How Fit Are You Financially?
“He who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.” (Thomas Carlyle) Doing a financial health check can sound like a daunting idea. But it needn’t be. Just checking a few simple things can give you a good idea of whether you’re financially healthy and...
Why You Should Check That Your Estate Agent is Registered With the PPRA
“All that glisters is not gold” (William Shakespeare in Merchant of Venice) Buying or selling a home could be one of the most important financial decisions you’ll ever make. It’s an exciting time – but don’t lose sight of the need to tread with care. A key player in...
Verify Banking Details Before Paying Any Invoice – You’re at Risk, Not the Creditor
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (Benjamin Franklin’s warning to fire-threatened Philadelphians in 1736) Cases of Business Email Compromise (BEC) fraud continue to surge, and recent High Court decisions have confirmed that it’s up to you to verify...
Does Your Debt Die With You?
When the final note is played, debts become a part of the legacy shared. (Anonymous) Debt’s journey Unfortunately, your debts don’t evaporate when you pass away. But there is a silver lining as they don’t typically hitch a ride to your family either – unless they’re...
From the Horse’s Mouth: “Should You Use AI for Legal Advice?”
“If you didn’t hear it from the horse’s mouth, it came from the other end of the horse.” (Anon) The rapid rise of AI is hard to ignore. DeepSeek’s AI assistant, only launched on 10 January this year, has grown to rival ChatGPT in popularity, making it the most widely...
8 Things You May Not Know About Capital Gains Tax
“I'll tax the street, I'll tax your seat, I'll tax the heat, I'll tax your feet.” (Adapted from Taxman by The Beatles) 1. Why do I have to pay CGT in the first place? Following a worldwide trend, South African authorities introduced CGT in 2001 to broaden the tax...
When it Comes to Investing, Debit Orders are Your Friend
"The beauty of debit orders is that they make investing a habit, not an afterthought." (Warren Buffett) We’re all human – which often means being emotional and not consistently disciplined. Debit orders remove the emotion from investing and encourage responsible...
Managing the Psychology of Uncertainty in Investing
“Our greatest motivation in life comes from not knowing the future.” (Thomas Frey) Investing is an exercise in uncertainty. When you make any investment, you are taking a bet on the future. This can be a hard thing to do. Markets move up and down, economies shift, and...
Do You Need a Second Will for Your Overseas Assets?
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” (Pablo Picasso) If you own assets outside South Africa, you may have wondered: Is my local will enough? This is a question many South Africans are asking, and the answer will depend on your...
Market Update: Trump 2.0 – A Bumpy Ride so Far
January has been a volatile month for global and SA equities. Stock markets experienced a "Trump bump" after his inauguration on January 20, driven by expectations of market-friendly policies. However, equities retreated to end the month with modest gains as investors...
How to Keep FOMO Out of Your Investment Strategy
“Focussing is about saying no.” (Steve Jobs) What is the point of investing? In simple terms, there are only two reasons to invest: To save for a specific goal like sending a child to university or taking a holiday. These are finite targets with clear time frames. To...
Market Update: Expect the Unexpected in 2025 – And Plan for it
2024's rally sets a high bar to beat The S&P 500 last year experienced its best two-year stretch since 1998, surging 23% in 2024 alone and breaking above 6,000 points. However, momentum slowed considerably in the final quarter as Trump's election victory and a...