The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has announced the official start of the 2025 tax filing season, effective from 7 July 2025. Filing season for non-provisional taxpayers will close on 20 October 2025, whereas provisional taxpayers have until...
“Know your Ombud” is a series of conversations aimed at helping consumers of financial services understand their rights and where to go if they are not treated fairly. The financial ombud schemes include the National Financial Ombud, the FAIS...
Recently, I’ve been receiving complaints from members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) who say they are experiencing delays in receiving their benefit payments. These relate to resignation, divorce and death benefits. These members...
A few weeks ago, I posted some graphs about the declining marriage rates in South Africa from the Outlier.co.za newsletter. This set off a robust conversation about why marriage rates were declining. There was a strong feeling that because many...
SARS has unearthed a new source of tax revenue collection – cryptocurrency trading and investing! SARS has confirmed that it is able to receive information directly from local crypto asset exchanges, which means that non-compliance is both...
Amidst the excitement of wedding planning, it’s easy to overlook a crucial aspect of marriage: financial planning. Metropolitan Gauteng’s General Manager, Queen Malobane, urges couples to have open, practical discussions about money before the big...
To avoid nasty surprises such as frozen bank accounts or getting stranded abroad, South African residents need to understand South Africa’s exchange control regulations. Well over 300 000 South Africans embarked on international trips during early...
The low 2.9% GEPF pension increase has created an outcry among GEPF pensioners. Many point out that the National Treasury used an annual inflation rate of 4.4% for the budget. So why are pensioners only receiving 2.9%? I wrote an article in News24...
Starting your first job is a big deal. It comes with new responsibilities, formative learning curves, a regular paycheque, and, unfortunately – tax. Geo Kilian, tax attorney at Hobbs Sinclair Advisory, lays out the tax basics you need to know as...
Old Mutual is warning the public about a highly sophisticated investment scam currently circulating on social media and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp. The scam falsely uses the names and images of real employees and the Old Mutual company...
For most of us, long-term insurance is one of our biggest assets, yet we spend very little time understanding it. Am I over-insured? Does my company provide life insurance and how does that work? What is my premium pattern? Am I going to be able to afford my premiums...
The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride as Trump’s policy decisions have given new meaning to uncertainty! The markets have not experienced this level of volatility since 9/11. With tariffs on and then off again, no one is predicting anything, as honestly,...
As a single mom, planning for your child’s future is essential, especially if you’re not on good terms with the other parent. In this article, David Thomson, Senior Legal Adviser at Sanlam Trust, provides insights on guardianship and estate planning to help any single...
In my latest podcast episode, I chat to tax expert Andre Bothma about the complexities of the South African tax system and how recent proposals could affect personal finances. We also have a broader discussion about the current tax landscape and whether our...
Who wouldn’t love a salary increase of over 5% this year? Most employees would be happy with a raise that keeps up with inflation. But in 2025, even an inflation-related increase might not be enough to keep up with the rising cost of living as the taxman is taking a...
Attila Kadikoy, Managing Partner at Levantine & Co, warns wealthy individuals that tax authorities are increasingly adopting AI to help identify tax evasion. Many investors consider tax as a major contributor to wealth erosion – and rightly so. My advice has been...
This interview with Chris Axelson, acting head of tax and financial sector policy at National Treasury, will give listeners a window into how Treasury thinks when putting together a tax package. Our conversation provides invaluable insights into how budget decisions...
With short-term letting – and more specifically, letting through Airbnb – ramping up in South Africa, disgruntled owners and tenants are voicing their concerns when it comes to short-term letting properties contained in complexes, estates and apartment blocks. “While...
We all spend a lot of time thinking about how much we should be saving for retirement, and what the best strategy is for those investments. But we often don’t spend much time thinking about what the best strategy is for using this money after we have retired. In this...
Parents who miss maintenance payments may soon find their access to credit affected. Ayanda Ndimande, Head of Business Development at Sanlam Credit Solutions, takes a closer look at new enforcement measures. The Department of Justice has introduced a new policy...