According to the latest released Schroders Global Cities Index, which ranks over 700 cities in order of their attractiveness from a long-term real estate investment perspective, South African cities leave much to be desired, with Johannesburg being...
Annual medical aid premium increases for 2018 are once again measuring in excess of inflation, and this often comes with a decrease in benefit levels. This means consumers will have to make increasingly tough choices if they don't want to be caught...
Tax-efficient products are an easy sell, but are you paying your tax benefit away in fees? With personal and investment taxes on the increase, high-net-worth individuals look to product offerings that can – legally – help them offset their tax...
Confused about how to report on your investments to SARS? With the 2017 tax season in full swing, now is the time to get your documents ready, urges Carla Rossouw of Allan Gray Investment Managers. 1. What documents do I need? When filling out your...
By Nazmeera Moola, co-Head of Fixed Income, Investec Asset Management The medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS), presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba on Wednesday 25 October, paints a bleak picture: the expenditure...
SNAPnSAVE is a cashback shopping app that puts money back into your wallet when you buy certain products – irrespective of where you shop. You download the app, select the products you want to book and then have 48 hours to go shopping and scan...
In late August I attended the Allan Gray Investment Summit which brought together a range of investment professionals. Most of the day was dedicated to experts discussing investment strategies and their top share picks. But it was the final speaker...
Due to the recent poor performance of living annuities, many investors believe that they received bad advice and now want to cash in the investment. This comes down to a question of good or bad advice which is a FAIS (Financial Advisory and...
Car insurance for a person under the age of 25 can be extremely high as they have a much higher risk rating than someone who has been driving for many years. They are also at that age where they are more likely to undertake risky driving behaviour....
With the average house price for a first-time buyer nearly reaching the R1 million mark, few people can afford to buy a home on their own. A R900 000 home loan will require a monthly repayment of R8 800 – this is before you have even started paying...
Poor investment decisions at the time of retirement can have serious consequences which are often only realised several years later. You need to fully understand the implications of your investment choices. Retirees who have been relying on market-related investment...
Six South Africans, six months, major financial decisions: follow their journey as they move from debt to wealth creation. Join me as I take six ordinary South Africans through the Absa/City Press Money Makeover Challenge where they will undergo a money makeover boot...
Sue Torr, a Director at Crue Invest, has conceptualised the #just1thing campaign to show people how sacrificing something small, like a cup of coffee or manicure, can have a meaningful, positive effect on your bank balance. The saying “short-term pain, long-term gain”...
Please note that this website cannot answer your questions about your UIF application. You must apply and submit your continuation forms via the UIF website. If you are struggling with the online application process, you can email Ms Ditoro Makgato, Mr Deon van...
Discovery and Momentum medical schemes top the tables in the 2017 GTC Medical Aid Survey across most plans. The extensive survey, conducted by financial advisory firm GTC, takes various criteria into account when ranking the scheme options. Jill Larkan, head of...
Over R42 billion of retirement money remains unclaimed, which – according to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) – accounts for 1.8% of all retirement money. Over the last few years, efforts have been made by administrators of retirement funds and the FSCA...
I recently spent some time interviewing potential candidates for the City Press/Absa Money Makeover competition. It is so interesting that almost all applicants state that their biggest financial mistake was buying a new car. As one applicant said to me: “I feel so...
Forex trading has taken on mythical dimensions, with many believing it’s a way to trade themselves out of poverty and into riches. What is the truth? “I run an online share trading platform and I don’t consider myself a forex trader; in fact, I would not want to try...
By Kezia Talbot, Legal Advisor and Remay de Kock, Legal Adviser at BDO SA. It is officially National Wills Week. Wills can get quite tricky – there are several common mistakes that are made when drafting a Will that can have a serious impact on your wishes. One of the...
On 9 August, the new limits on how much a lender can charge for credit insurance came into effect. Credit insurance is usually required when taking out a loan; the policy assists in the repayment of the loan if you die, are retrenched or become disabled. For several...