South Africa is currently in the midst of what is widely referred to as a ‘retirement crisis’, which could intensify if the issue isn’t addressed properly soon. After a period of excellent investment returns that have, up until recently, somewhat masked the fact that retirees in living annuities haven’t saved enough, local retirement fund members […]

Retirement Annuities (RAs) have been around for a long time, and are basically private pension plans that help you to save for retirement. As we near the end of yet another tax year, we move into a period that is often referred to as RA season, which is a good time to weigh up the […]

Towards the end of 2017, President Zuma instructed South Africa’s minister of finance, Malusi Gigaba, to resolve economic challenges after Standard & Poor’s lowered both the country’s long-term foreign and local currency debt ratings by one notch on Friday, 24th November. A statement was released about the measures that would need to be taken to […]

Many South Africans have started taking advantage of Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs), which were established by the government as an easy and safe way for citizens to increase their savings. When investing in a TFSA, you won’t be taxed on any growth on your investment — you won’t pay tax on dividends, interest or […]

Can you remember what resolutions you made last January? Or for how long you kept them? The trouble with resolutions is that they’re often made half-heartedly, in an annual acknowledgment of our inadequacies and a cursory attempt at self-improvement. Once the hazy days of the holiday season are over and we are faced with the […]

It’s easy for Christmas to turn into a frenzied flurry of wasteful consumerism, and to find ourselves knee-deep in ripped-up wrapping paper that we discard in a hurry before Christmas lunch. But before you fill black bin bags with gift tags and empty jars of cranberry sauce, pause for a second to think about how […]

Saturday, 16th December is an important day in the South African calendar as it marks the Day of Reconciliation. The significance dates back to two events in history. The first of these was in 1838, when the Battle of Blood River took place, and 470 Voortrekkers (who had the advantage of gunpowder) defeated the 10,000-strong […]

The Cape water crisis is now a reality of which most people living in South Africa are very aware. Cape Town is preparing for a harsh summer ahead, and the local government attests that it is doing everything in its power to ensure that the Mother City makes it through this challenging time. Water consumption […]