On Thursday, 7 February 2019, the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) since taking office on 15 February 2018. Ahead of the event there was a lot of media speculation (locally and internationally) and debate about the likely content and tone of Ramaphosa’s speech, especially ahead…
On Thursday, 7 February 2019, the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) since taking office on 15 February 2018. Ahead of the event there was a lot of media speculation (locally and internationally) and debate about the likely content and tone of Ramaphosa’s speech, especially ahead…
In this newsletter, we discuss human behaviour and how biases and pride may work very hard against achieving financial freedom in retirement. We look at loss aversion, lifestyle creep, and very importantly how to manage your salary increase. It’s those little changes in our behaviour, such as implementing a debit order auto-escalation for investment contributions,…
We’re nearing the end of the year and it’s time to think tax! And this time, it’s happy tax planning. The taxman doesn’t give us many breaks and when he does, we should embrace them. In this article, we remind you to plan well in advance for your RA and Tax-Free savings account top-ups. …
Sanlam has created a series of beautifully crafted videos on Life and Retirement. Do enjoy Conversation no 1 with Yourself which highlights the significance of all the little decisions we make along the way. It emphasizes the impact of choices such as ‘time off to find yourself’, the purchase of an overly expensive car and too much…
One of the most common headlines in the world currently relates to the concept of ‘trade wars’. This has quickly become the most cited risk to markets with 60% of the fund managers surveyed in the latest BofA Merrill Lynch Global Fund Manager Survey listing the possibility of a protracted trade war as the biggest…
Why is life so expensive? In our last newsletter, we discussed the importance of investing consistently from the very start of our careers to ensure a comfortable retirement. This time around, we look at why this is becoming increasingly difficult in South Africa. We also offer some handy tips on how to combat the uncomfortable…
As citizens of the western world, we all highly value our independence. We’re taught from an early age to be determined, educated and strive for individual success. So, when life deals us a few rough hands, which it often does, it can be very disappointing if you end up needing to depend on your family…
Last year we wrote to you about our commitment to your financial wellness which is a way of re-framing your wealth so that it adds meaning and joy to your life. This process can take years, as it’s not comfortable to divulge all your details, and map and marry your emotions with money. In this…
Some investors may find it interesting to note that South Africa has been one of the globe’s best-performing stock markets for almost 100 years. We have been fortunate to say the least, with returns outstripping inflation by more than 8% since 1926. Global investors have not been as lucky, a relatively low 6% real return…
Alarm bells have been ringing in homes around Cape Town and it’s not about day zero – it’s about the worrying rumour that property prices in our beautiful city are nosediving. Now, before you make any rash decisions as to whether to buy or sell – hang back, take a quiet sip of coffee, and…
By spending so much of what they earn, South Africans have created a false sense of prices/demand. #economics
#Ramaphosa is GREAT and needs TIME.
#SouthAfrica
UN begins investigation into UK's extreme poverty
https://t.co/pZnLujhJUk
From The Economist Espresso: America votes: our predictions
https://t.co/yp6jfBDFpn
Can South Korea fix its deadly working culture and give people their lives back?
https://t.co/tRM6lOnizN