A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a company that finances, operates or owns real estate that produces an income, and is a way for investors to have a liquid stake in the real estate market. According to Nareit, which is the representative voice for REITs, more than 225 REITs were trading on an American stock exchange earlier this year. At the start of 2018, a quick look at diversified REITs suggested that 23 were yielding […]

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According to recent statistics, 5.5 million South Africans travelled abroad in 2016, showing that travel has become a part of many people’s lives — be that for business or leisure. A vacation can be an enriching experience that allows us to step away from our daily lives to relax and, enjoying it with added peace-of-mind is an added bonus! Remember, just because you’re on holiday doesn’t mean that you can’t avoid events that are outside of […]

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Many South Africans choose to take advantage of the public holidays and the warm weather by visiting loved ones or going on an adventure over December and January. However, expenditure over this festive season can quickly add up if you’ve planned a well-deserved break. It, therefore, can be worth renting out your house for the season, so you can supplement your spending while you are away. Nowadays, short-term rental websites, such as Airbnb, make it relatively […]

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Although the demand for holiday homes in South Africa lost some momentum at the start of last year, according to the FNB Holiday Town House Price Index for February 2018, a renewed year-on-year growth acceleration was demonstrated in the results of the last half of 2017. In fact, the demand for holiday homes in South Africa has remained reasonably buoyant since 2013, and many property investors purchase a holiday home as a way of diversifying their […]

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Good health care is not always easily obtainable and quickly becomes a costly experience. Many people who have health cover policies sometimes expect to have more cover than their policy actually includes, and they are saddled with high shortfall bills; they land up paying the difference between the medical cover rate, and the cost of the specialist. This is because having medical aid doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be fully covered for all treatments. This […]

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Towards the end of every year, many medical schemes announce their annual contribution increases for the following year. This makes these last few months of 2018 the perfect time to review your cover and make any necessary amendments, as, until the start of December, most medical aid providers will allow you to change plans or options without penalties. Alternatively, if you are not happy with your provider, you can even go as far as to switch […]

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“Without mental health there can be no true physical health” – Dr Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Brock Chisholm was a psychiatrist who asserted the notion that mental and physical health are linked, and an increasing amount of evidence highlights the impact that mental illnesses — particularly depression and anxiety — can have on physical health. Even though this may be the case, policy unfortunately still continues to lag […]

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Understanding how your (or your loved one’s) possessions and wealth are treated when you pass away is crucial to how you plan for what will happen to them. This blog is aimed at breaking down an incredibly paper-heavy, jargon-filled process! When a taxpayer dies, all their assets are placed in an estate, which is commonly referred to as a ‘deceased estate’. Assets can include a property, a car, money in the bank, and even furniture. Once […]

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Death can be an expensive affair and it is easy to underestimate the costs involved, especially as some unconsidered fees can quickly add up. As well as the funeral expenses, those left behind can be liable to pay mortgage bond cancellation costs, appraisement costs, Master’s Office fees, legal fees, costs of realisation of assets, bank charges, transfer costs of fixed property or shares, maintenance of assets, advertising costs, probate fees, postage and sundry costs, short-term insurance, […]

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Did you know that a trust is not simply: a trust? There are many different classifications of trusts in South Africa, such as ownership trusts, bewind trusts and curatorship trusts. Trusts can either be created during a person’s lifetime, which is known as an inter vivos trust, or set up according to a person’s will after they die, which is known as a mortis causa trust. Different trusts give beneficiaries different rights, depending on how much […]

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