Recent innovations around retirement products address the issue of how to leave a legacy while still guaranteeing your income in retirement. People generally have two fears when it comes to retirement: firstly, whether they will have sufficient...
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Don’t let your financial adviser bully you
By Kagisho Mahura, investment and retirement planning specialist at Gradidge-Mahura Investments. I had a discussion with a client a few months ago that has sensitised me to the power dynamics that exists between financial advisers and clients. The...
Car insurance – mind the gap
There are two major purchases you will make in your lifetime for which entering into debt can be justified: one is the purchase of property and the other is the purchase of a car. If you buy a car through bank finance, you will find that taking out...
What determines the short-term direction of equity markets?
Until very recently, global equity markets have been on a steady upward trajectory. Market indices, from America’s S&P 500 to the local FTSE/JSE All Share Index, reached all-time highs. Correlations between equity markets globally, as well as...
Too young to get ill?
A person under the age of 35 is more likely to claim for income protection or disability than death. While life cover may not be a priority, protecting your future income should be. When Greg, aged 35, was rushed to hospital after a virus attacked...
Tax Ombud gives a voice to taxpayers
The first Tax Ombud report raises important concerns with SARS processes and has already made a difference to ordinary taxpayers in resolving outstanding issues. In its first six months of operation, from 1 October 2013 to 31 March 2014, the Tax...
Bequeathing property in your will – how it can go wrong
By David Knott of Private Client Trust, the fiduciary services division of Private Client Holdings, and a member of the Fiduciary Institute of South Africa. When it comes to leaving fixed property to someone in your will, unless you have had...
Finding your financial feet after a divorce
Considering that almost three marriages end in divorce in South Africa, and research indicates that women are the hardest hit financially after divorce, finding your financial feet after this devastating event can be one of your lifelines....
Are loans a good investment?
Last month we wrote about the growing global phenomenon of peer-to-peer social lending, which links borrowers and lenders directly, bypassing banks and their fees. RainFin, which was the first peer-to-peer online lending platform in South Africa,...
Talking to your child about money
What is it about money that makes it so difficult to discuss with our children? While many taboos around discussing sex, drugs and politics have broken down, for some reason money remains a topic that many parents feel uncomfortable talking about....
Previous Articles
You can’t claim from both your medical scheme and the Road Accident Fund
A reader wonders why her medical scheme deducted her medical expenses from her Road Accident Fund settlement. Paseka writes: I was in a car accident and was awarded around R2 million from the Road Accident Fund (RAF). I was admitted to a private hospital and the total...
How much would you spend on your wedding?
The costs of the wedding are just the tip of the money iceberg when it comes to getting married. In the past, according to tradition, a young couple could expect the bride’s parents to pay for their wedding with a contribution by the groom’s family to cover the drinks...
Clampdown on credit insurance abuse
Abuse within the credit insurance industry has led to an investigation by National Treasury into the practices of credit providers selling credit life to customers. If you have borrowed money, whether it be through a furniture retailer, micro-lender or a bank, you...
Finding cost-effective medical cover
We set ourselves a challenge to try and find medical cover for one of our readers. Our findings show that medical cover is expensive for many middle-income earners and that a comprehensive hospital plan is possibly the best option. Elizabeth has three children aged 3,...
How to fund your child’s education
When I was in grade one at a government school in 1984, my school fees for the year were 25 cents. I have the receipt to prove it! When my son started grade one last year though, we had to fork out just under R30 000 for the year. Ouch. We’re looking at a cost of...
Financial planning for the “sandwich generation”
by Kagisho Mahura, investment and retirement planning specialist at Gradidge-Mahura Investments. The sandwich generation refers to those people who find themselves supporting both their parents and kids financially. The growth of the sandwich generation is an...
Low-cost investing with Satrix
Satrix has released a new range of funds which has reduced the cost of investing Since Sanlam bought out Satrix two years ago it has been implementing some interesting changes which have improved the offering to investors wanting to access low-cost passive index...
Peer-to-peer lending
Peer-to-peer lending is a growing global phenomenon which links borrowers and lenders directly, bypassing banks and their fees. It is a similar concept to crowdsourcing except that instead of a business proposal, a borrower lists needs for a personal loan and...
Want a pool? Read this before you take the plunge
Whether you are considering installing a swimming pool or want to buy a house that already has one, there are some things you need to know about the costs and responsibilities involved. Swimming pools are an integral part of South African culture. Part of our idea of...
More clout for medical scheme members
The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS), which is the regulator for medical schemes in South Africa, has initiated new processes to put more power in your hands so that you are able to take on large medical schemes. Consumers have always been able to take complaints...