Most parents want their children to be financially secure and to live better lives than they were able to ‒ lives without financial stress. Parents also want to be able to leave their children a financial legacy that will provide for...
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Is SA really “junk”?
By George Herman, Citadel Director and Chief Investment Officer Bloomberg news agency recently published an article stating that South African bonds were now seemingly “junk” – a word which is loaded with negative sentiments. In turbulent times...
Stress is making us sick
The uncertainty in South Africa is taking its toll on our bodies, and possibly our insurance premiums. Over the last year, long-term insurers have experienced higher-than-expected claims ratios, especially when it comes to stress-related illnesses...
The 10 key themes investors must not ignore in 2017
By Marianna Georgakopoulou, Head of Asset Allocation at Ashburton Investments Global macro indicators are currently strong, with a clear cyclical recovery underway in most regions of the world. In particular, industrial and consumer survey data in...
Surviving market turmoil
In recent weeks, investors have been on a President Zuma-fuelled rollercoaster ride as market valuations and currencies reacted to the political and economic fallout of the Cabinet reshuffle. Everyone is trying to figure out what this means for the...
Eight digital banking scams to look out for
As access to banking services through digital channels continues to grow, so does the need to protect consumers against the prevalence of online banking fraud. Yolande Steyn, Head of Innovation at FNB says, “We view security as an integral part of...
What is digital currency?
Digital currencies are a form of electronic money, that are as liquid as normal fiat currencies. There are currently over 600 digital currencies – also known as cryptocurrency – that are already in the market. They function the same way as regular...
How easy is it to declare bankruptcy?
US President Donald Trump famously declared himself bankrupt four times – a fact that Hillary Clinton loved to rub his nose in. In South Africa, filing for bankruptcy is possible, but it’s not easy. “If someone files for bankruptcy or...
Post downgrade, has the sell-off stabilised?
By Mokgatla Madisha, head of Fixed Interest at Sanlam Investment Management. The downgrade by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) of South Africa’s local-currency debt to one notch above junk (BBB-) and its minority foreign-currency debt to junk status...
Love, money and the Cinderella complex
How women are navigating relationships as the breadwinner. After a talk I had given at a Women’s Day breakfast, a woman in her early 30s came to chat to me about an issue that faces many financially independent women. My talk had been about the...
Previous Articles
What to do about loans to trusts
By David Thomson, Sanlam legal adviser If you have a trust and have transferred some assets to it without being paid, you may soon have to start charging the trust interest, or be liable for donations tax. This change to the Income Tax Act came into effect on 1 March...
Video: Why a woman should have a credit record
The experience of an 80-year-old widow turns into an important lesson on why every woman needs to have her own credit record. https://youtu.be/bDhwXXcJOiY Related: Women and money Should a wife have her own financial adviser? Why money is different for women Women and...
Lay-by travel
A new travel site allows you to pay for the holiday of your dreams without going into debt. Last year I took issue with a new travel company that offered customers the ‘opportunity’ to borrow money to fund the holiday of their dreams. I argued that the product that...
How do I calculate my tax?
By Cathie Webb, Director, South African Payroll Association Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, released updated tax tables on 22 February during his 2017 budget speech. We understand that many of us will be paying more tax and therefore taking less money home in our...
Know your rights when it comes to your gym contract
Many of us would have prioritised our health and fitness in our New Year's resolutions, which may have included joining a gym. But before you signed on the dotted line of your gym contract, did you make sure you were familiar with the terms and conditions? It’s about...
Using rewards to pay for medicine
This year our family is working our rewards programmes to cover the costs of medication. After realising we would pay R1 500 less per month on our premiums if we selected a medical scheme option that did not cover my son’s R900 per month chronic medication, it was a...
Paying for advice: talk to your financial planner now
How much will you pay for advice once RDR comes into effect? It’s not too soon to engage your financial planner in a conversation about how much you will be charged for financial advice and for product-specific advice, says Jacques Coetzer, general manager of Broker...
No more credit insurance rip-offs
A cap placed on how much a lender can charge for credit insurance could result in cheaper loans, but some warn it could also cut credit to higher-risk individuals. Last month the Department of Trade and Industry issued the final credit life insurance regulations which...
Regulator challenges “set-off” rule
Court ruling may put an end to banks transferring funds without permission. Last year I came across the case of a Standard Bank client who had money deducted from his current account to settle his outstanding credit card, without his permission. In this specific case,...
Buying an investment property
When buying an investment property, you need to do your homework carefully to avoid your property becoming a financial ball and chain. While astute investors can make money, property has significant holding costs and is not as liquid as other investments. For anyone...