Old-gen vs new-gen RAs, and why they matter
An old-generation retirement annuity fund (RA), which is policy based, is vastly different from a new-generation unit-trust based RA. Abdallah Moosa, a planner and actuary at Cape Town-based wealth management company Fiscal Private Client Services, says RAs fall under the category of retirement funds (including pension and provident funds).https://6b793fb1412da224cba5baa6a5972065.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html “They are essentially a ‘personal retirement fund’, and contributions are typically …
Take control of your finances in uncertain times
American professor of mathematics, John Allen Paulos is attributed with saying ‘uncertainty is the only certainty’. This is true for job security, future working environments, and even if Manchester United really are title contenders again! If uncertainty teaches us one thing, it is that we can control only what is within our control. Duann Cronje, a Certified Financial Planner at …
Finding the road to recovery
Who would have thought that 2020 would be a strong year for investors? In the depths of the COVID panic the term ‘depression’ was bandied about by many, a reset of the financial system in its entirety. Sentiment in our country was at its lowest as businesses shut and jobs were lost, with our government scrambling to source funding to …
Lower living costs and higher income: All you need to know about geoarbitrage
While the past year has had many challenges, a positive outcome is that we have embraced technology and had our eyes opened to the possibilities of working outside a traditional office environment. For many people, daily commutes and in-person meetings have been relegated to the past – and this is just the beginning of a new era that builds on …
Top tips for budgeting and getting a bang for your hard-earned buck
It is almost that time of the year again when frenzied shoppers and bargain hunters descend upon stores and shopping sites looking for deeply discounted items. Black Friday, the last Friday of November, marks the start of the holiday shopping season. While the Black Friday tradition started in the USA, it has become a global phenomenon and a huge hit …
5 practical questions to ask about debt
It is not difficult to understand how one gets into debt. What’s more difficult is knowing when and how to get out, financial planners warn. “We have such easy access to credit cards, retail accounts for furniture, clothing, appliances; and regular offers to apply for small loans. “Have you noticed that you qualify for a loan without having applied for …