Your health and money habits could be your greatest retirement asset

Retirement readiness remains one of South Africa’s most persistent financial challenges. Most people understand why saving for retirement matters, yet relatively few reach retirement with the level of financial security they hoped to achieve.

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According to National Treasury, only 6% of South Africans can afford to retire comfortably. For investors, that statistic shifts the focus from product selection to behaviour: what habits and decisions are most likely to support better retirement outcomes over time?

“We’ve spent a lot of time understanding what really influences retirement outcomes,” says Estee Sevenster, Head of Technical Marketing at Discovery Invest. “Our research consistently shows that long-term discipline and engagement can have a meaningful impact on retirement success.”

Why behaviour matters in retirement planning

For decades, traditional retirement planning has often started with products, performance and cost. Those questions still matter. But retirement is, at its core, an income challenge.

As people live longer and remain active for longer, the goal is to build enough capital to generate an income that can support your lifestyle throughout an extended retirement.

Contributing consistently, increasing contributions as income grows, staying invested during periods of market uncertainty and regularly reviewing a plan can all influence the retirement income you may ultimately be able to generate.

If behaviour influences retirement outcomes, it should be visible in how people save and remain invested over time.

Discovery Invest data points to a relationship between engagement and long-term saving behaviour.

As at 30 June 2026, clients who were offered Discovery’s boost rewards, designed to encourage positive long-term investing and engagement behaviours, invested for an average of 3.2 years longer than those who were not offered these rewards.

During the 2024/2025 Economic Sentiment Indicator measurement period, clients who received boosts also made 69% more additional investments, measured as a proportion of assets under management, than clients who did not receive boosts.

Individual circumstances and outcomes will differ. Still, the data suggests that when investors are encouraged to stay engaged, they may be more likely to maintain behaviours that support long-term retirement planning.

Flexibility for the way South Africans actually save

Behaviour matters, but retirement planning also has to reflect the way people earn and save.

Many South Africans no longer follow a straight career path. Contract work, entrepreneurship, career transitions, breaks in employment and fluctuating income have become part of modern working life.

“Our focus is on helping clients maintain discipline, manage complexity and sustain income in retirement,” says Sevenster. “That has shaped how we design solutions and how we support advisers and clients over time.”

Building a stronger retirement income

Discovery Invest’s expanded Retirement Annuity range supports a simpler, more flexible approach to retirement planning. Financial advisers play an important role in helping you align your retirement strategy with your long-term goals.

These five questions can help guide your next conversation:

1. Am I contributing enough towards my retirement?
2. Have my contributions kept pace with my income growth?
3. Am I staying invested during periods of market uncertainty?
4. Does my current solution still reflect my lifestyle and financial circumstances?
5. Am I receiving advice that helps me stay focused on my long-term goals?

Helping clients stay invested, adapt to changing circumstances and build sustainable retirement income, remains at the heart of Discovery Invest’s approach.

This commitment was recently recognised in the 2026/2027 ASK AFRICA Orange Index™, where Discovery Invest was named the Customer Experience Winner in the Investment Policies and Savings Industry.

“Retirement success is often shaped by the small decisions made consistently over time,” says Sevenster. “Well-designed solutions, combined with trusted advice, can help you deal with uncertainty, stay invested and improve your chances of retiring with financial confidence.”