The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) saw a significant 27.5% growth in its portfolio over the most recent financial year, bringing the total value of the fund to nearly R2.1 trillion. According to the annual financial results for the year...
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Government finances as a household budget
Government faces the same tough choices as South African households when it comes to its budget. Last week our new finance minister Enoch Godongwana laid out the plans for government’s spending over the next three years. The medium-term budget lays...
Government withdraws proposal to impose exit tax on retirement interests
Jean du Toit, Head of Tax Technical at Tax Consulting SA, explains why Government had no choice but to backtrack on the proposed exit tax on retirement interests. Expatriates and those with plans to emigrate will be relieved to learn that the...
How to provide for your financial dependants
Providing for your family if something happens to you is a priority for every parent. There are several things a member of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) needs to do to make sure their financial dependants are taken care of. Update...
Five mistakes that derail your wealth
The difference between someone who is financially secure and someone who is not, often has more to do with avoiding wealth destruction than earning a bigger salary or receiving a windfall. As the saying goes, “a fool and his money are easily...
What should you expect from a financial adviser?
I have worked in the financial industry for over 25 years and there is very little I don’t know about investing and managing money, yet I use a financial adviser. About 15 years ago I realised that while I knew about investing and money, I needed...
It’s time to spring clean your finances
“When you don’t know where your money is, when you have no filing system for your important documents, when you dive into your pocketbook to pull out crumpled bills, when your car looks like a garbage can, when your closets are filled with junk and...
Self-service facility for GEPF members
Technology is making it easier for GEPF members and pensioners to keep track of their pension information and claims process. By downloading the new GEPF self-service mobile app onto your device, you can remove the frustration of standing in long...
GEPF establishes complaints handling office
If you are struggling to get your claims processed or not receiving your benefits, help is at hand with the recent establishment of the Government Employees Pension Ombud (GEPO). The state is the largest employer in the country, and the Government...
More households supporting unemployed family
For many working South Africans, the pressure of financially supporting friends and family is unrelenting. Most of us have either experienced a job loss or have a family member who lost an income due to the extended Covid-19 lockdown. It is not...
Previous Articles
What is screen scraping and is it safe?
Screen scraping can be used by criminals to steal data, but financial services companies are increasingly making legitimate use of this too. Angelique Ruzicka investigates what the process entails and how consumers can protect themselves. Screen scraping can be hugely...
Are banks putting customers first?
Banks were in the spotlight recently with the release of the annual report by the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS) and feedback from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) regarding the banks’ adherence to the Conduct Standard. The draft Conduct Standard...
Should women celebrate community of property rights?
There has been much celebration around the protection of women in customary marriages with President Ramaphosa recently signing into law the amended Recognition of Customary Marriages Act. However, are these women fully aware of the implications, especially around...
Five tax myths many employees still believe
Tanya Tosen, Tax and Remuneration Specialist at Remuneration Consultants, addresses five tax myths that have become popular over the years. Many employees don't understand the complex tax calculations that payroll applies to their earnings each month and often...
Relief for struggling restaurants
Soft loans and payment holidays are available for restaurants still battling to survive the pandemic. At the beginning of May, my favourite local coffee shop closed its doors after 20 years of trading. My neighbourhood shopping centre, which caters to many “mom and...
Money and divorce
David Thomson, Senior Legal Adviser at Sanlam Trust, shares some practical tips about the financial side of divorce. The news of Bill and Melinda Gates filing for divorce after 27 years of marriage sent shockwaves through the philanthropic world. The couple is worth...
Lack of savings leaves SA vulnerable
A lack of emergency savings left households vulnerable to the economic shock of Covid-19. The last five years have been tough for South African consumers as salaries failed to keep up with inflation, unemployment grew, and debt levels increased. This left us extremely...
Beware: fraudsters are everywhere
Ramesh Ramdeen, Head of Fraud at FNB Wealth and Investments and Ashburton Investments outlines some key things to look out for to avoid becoming the victim of fraudsters. Investment and financial fraud is on the rise across the world. Each day thousands of people are...
Inside a cryptocurrency scam
Social media networks are being used to lure people into a cryptocurrency scam. A sophisticated social media network is being used to con South Africans by claiming to generate huge returns through trading. The network is made up of 300 fake twitter accounts...
Can you bag a cheap deal on an overseas holiday?
Taking an overseas holiday is still possible but this can come at great risk to travellers’ pockets, finds Angelique Ruzicka. Differing social distancing rules and travel bans imposed by countries and airlines have done much to disrupt the global travel industry,...