Amidst the excitement of wedding planning, it’s easy to overlook a crucial aspect of marriage: financial planning. Metropolitan Gauteng’s General Manager, Queen Malobane, urges couples to have open, practical discussions about money before the big...
To avoid nasty surprises such as frozen bank accounts or getting stranded abroad, South African residents need to understand South Africa’s exchange control regulations. Well over 300 000 South Africans embarked on international trips during early...
Starting your first job is a big deal. It comes with new responsibilities, formative learning curves, a regular paycheque, and, unfortunately – tax. Geo Kilian, tax attorney at Hobbs Sinclair Advisory, lays out the tax basics you need to know as...
Old Mutual is warning the public about a highly sophisticated investment scam currently circulating on social media and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp. The scam falsely uses the names and images of real employees and the Old Mutual company...
The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride as Trump’s policy decisions have given new meaning to uncertainty! The markets have not experienced this level of volatility since 9/11. With tariffs on and then off again, no one is predicting...
Who wouldn’t love a salary increase of over 5% this year? Most employees would be happy with a raise that keeps up with inflation. But in 2025, even an inflation-related increase might not be enough to keep up with the rising cost of living as the...
Attila Kadikoy, Managing Partner at Levantine & Co, warns wealthy individuals that tax authorities are increasingly adopting AI to help identify tax evasion. Many investors consider tax as a major contributor to wealth erosion – and rightly so....
Parents who miss maintenance payments may soon find their access to credit affected. Ayanda Ndimande, Head of Business Development at Sanlam Credit Solutions, takes a closer look at new enforcement measures. The Department of Justice has introduced...
Last week was a very strange time to be a financial journalist. Journalists are usually given a copy of the budget before the Finance Minister tables it in Parliament. After spending the entire morning at Parliament writing our stories about the...
With the tax year-end only a few days away, provisional taxpayers must remember to make their second provisional tax payment. Danielle Luwes, Tax Director at Hobbs Sinclair Advisory, explains what is possibly the most mis-understood taxation in...
One of the most common question I receive is, "Where do I start investing?" With this in mind, I recently interviewed Adrian Hope-Bailie, founder of Fynbos Money, about this new investment platform, and how he aims to simplify the investment process for people who...
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) recently launched a campaign entitled “Claim It”, urging South Africans to check if they are potential shareholders owed a portion of the R4.5 billion in unclaimed dividends. The Claim It initiative is a collaborative effort...
28 February marks the tax year-end. Everything up until this day will be part of your 2024/2025 tax filings. As this date approaches, it's crucial to focus on your financial affairs to ensure that you maximise any available tax deductions to lower your tax liability....
Many of us believe that if we simply earned a bit more money, all of our financial issues would disappear. Yet so many South Africans who are considered high-net-worth individuals, are struggling with debt. They earn very good salaries, yet still have serious money...
The student loan application process can be complex, so do your homework and don’t get caught short. Rising tuition fees have resulted in rising demand for student loans. Standard Bank has noted a surge in student loan applications, including for post-graduate...
Fulufhelani Mashapha recently published her book Mind Your Cents - A Practical Approach to Financial Freedom. Fulu had asked me to read her draft copy and to write the book’s foreword, and I took the opportunity to interview her about her experiences as a young...
What do you not know about your finances that may be hurting you? Knowledge is power, so isn't it time to find out? A couple of months ago, a friend of mine sent me the link to neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman's podcast on the effects of alcohol on our brains and...
Therèse Havenga, Head of Business Transformation at Momentum Savings, sets out how much a holiday can really cost you if you don’t plan ahead. I usually sleep too late when it comes to booking a holiday. I’m so task-oriented at work that holiday times seem to creep up...
Interest on your credit card is calculated differently in South Africa from how it works in various other countries. Social media is full of tips on how to maximise the interest-free period on your credit card. The problem is that credit cards in South Africa work...
A stokvel is more than just a savings group; it helps people build wealth and make their communities stronger. The end of the year is “stokvel season” – a time when most members receive their payouts. It’s also a great time to take a closer look at your stokvel and...