Anything of any value takes time. Likewise, creating wealth is a long-term process. Well-structured investment strategies have always taken uncertainty into account. Patience, resilience and a robust strategy are imperative to weather the global investment storm that has been raging in recent times. As you embark, or continue, upon your journey to great financial security, it is important to wholly understand the investment landscape. This is one of the areas where having an adviser you trust […]
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Bear Markets vs Bull Markets
When it comes to investing in the markets, the terms bull and bear market are used to describe how stock markets are doing in general. Simply put, are they going up or are they going down? At the same time, because the market is determined by investors’ attitudes, these terms also denote how investors feel about the market and the ensuing trends. Driving up A bull market refers to a market that is on the rise. […]
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Why have the markets taken a knock?
In a nutshell, the markets are driven by business activity which is supported by investor confidence. When businesses have investors, they can grow and create more value, which in turn encourages more investors. When businesses can’t run normally (like in the case of a global pandemic), investors fear they will lose money and pull out their investments or stop supplying more cash – which hits the businesses even harder. The interconnected world we live in means […]
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Understand what you need in your adviser
Here’s the thing about a 20-minute DIY job: it never takes 20 minutes. Either you don’t have the right tools, or the right skills… or the materials turn out to be too hard, too soft, too big, too small etc. On the rare occasion, it might take you 20 minutes or less. You might be perfectly suited to it, and have all you need on hand. For most of us – it doesn’t turn out that […]
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Financial wellness mindsets for life’s autumn
Autumn is a precious time of year and is perhaps an altogether more positive metaphor for another special time: the tail end of middle age when we are far from elderly, but far from young. You look up one day and realise that while you were busy building a life with your family, or perhaps pursuing a fulfilling career, the years rolled by more quickly than you thought. There’s still time on the proverbial clock, but […]
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Offshore investing and the new expat tax
As of 1 March 2020, an amendment to the South African Income Tax Act will have definite ramifications on the lives of South Africans living and working abroad. Now that this infamous ‘expat tax’ is in effect, SA expats are now obligated to pay up to 45% of their foreign income to the taxman when it exceeds R1 million per annum, which includes any fringe benefits provided as part of the job. But what about investors? […]
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The NHI: What we know so far
South Africa has just had its annual Budget Speech, with one of the many controversial topics not addressed being the National Health Insurance scheme. Yet President Ramaphosa stated very recently that he expects it to be fully rolled out within the next five years. The NHI was initially to kick off on 1 March 2020 but is currently years away from full implementation, with much still unknown about how NHI will actually work. So, what do […]
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Does your wealth creation strategy need more love?
February is the month of love, but it’s also the first real month of the year for most of us, once we’ve got back into our routines and come back to grips with life after the holidays in January. As a result, you may be thinking of how to get your 2020 goals going, especially your financial goals, rather than romance. However, there is a way to think of both. In honour of the month of […]
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What you need to know about the new ‘expat tax’
One of the hardest aspects of working with tax and tax law is that the rules change slightly every year – making it tricky dice to roll without an expert on your team. There will be a new law soon that legislates how much tax you as a South African must pay on money you do not earn in and from South Africa. On 1 March, the new section 10(1)(o)(ii) of the Income Tax Act (known […]
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What’s the state of your budget?
Each year we are presented with our president’s State of the Nation address and the finance minister’s budget speech around the same time. The SONA is closely linked to how money is spent; it’s a powerful reminder for us to consider the close link between our lives and our budgets! Good finances begin and end with good budgeting – when you have a good budget and stick to it, you’re often 90 percent of the way […]
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