Retirement Planning for Age-Gap Couples
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.” (Mark Twain) When is an age gap significant? If the age gap between you and your spouse is less than five years, you probably don’t have to worry too much about it when planning for...
Bodies Corporate: Forcing Access to Units, and Round Robin Resolutions
Owning your own property comes with a raft of benefits, including a general right to privacy and control over who can access your property and who can’t. But of course there are exceptions. And apart from the obvious ones, a recent High Court judgment highlights one...
Buying and Selling Property: Who Pays What Costs?
“Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing” (Warren Buffett) Don’t risk not knowing what you’re doing when you either sell or buy property. Avoid nasty shocks by budgeting properly for the costs you will incur – some of them can be substantial, and some are less...
Why Inflation is the Most Important Investment Benchmark
"Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.” (Ronald Reagan) Inflation is on everyone’s minds. At the start of last year, for example, petrol cost less than R15 a litre. It is now close to R25. Everyone is...
Why Your Financial Plan Should Cater For Possible Dementia
“It is not the load that breaks you down. It’s the way you carry it.” (Lena Horne) Dementia 101 It’s common knowledge that life expectancies are on the up, but few people realise that this also means a significant rise in cases of dementia. Studies show that the...
Rules of Financial Planning for a Special-Needs Child
"I wouldn’t change you for the world. But I would change the world for you.” (Anonymous) Don’t leave things to chanceA budget is key to any good financial plan, and in the case of a special-needs child, it’s even more crucial. Start by plotting an expense timeline...
Five Things to Check when a Loved One Passes Away
At a time of loss, no one wants to concern themselves with details. Yet, often, making a few simple phone calls can make this period a lot easier. Following the death of a loved one, many people neglect to consider the built-in support and relief provided by many...
Meet our Office Mascot – Kyfie
Yes, there is a new mascot at O'Hagan Attorneys and his name is Kyfie! Irene rushed to the rescue of this little mousebird when she noticed something dangling from her cat’s mouth. Kyfie was about 1 month old when he was found and has been nursing in our offices until...
New Ruling on Divorce Assets: How Does it Affect You?
“…the inequality at hand is caused when, after the conclusion of the marriage, a distortion is caused by the fact that one spouse contributes directly or indirectly to the other's maintenance or the increase of the other's estate without any quid pro quo.” (Extract...
Why You Should Treat Your Finances Like Your Health
"A good doctor treats the disease, but the great doctor treats the patient who has the disease.” (Unknown) Most of us understand why it’s important to have regular medical check-ups. We also recognise that, as we get older, what we need from them changes too. While...
How Relevant Is The 4% Rule of Thumb These Days?
The basics If you’ve never heard of the 4% rule, now would be a good time to acquaint yourself with it. The rule of thumb states that: If you withdraw 4% from your retirement portfolio annually (adjusted for inflation), your savings will last for 30 years. (Assuming...
Stay Calm When the Bear Prowls
"Courage taught me no matter how bad a crisis gets ... any sound investment will eventually pay off." (Carlos Slim) Hold onto your chips when the market dips When stock markets fall, it’s very natural to want to sell your shares and invest in less risky assets like...