Ordinary South African investors now have more options to access to global companies. Technology is making it easier and cheaper for South Africans to get exposure to shares in large global US-listed companies like Apple, Facebook and Netflix. This...
By Wiehann Olivier, CA (SA) and Partner at Mazars South Africa While we wait for the experts to draw up a regulatory framework for crypto-assets, it’s crucial that you educate yourself on good practices for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs)....
An unexpected side-effect of lockdown has been smaller-than-usual annual medical aid premium increases. Despite fears that the outbreak of COVID-19 would result in high claims from medical scheme members, and a resultant increase in the cost of...
The economic lockdown revealed how financially vulnerable self-employed people are. People in formal employment have certain protections stipulated by their employment contracts and UIF, but if you work for yourself, you must create your own...
By Peter Stephan, senior policy adviser at the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA) South African taxpayers with different sources of income are often shocked when they discover at the end of the tax year that pay-as-you-earn...
When we began 2020, who could have imagined that mortgage rates would fall by almost one-third, decreasing from 10% all the way down to 7% percent. Economists are even predicting further rate cuts this year. While this has been great news for...
Most agreements to suspend debt repayments or monthly premiums have come to an end. Make sure you understand how this will affect your finances. In the initial stages of lockdown, most banks, insurers and retirement product providers offered...
With criminals constantly trying to access our personal information, we should behave as if our identity is compromised and act accordingly. In late August, credit bureau Experian notified the public that there had been an incident involving a...
The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud recently released its annual report. Over the past year, it resolved over 8 600 complaints of which 65% resulted in a favourable outcome for consumers. The average turnaround time was 42 days. The CGSO is not...
A salary advance could be an attractive alternative to a traditional payday loan. A few years ago, I came across an article about how Walmart in the US allowed its workers to access a portion of their already-earned salary before month end. For...
Most of us know that we should have some emergency cash stashed away for a rainy day, but how many of us actually do it? With the COVID-19 pandemic came job losses and salary cuts for many South Africans, and this in turn is shining a very bright light on how critical...
There are many money mistakes we all make that prevent us from reaching our financial goals and we could all learn better money habits. However, there are specific money issues that relate directly to women. To chat to us about the key money mistakes women need to...
Whether you are saving for your child’s education or investing for their future, it's tough to know where and when to invest. When is a tax-free investment appropriate? Should you invest in your child’s name? And where should you save for those school fees? Maya...
There’s been a lot of controversy and debate around the rules and regulations of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) since the beginning of the national lockdown. With more retrenchments and job losses looming, many people are wondering what their rights are and...
By Darren Britz, Admitted Attorney, and Laurence Mbokwane, Tax Consultant, at Tax Consulting SA Many South Africans who had to start working from home due to the national coronavirus lockdown imposed on businesses will not yet be able to claim home office expenses....
Is money really gender neutral? Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) discuss why women face more financial challenges and how important it is for women to take control of their financial destiny. Click here for more posts on this topic.
The WhatsApp stokvel scheme that has been around for a while has now morphed into a “WhatsApp gifting circle”, but it is the same get-rich-quick scam, just under a different label – and just as dangerous and illegal. People are recruited to join a WhatsApp stokvel or...
66% of people surveyed for the Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor said they feared losing their job. It is important to understand what benefits you have if you are retrenched. Accepting a voluntary retrenchment package provides the same retrenchment rights and...
Financial stress has soared as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, with savings dropping and debt levels rising. 58% of households across South Africa are facing high or overwhelming financial stress, according to the latest Old Mutual Savings & Investment Monitor...
Lockdown and the economic fallout will affect different people in different ways. Some are fortunate enough to still be receiving a salary but according to the recent Old Mutual Savings and Investment monitor, over 50% have experienced a pay cut. Now is the time to...