With interest rates at their highest levels in 14 years, many would-be homeowners are finding it difficult to meet the affordability requirements for a home loan. According to the latest statistics from ooba Home Loans, while the country’s average...
Opening an investment account for your child is one of the easiest ways to give them a head start in life. There are many low-cost digital investment platforms available with low minimum investment amounts, so you can contribute as little as R50...
Welcome to the final podcast of the Emotions and Money series, where Maya and Paul Nixon, head of Behavioural Finance at Momentum, delve into the concept of the Money Fingerprint. During the COVID-19 period, South African investors destroyed over...
Over the last few years, National Treasury has been working on introducing the so-called two-pot system for retirement funds. Recent updates to the draft legislation are open for public comment and have provided further clarity on how the system...
Higher interest rates are putting South Africans under significant financial pressure, and many are looking for an income boost. Luke Martins, Financial Planning Coach at Old Mutual Wealth looks at investing as a side hustle. It feels as if the...
When it comes to my investments and life insurance, I often do thought experiments. I ask myself the question: “What would happen if…”. Asking these questions is important to help you understand whether you have a financial plan that meets your...
Getting an early start is crucial if you want to achieve a comfortable retirement. Adriaan Pask, Chief Investment Officer at PSG Wealth shares nine rules of thumb for young investors who want to secure a strong financial future. Rule 1: Plan to...
Perceived Risk vs Actual Risk In this podcast, Maya and Paul Nixon, head of Behavioral Finance at Momentum, delve into the subject of perceived risk as it relates to investing, looking at issues such as how much risk you can truly afford to take in...
Are you confused about what your insurance covers when it comes to appliance damage due to loadshedding? Is loadshedding insurance part of your policy? In this article we debunk misconceptions and shed light on vital policy details to help you...
While a new bill will give a life partner the same legal rights as a spouse, the precise definition of a life partnership still remains uncertain. Later this year the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill will come into law. The Bill will give partners...
As technology improves, including artificial intelligence (AI), it is becoming easier for criminal syndicates to hoodwink people. Enter Yima, a tool to try and help stem the tide. At a fraud summit recently held by the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service...
Liberty's claim statistics for 2022 indicate an increase in cancer claims as well as claims related to mental health issues. The statistics reveal concerning trends about South Africans’ health, as well as their state of mind. While death claims have fallen...
How your biology affects your financial behaviour In this fourth episode of our "Emotions and Money" series, Maya and Paul Nixon, head of Behavioural Finance at Momentum, discuss the impact of our biology on our financial decision-making, and how we can avoid making...
How do you provide for a special-needs child who might be dependent on you not only for the rest of your life, but for the rest of theirs as well? My son was diagnosed with high functioning autism at the age of six. The condition has an impact on his ability to...
Earlier this year the Reserve Bank estimated that the cost of loadshedding to the economy is as high as R900 million a day. Apart from the impact that loadshedding is having on the economy's ability to grow, the cost of loadshedding is being felt directly through...
As people struggle to make ends meet in an environment of rising inflation, households are increasingly being caught up in a debt cycle. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been speaking to South Africans from various walks of life as part of the shortlisting process for...
Will higher interest rates do more harm than good? Rising interest rates appear to have had little impact on inflation, but higher interest rates are placing South Africans under significant financial pressure. The current interest rate cycle has been more aggressive...
On 24 April 2023, seemingly out of the blue, SARS updated its "Manage Your Compliance Status” webpage and announced a “new enhanced” Tax Compliance Status (TCS) application form. This new process might make things quite a bit more complicated for those who wish to...
When you have people who depend on you financially, life cover becomes a crucial part of your overall financial plan. But thinking about these issues at a young age can be a little overwhelming, and it's difficult to figure out the right level of cover. A reader,...
Many people are wondering whether now is the right time to buy a home for the first time, given the high interest rates. It is a common question I receive from readers. One reader wrote: "I am looking to buy a home for the first time but am concerned about the high...