South Africa is one of Africa's richest nations and we are seeing an increase in wealthy families. These families generally have one aim in mind – to grow wealth and, where possible, pass it on to future generations. Leaving a legacy is something...
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Market will still deliver returns
I have been avoiding adding to the already uncountable amount of column space dedicated to fund managers’ views on the recent market correction and importantly the prospects lying ahead. But, like the proverbial moth circling the flame, I have...
Ten reasons to invest in an RA
If you're thinking of investing in a retirement annuity (RA), consider the advantages according to Rowan Burger, head of investment strategy at Liberty Retail South Africa. "To prevent people from relying on the government to provide for them in...
Should I buy Krugerrands?
I am interested in buying Krugerrands. They appeal to me as they are a physical investment that I can actually store at home, show friends and family and pass down to children and grandchildren. The question is, is it a sound investment? Would I be...
Gold Bugs Bite
A few days ago I received an email from a colleague asking me where he could by gold “lots of it”. This took me back a few years to December 1999. I was working for a stockbroking firm and a friend of mine, who had never owned a share in her life,...
Is your divorce a corporate risk?
There's only one thing more fascinating than a celebrity marriage, and that's a celebrity divorce. Particularly when it's messy, vituperative and, yes, expensive. But it's when we think of divorce as a corporate risk that it takes on another whole...
How do I start a savings club?
Savings clubs are very popular ways to save because they form a social contract between friends which helps create the discipline to save every month. Also when you are pooling your resources you are able to make a more significant investment. Why...
Financial media vs the financial adviser
Can the financial media replace the financial advisor A recent survey by financial services company acsis looked into the financial security of middle income South Africans. They were specifically interested in how secure people felt around their...
Should you be paying provisional tax?
If you've checked the provisional tax status of your eFiling profile, you may have noticed that all taxpayers are now loaded as provisional taxpayers. Why is this? Technically, any person deriving income that's not remuneration is eligible for...
What a first-time art investor needs to know
Investing in art may seem like an arcane or dubious investment practice to the uninitiated, but we do know it can bear fruit. Art does have investment potential – it's considered an alternative investment that offers investors the chance to...
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Making strides in shariah-compliant investing
You don't need to be Muslim to invest in shariah-compliant investment products – as the credit-crunch and fall-out showed, Islamic banking and investment products fared well by avoiding interest-bearing assets and securities, focusing on commodities and...
What is a unit trust and how do I invest?
“I've freed up R500 per month and would like to invest this amount every month in a unit trust account, but I don't know anything about unit trusts, how they work or who to contact to do this,” writes Thami. Maya replies: This is an excellent question because you want...
Jargon buster: outperformance
The best way to define outperformance when it comes to investing is by way of an example. In the investment world, a fund manager aims to outperform a specific benchmark that his or her fund's performance will be measured against. In that way, a fund manager's...
How to buy ETFs
It goes without saying that not all Top 40 exchange traded funds (ETFs) are alike. You need to consider what you expect from them before you include them in your portfolio. As with unit trusts, ETF managers use the Top-40 benchmark for their standard products, but not...
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 that has registered...
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 technology? Research...
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 by investment...
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 participate in...
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, which takes into...
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...