In Times of Great Change, Make Sure Your Will is Updated!
“Death always comes without knocking” (Margaret Atwood) Particularly in these times of pandemic, deadly infections and uncertainty, no one can ever say with any confidence that we will still be alive tomorrow, or next month, or next year. Now more than ever having a...
Quote of the Month – Do You Understand Your Financial Personality?
Nic Andrew – MD of Nedgroup Investments: “Just as each of us have different personalities, that influence how we interact, see the world and are seen, we also each have different financial personalities. These are influenced by our upbringing, our education, our...
Would You Rather Retire in Bermuda or South Africa?
“Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to” (Harry Emerson Fosdick) One of the greatest financial stresses that many people face is whether they have put away enough money for their retirement. Being able to sustain your standard of living when...
Should You Buy Bitcoin?
“Every informed person needs to know about bitcoin, because it might be one of the world’s most important developments” (Leon Louw) Last month the price of bitcoin rose above $50 000 for the first time. Just over five years ago, in December 2015, one bitcoin was...
Investing in Property with a Co-owner – How to Avoid Disputes
“Co-ownership is the mother of disputes” (Roman law maxim) Buying property can be an excellent investment, but it can also be expensive. So sometimes it makes a lot of sense to share the financial burden with someone else. Perhaps for example you are spouses or life...
Life Partners: Beware the “Common Law Marriage” Myth!
“The general rule of our law is that cohabitation does not give rise to special legal consequences, no matter how long the relationship has endured” (From a 2010 High Court judgment and still applicable) One of the more pervasive myths in South Africa is that, if you...
Quote of the Month – Navigating 2021
Cheree Dyers, CEO at Prescient Investment Management (emphasis supplied): “Stimulus measures, pent up demand and supply constraints as a result of the pandemic could together see a rising tide in inflation in the developed world that, if left unchecked, could become...
Buying and Selling Property: Nine Important Questions
“Owning a home is a keystone of wealth… both financial affluence and emotional security” (Personal Finance Expert Suze Orman) When you buy or sell your “Home Sweet Home”, particularly for the first time, the process can seem complicated, the terminology confusing, and...
Can Employees Resign to Dodge Disciplinary Hearings?
“…an employee who gives short notice in violation of the contract … may be obliged to serve out the notice period” (Quoted in the judgment below) It’s an age-old workplace dodge - threatened with a disciplinary hearing and fearing a guilty verdict, an employee resigns...
Landlords: Can You Cut Electricity to Collect Arrears or Evict?
“It is a fundamental principle that no man is allowed to take the law into his own hands” (Transvaal Supreme Court, 1906) Landlords can be sorely tempted to force defaulting tenants to settle their arrears (or to vacate the premises altogether) with a bit of instant...
New National Minimum Wage and Earnings Thresholds From 1 March 2021
(N.B. The increases highlighted below are extracted from the Employment and Labour Minister’s announcement of 9 February 2021, and emphasis has been supplied where helpful in enabling quick identification of your employment sector. Comment is in square brackets)...
Your Website of the Month: From Scenarios to Strategy – Use Business “Wind Tunneling”
Now more than ever before, scenario planning is essential for the success of your business. But of course the next step in the process is just as critical – you need to create an actual business strategy based on your scenario planning. It’s a process that can be both...