Planning Topics
A lack of financial health isn’t just a personal problem – it’s a societal crisis, trapping people in poverty, deepening inequality, and even impairing their ability to think clearly. High levels of debt and financial stress cut across income brackets, education levels, and job titles. There…
Determining your income needs is essential to a financially secure retirement. Underestimating your expenses could lead to cash flow shortfalls, while overestimating could unnecessarily limit your lifestyle. Establish a realistic baseline: while general guidelines suggest your retirement…
Creating a lasting financial legacy isn’t just about leaving money to your children—it’s about teaching them how to manage it responsibly and understand its purpose. Accumulating assets is only half the battle in building generational wealth.The real opportunity is helping those who will one day be…
Determining whether a person is married for legal purposes and tax purposes is paramount in their financial or estate planning journey. Of further importance is whether a marriage is in or out of the community of property.The proprietary ownership of assets in marriages in South Africa is…
The transformation imperative in South Africa’s financial services sector has reached a critical juncture with the recent amendments to the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (EEA), which came into effect on 15 April 2025.These legislative changes signal a transition from a…
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment options have strutted onto South Africa’s financial runway with the swagger of innovation—offering interest-free instalments, bypassing traditional credit checks, and boasting sleek user interfaces that make old-school lay-bys look prehistoric. For…
South Africans place over R1 trillion in bets annually, with R700 billion spent on sports betting alone. For many, particularly those with limited financial resources, the appeal of a big win can be incredibly tempting. However, the reality is often more complex. Instead of…
The term ‘pension interest’ arises in divorce proceedings and refers to a notional amount representing the retirement benefit the member spouse would receive from their retirement fund at the date of divorce. Calculating pension interest enables divorcing spouses to share in each other’s retirement…
South Africans repaying vehicle, home loans and other debts received some joy on Thursday as the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) lowered the repurchase rate (repo rate) for the country.Sarb Governor Lesetja Kganyago announced a cut to the repurchase rate (repo rate) by 25 basis points (…
The South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) Governor Lesetja Kganyago on Thursday announced a cut to the repurchase rate (repo rate) by 25 basis points (BPS). This comes after the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met this week and voted to decrease the repo rate from 7…
With industries and trends changing rapidly, I often feel tempted to change my investment strategy (specifically the portion of shares that I’ve invested in). Can you advise me on how to navigate these "hypes" and remain committed to my financial plan? Alexi Coutsoudis, Wealth Adviser, PSG Wealth,…
It is a sad event when a loved one, especially a parent, passes away. Dealing with grief, family members, funeral arrangements, insurance companies, and the retirement fund of your deceased parent can increase the anxiety levels of adult children who must take control of a situation that most of us…
Money, they say, is the root of all evil. And this is what often happens when a family member has a role to play when it comes to devolving assets for a deceased estate when they have been appointed as executors.Several court cases deal with misdeeds or conflicts of interest by family members of…
The latest findings from the Tax Ombud’s eFiling Profile Hijacking survey paint a stark picture of the vulnerabilities within South Africa’s tax system.The Tax Ombud, Yanga Mputa, presented these findings this week.The numbers alone tell a worrying story: nearly half of the respondents were…
There has been a significant rise in extortion, email, and text scams (phishing) targeting banking customers, resulting in considerable financial and emotional distress for thousands in recent months. The growing sophistication of these schemes, with fraudsters continually adapting…
Buying a new or pre-owned vehicle is one of the most significant financial commitments many consumers make. Often, this comes in the form of an instalment sale agreement spanning several years, allowing buyers to enjoy the perks of ownership without an upfront payment. While this may seem…
Recent research by an independent economist reveals that less than 16% of South Africans can genuinely afford homes priced above R1.3 million. This finding underscores a growing disparity between loan approvals and actual affordability, raising questions about the financial …
When it comes to protecting your income, if you become disabled or pass away, many young South Africans in their 20s and 30s think it’s something to worry about “later”, after you’ve bought a home, climbed the career ladder, or started a family. But this mindset can end up costing more than you…
In South Africa, the admin of winding up a deceased estate takes around a year – and sometimes several years – before assets are transferred to heirs. These delays can sometimes determine if heirs can keep a family business running, or if it will be another story of wealth that dissipated after the…
Inclusive expansion: Employee Share Schemes put minority stakeholders on the mapAs more people understand the advantages of expanding overseas, South African business owners continue to expand their operations beyond local borders, taking advantage of easier access to global markets, protection…