When the global financial system was in meltdown not too long ago, the resilience of Islamic banks began to attract attention. Why were these banks able to weather the storm? The suggestion that a banking system is more stable without...
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What you need to know about insurance claims and excess
When it comes to car insurance excess, a lot of us are stumped. What do we pay? When do we have to pay it? How can we avoid paying it? Simply put, excess is the amount you elect to pay in order to self-insure, which you agree to when you take out...
The RAFI explained
RAFI-based products, particularly ETFs, have made a good showing recently and people want to know more about them. RAFI stands for "Research Affiliates Fundamental Indexation". Research Affiliates is a California-based financial services company...
Couples and money
Couples argue about money more than almost anything else and these conversations are often fraught and unresolved. In fact, it's safe to say you probably have the same conversation with your partner over and over again, with variations. Here are...
We really do want clean, green products
If you could choose to buy products from companies supporting fair trade and campaigning to end testing on animals and child trafficking, would you do so? What about companies that reduce their carbon emissions and opt for cleaner, greener...
What is the cheapest bank account?
It really depends on your needs. Nedbank, Capitec and FNB seem to be the banks offering some of the best products. But you need to understand your banking profile first. Capitec can be cost effective if you do not do a lot of transactions in a...
Imported goods and insurance
As the rand fluctuates, you might want to look into the replacement value of any imported goods you may have – Italian tiles and carpets, for example, or a Miele kitchen (which can cost R500 000 to install). A fluctuation in the exchange rate on...
Jargon buster: Alpha vs. Beta
Andrew Kemp, head of asset consulting at Liberty Corporate, gives Maya on Money the low-down on Alpha and Beta. Maya on Money: What do Alpha and Beta mean to an investor? Kemp: Alpha and Beta are two investment terms which are often bandied around...
What you need to know about trading derivatives
When the JSE partnered with Deutsche Bank to launch International Derivatives (IDX), an asset class allowing South African investors to trade single stock futures (SSFs) on internationally listed companies, investors revelled in the opportunity to...
Why is life-stage investing a good idea?
Simply put, investing when you're 20 and investing when you're 45 are two completely different ball games. It's good to know that, increasingly, retirement funds are taking this into account and offering members a "life-stage" investment option,...
Previous Articles
Who gets your retirement fund benefits when you die?
If you've nominated someone other than a dependant as the beneficiary of your retirement fund, your wishes might not be honoured when you die, even if you've made that person the sole beneficiary of your estate. This is because pension fund legislation favours...
A revolutionary home ownership concept
First-time home buyers and self-employed potential buyers struggle to enter the property market. Nearly 50% of employed bond applicants are declined every month and about 58% of self-employed applicants can't secure home loans, which is not good news for those who...
What the Good Card has to offer
The Good Card is a charitable initiative that lets you earn passive income while you help those less fortunate. It's really a Visa cash-back card, and R45 of your monthly subscription fee of R289 goes to a charity of your choice. At the same time, you get cash-back...
Twelve tips for buying a used car privately
FNB and the Automobile Association (AA) offer these really helpful tips that could save you money in the long run. Used cars have to pass a roadworthy test – ask for proof of roadworthiness. All legitimate vehicles have three main identity numbers, the number plate,...
An alternative to losing your home
What do you do if you can't keep up with your bond repayments and you're facing having your home repossessed? You could sell, but what if you owe the bank R1 000 000 but you can't get your asking price and the best you can get is R800 000? Selling voluntarily isn't an...
Investing for inflation: part two
The first choice for most retirees is to purchase an inflation-linked annuity that will pay a set income for life that increases with inflation. This provides predictability and you know that you have enough income to meet your needs for the rest of your life. The...
Investing for inflation: part one
It's no secret that inflation is set to rise. This is bad news for everyone, but especially for pensioners, who need their retirement savings to generate an adequate real return while preserving capital, or at least minimising the risk of loss. Over time, it's been...
Jargon buster: absolute return funds
Rob Zagey, manager of fund research and development at Stanlib, explains what Absolute Return Funds are. "Absolute Return Funds are unit trust funds that use a variety of investment strategies to accomplish the following: Target a return over a defined investment time...
Why socially responsible investing affects you
The environment wasn't the only thing to suffer with BP's oil disaster. Investors – including more than 1 000 institutions that owned portfolio stock in BP to the combined asset value of $2,7-trillion – took a serious hit. BP lost more than half its market value,...
Jargon buster: beneficiary funds
A beneficiary fund is a specialised type of pension fund that was introduced in 2009 by the government. It exists exclusively to receive lump-sum payments, known as death benefits, on behalf of minor dependants. It was introduced specifically to replace umbrella...