Three Tips for Leaving a Financial Legacy
"If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed” (Edmund Burke) If we have achieved any level of success in life, it is natural that we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy some its fruits. Having spent a...
How to Avoid the “Big Stick” if You Owe SARS Money
"Speak softly and carry a big stick” (U.S. President Franklin D Roosevelt) It’s a frightening prospect owing the Taxman money. SARS may (or may not) “speak softly” but it definitely carries a “big stick” – a very big one. It has extensive debt collection powers, and...
Quote of the Month – Curb Your Optimism
Stuart Podmore (Schroders) – “Markets have been volatile in recent years, but overall returns have been unusually strong. Because the outcome has been good, in that investors’ portfolios have risen in value, it’s only human to make the assumption – incorrectly as it...
What Exactly is Sasria, and Are You Covered?
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining” (John F. Kennedy) The South African Special Risks Association (Sasria) is a state-owned entity with an interesting history. It was initially formed in 1979 as the Special Risk Insurance Association following the...
Do You Know the Four Kinds of Tax You’re Paying on Your Investments?
"Every advantage has its tax" (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Unfortunately, building your wealth does not come without cost. Besides the fees that you have to pay on any investment, you also need to think about where and how you are being taxed. South African investors need to...
Your Will and A Practical Plan for Your Loved Ones
“Where there’s a will, I want to be in it” (Anon) Whether you are young or old, healthy or ill, single or attached, you should have a will (“Last Will and Testament”). Without one, you die “intestate”, which means you forfeit your right to decide who inherits what,...
Quote of the Month – What Do You Value?
Chris Tisdall – Allan Gray “Each rand that flows into our lives (be that into a bank account or as cash into our pocket) offers us a financial choice: how to put it to best use. We can use it to pay off yesterday’s debts, to cover today’s expenses, responsibilities...
Four Steps to Get the Most Out of Your Tax-Free Savings Account
"There may be liberty and justice for all, but there are tax breaks only for some" (Martin Sullivan) Since 2015, all South Africans have been able to invest in tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs). The appeal of these products is that any funds invested will attract zero...
How Worried Should You Be About “The Silent Killer” – Inflation?
"Inflation is taxation without legislation." (Milton Friedman) For most of the past five years, inflation in South Africa has been very much under control. It has been well within the Reserve Bank’s target range of 3% to 6%. In this environment, it’s been very easy to...
Your Marital Regime – Why Is It Important and Can You Change It After Marrying?
“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it” (John Steinbeck) One of the most important decisions you must make before you marry is what “marital regime” (“matrimonial property system”) you want to apply to your marriage. Your...
Quote of The Month – Bulls and Bears Come and Go
Yuvern Dokie – Alexander Forbes Investments “The question we are now faced with is: Will the good run in investment returns from our market continue, or will it come to a crashing halt? Unfortunately, there is no crystal ball that will tell us the answer. Instead of...
How Can You Measure Whether You Are Financially Healthy?
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going” (Jim Ryun) How would you answer someone who asked you whether you were physically fit? To start with, fitness is not something you can necessarily think of in absolute terms. Surely an 80-year old...