw a big salary anymore. I pay most of the stuff from my account.

His salary is R5000 a month.
His wife salary is R5000 a month. (53 years old now)
Combined assets is R700 000.

Do you think its a good idea to apply for old age pension for him? Will it be worthwhile as they say its on a sliding scale? Any income to help him enjoy life will be good. Any one that helped thy re parents with grants?

Any advice would be appreciated. Is there any one that know what he can ''Score" on for being a 'Pensioner" like long term camping?

They are going to get little grant money judging by my aunt's comments. I think she gets half of the grant amount if not less. I'd suggest still applying though, every little bit helps.

 

[crackersa]

They are going to get little grant money judging by my aunt's comments. I think she gets half of the grant amount if not less. I'd suggest still applying though, every little bit helps.

It's actually disgusting that you pay taxes for so many years and the government can look after you.

 

[Nefertiti]

It's actually disgusting that you pay taxes for so many years and the government can look after you.

I assumed you meant cant, but yea.. it sux a bit. It makes me stress for my old age, thats for sure...

 

[crackersa]

I assumed you meant cant, but yea.. it sux a bit. It makes me stress for my old age, thats for sure...

Correct. Typo. Pisses me off. And people ask why my wife wants to leave so bad. She's not educated and she's struggling to find a job in the western cape. What future does she have when i die.

 

[supersunbird]

It's actually disgusting that you pay taxes for so many years and the government can't look after you.

Well, I don't think I'd want to rely on them, look at Greeces pensioners or my Scottish neighbour who has been getting a fixed Pound amount for the past 20 years (so even if she was in UK it would not have catered for their inflation).

 

[crackersa]

Well, I don't think I'd want to rely on them, look at Greeces pensioners or my Scottish neighbour who has been getting a fixed Pound amount for the past 20 years (so even if she was in UK it would not have catered for their inflation).

That's the problem...you support the govt and you gotta sort yourself out.

 

[Arthur]

It's actually disgusting that you pay taxes for so many years and the government {can't} look after you.

I completely disagree.

Paying taxes is not an investment in a retirement fund, something to be claimed back later. It's paying for services and basic government operations (police, embassies, courts, etc). On other words, the taxes are consumed and expended.

And since almost all governments run deficits - spend more money than they collect - there is no surplus from tax collections that can go into a pot to be drawn later.

Part of being an adult in the world and supporting your own existence is to make provision for the times when you are no longer able to work. It's called saving.

Those who are unable to support their own existence must of course rely on the care and charity of others. There is no right or title to the labour and money of others who are already working to support themselves and their dependants.


What should really dismay us (your "disgust" is too strong a word) is the expectation that money should be taken by force of law from other working people and doled out to those who have made no provision for their old age. That is immoral. It is also the path to economic, sociological and psychological ruin.

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Sorry, OP. I'm getting caught up in a side debate and not answering your question. Apols for that.

There is a reciprocal duty of support between parents and their offspring. If your parents cannot support themselves, it falls to you and your siblings to do so. It is wrong to shift that burden to others, even if the current government says otherwise.

 

[^^vampire^^]

Snip

Agreed, and the problem is recurring. Most people don't cater properly for their retirement and the government giving out grants, old age pensions and the like makes the old people now reliant on the current working class. This is the same with parents relying on their children's money.

All you need is a retrenchment, less children or 1 of a million other different factors to crumble the system and leave everyone destitute. All these ideas are just borrowing tomorrows money today and someone, somewhere will come short (or already are).

 

[dunkyd]

So Arthur, seems 17 million of Jacobs voting fodder disagree with you...

 

[marioat1]

The wife at least can still qualify for a retirement annuity setup due to age.

 

[Eti1]

There is a reciprocal duty of support between parents and their offspring. If your parents cannot support themselves, it falls to you and your siblings to do so. It is wrong to shift that burden to others, even if the current government says otherwise.

For real? Is this a legal or a moral duty?

 

[Arthur]

For real? Is this a legal or a moral duty?

Both.

It's been part of SA law for more than a century, recently affirmed in Bursey v Bursey and Another 1999 2 ALL SA 289 (A). Sad that it comes to that, many parents have successfully sued their children to provide support.

 

[Eti1]

Both.

It's been part of SA law for more than a century, recently affirmed in Bursey v Bursey and Another 1999 2 ALL SA 289 (A). Sad that it comes to that, many parents have successfully sued their children to provide support.

Interesting, I didn't know that. I don't see how the case you cited has much to do with it though, lol thanks for wasting a few minutes of my time.

Also interesting that the duty doesn't extend to step parents and stepchildren...and that it is not certain whether a parent could compel an unemployed child to get a job in order to provide support. In Anthony v Cape Town Municipality 1967 (4) SA 445 (A) this duty was recognised iro an 11year old boy!

 

[Arthur]

Interesting, I didn't know that. I don't see how the case you cited has much to do with it though, lol thanks for wasting a few minutes of my time.

Oops, you're right. Sorry for the timewasting chase - wrong c&p while on mobile. That case simply affirms that a parent's duty of support doesn't end when the child reaches majority.

At any rate, it's one of the most elementary principles in the Law of Persons.

The general rule (in our law) is that there is a reciprocal duty of support between ascendants and descendants. Even grandparents and grandchildren. Of course maint must be sought first from the nearest relative.

 

[desiganp]

OP based on the information you provided, it appears that your dad will qualify for an old age social grant. He will need 3 months of bank statements, official rates valuation showing value of any property owned by him. Might also need spouses 3 month bank statements. Check with local SASSA office for full requirements.

 

[grim101]

Thanks for the help so far.
Will he get the full grant?

 

[diapason]

Thanks for the help so far.
Will he get the full grant?

There is a spreadsheet from SASSA which, unfortunately, you can't access directly from their website. If you Google Means Test 2016 - SASSA the link there takes you to the spreadsheet for last year giving the amount of grant he could get based on his earnings. Maybe in April you will be able to get a current version. Based on the 2016 figures it looks like your dad would qualify for R400.

One other thing to keep in mind is that if he is paying for a medical aid that amount can be deducted from his earnings in order to determine the qualifying earnings.

 

[thehuman]

There is a spreadsheet from SASSA which, unfortunately, you can't access directly from their website. If you Google Means Test 2016 - SASSA the link there takes you to the spreadsheet for last year giving the amount of grant he could get based on his earnings. Maybe in April you will be able to get a current version. Based on the 2016 figures it looks like your dad would qualify for R400.

One other thing to keep in mind is that if he is paying for a medical aid that amount can be deducted from his earnings in order to determine the qualifying earnings.

You sure r400 . And not r1400 ?