Category: Blog

It’s that time of year again in the southern hemisphere. The days are shorter, the nights are long and cold; dressing gowns and woolly jumpers have replaced sunblock and shorts. Another thing that is common in winter is the flu, so this article published on MoneyWeb seemed particularly apt for the season. According to the article, a recent financial wellness survey carried out by Sanlam highlighted that 73% of middle-class South Africans experience financial stress. This […]

Whatever you do, don’t forget Father’s Day, which is coming up in South Africa on Sunday, 18th June. After all that our dads have done for us, the least we can do is show them how much we care. And if your father is like many other fathers – in that he loves to save a bit of cash – here are five gifts that will give him high returns, no matter how the markets are […]

Creating wealth is a long-term process that requires patience, resilience and a strong strategy that can weather the global investment storm that has been raging in recent times. As you embark, or continue, upon your journey to financial independence, it is important to wholly understand the investment landscape, or have an advisor you trust, in order to successfully navigate the ups and downs of a stormy market and exploit the nuances of profit-yielding opportunities. What exactly, […]

When it comes to investments, it’s important to stay focused on the bigger picture – even though the effect of recent political events in South Africa may have you itching to move your investments out of the market and into cash. The instinct to do this arises from the fact that cash investments are readily available for use and are free of most investment risk. The low risk of a bank failing is essentially the only […]

It’s never too early to start planning for your retirement, and help is at hand if saving for the future ever feels confusing or overwhelming. The key is to think like a wilderness explorer and always be prepared! Be open to what could happen in your autumn years. For example, if you live to the impressive age of 95, you may very well want to buy two new cars and move home at least once during […]

In the aftermath of South Africa’s downgrade to junk status by two major ratings agencies, it is feared that the country will begin a self-reinforcing downward spiral. Until the end of 2016, Azar Jammine, the director and chief economist of Econometrix, felt that the nation was experiencing a “slow erosion, not a huge slump.” However, in an article published in October last year by the Mail & Guardian, Stanlib’s chief economist, Kevin Lings, warned that the […]

A death is often a traumatic enough event, without the added burden of dealing with estate matters. Unfortunately, many people underestimate the costs related to death, especially the smaller fees that quickly add up. Consequently, loved ones sometimes find themselves in situations where they have to sell valuable assets in order to settle the outstanding debts of the deceased. In an article recently published on Moneyweb, the chairperson of FISA, Ronel Williams, offers advice on how […]

Positive steps to regulate and improve the conduct and professionalism of the financial planning industry have been made over the past months and are now coming to a point where it will impact our clients. These steps have been called the Retail Distribution Review (RDR). On the surface, RDR is looking to turn the commission-based world of financial advice on its head and render it a fee-charging service – just like any other professional service, such […]

One sneaky fact about retirement, that many of us often overlook, is that it arrives faster than we expect! Essentially, we are never too young to think about our retirement investments inside of a healthy financial portfolio. As you read this blog, please also bear in mind that each person’s retirement goals are unique and may have different investment vehicles inside their retirement investment plan. This post refers specifically to living annuities – and can be […]

The South African landscape of junk status is looking rocky and, in a time like this, it is important to stay informed about what is happening and how it could affect you. Political risks from South Africa’s cabinet reshuffle on the last day of March 2017 have been labelled accountable for Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgrade of the country’s international credit rating to junk status and the subsequent currency crash. In spite of Jacob Zuma’s attempts […]