When bequeathing property, make sure you have done your estate planning properly. For most middle-class families, the primary residence is the most valuable asset in their estate, as retirement funds fall outside of one’s estate. It is not uncommon...
Rocco Carr, Business Development Manager at Glacier by Sanlam, explains how we should be thinking about different layers when it comes to retirement diversification. What does diversification mean? The dictionary meaning of diversification comes...
As a financial journalist I often come across misinformation spread by unscrupulous financial advisers when it comes to the Government Employees Pension Fund. Most of these untruths relate to members’ funds at retirement, as the financial advisers...
Regulation of bitcoin and other crypto assets is inevitable, but it makes investing in this new asset class safer. A few years ago, I was sitting on a panel discussion when the topic of bitcoin was raised. The appeal of bitcoin for many people was...
Filing an insurance claim can feel like a complicated and confusing undertaking. Karabo Kopeka, Head of Claims at MiWay Insurance, provides tips on how to avoid some common pitfalls. Claiming from your insurance can often be a challenging task,...
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...
Many members of the GEPF are being given bad advice by financial advisers, who are telling them that they should resign from the GEPF before retirement. Members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) are being approached by financial...
Behavioural scientists have found that we feel loss far more greatly than gain, which is why the idea of cutting back on our lifestyle makes us very unhappy. We feel the sacrifice immediately but only reap the benefits in the future. While it may...
Going into debt review is like going on a diet: it’s difficult to stick to and the results won’t be immediate, but it can be life changing. While there are serious issues around the way some debt counsellors conduct themselves, for Grace Bekwa,...
Generational wealth is passed down from one generation to the next. But ultimately it has different context for different people. Generational wealth doesn’t have to be the Oppenheimer’s legacy. It could be leaving your children enough money to buy...
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 to have the input of...
The experts at Tax Consulting SA warn of the dangers of simply assuming you no longer have tax residency status in South Africa. There is an alarming number of South African expatriates relying on the 'tick-box' approach to cease their tax residency, while some simply...
One of the most common complaints I receive from pensioners is that they pay tax on their retirement benefits. While one can sympathise with the plight of pensioners who often struggle to come out on their retirement income, one needs to understand the tax structure...
While debt review can be a lifeline for an over-indebted consumer, it should not be entered into lightly. You need to be aware that once you enter debt review, you cannot apply for new credit, and you cannot exit debt review until all your debts are settled. There is...
“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 clutter you cannot...
When fraudsters access your personal information, they can use this information to take out a funeral policy in your name, and then claim benefits on the policy using a fake death certificate and other supporting documentation. “Finding out you are the victim of a...
On 27 August 2021, SARS provided further guidance on the correct tax treatment of crypto assets and how this must be declared in people’s tax returns. SARS published a document on its website entitled Crypto Assets & Tax. The publication should perhaps best be...
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 queues at GEPF...
In his book The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel writes about the difference between being rich and being wealthy. He defines riches as an income you earn, because that allows you to take on the debt to buy that R800 000 car or R40 000 handbag. Wealth on the other...
Many South African investors who bought UK property developments through SA-based property marketing company SJ Capital, have seen no returns for over 11 years. Investigations have found that the investment is extremely high risk and that investors were not fully...