Tag: FinancialPlanning

As thousands of matriculants across South Africa prepare to sit for their final examinations, many parents are reflecting on years of sacrifice, planning and financial commitment. These efforts have brought their children to this milestone. Yet matric marks the end of one chapter, while our Education Insights suggests that the biggest education costs may still lie ahead for many families.

Election season is upon us, and South Africans will soon head to the polls to decide who gets their vote. Between campaign posters and passionate debates around the braai, there is plenty to consider before ticking that box. However, another decision deserves just as much consideration, even if it does not come with a ballot paper: who do you trust to help you manage your money?

For many aspiring property investors, the appeal of property lies in its perceived simplicity. Buy a building, tenant it, collect rental income, and watch the asset appreciate over time. Yet the reality is far more complex. Successful property entrepreneurs understand a fundamental truth: a building is not automatically an asset. It is a business.

As more South Africans choose to live together without getting married, financial experts warn that many couples may unknowingly expose themselves to significant financial and legal risks. Although cohabitation has become increasingly common, many people mistakenly believe that living together for several years automatically grants them the same legal rights as married couples.

For many young South Africans, a financial windfall, whether through an inheritance, a family gift, or prize winnings, can fast-track major financial goals and responsibilities. However, without a clear plan, a sudden windfall can easily become a missed opportunity to build long-lasting wealth.

As a 25-year-old professional starting in my career, investing in shares felt unfamiliar and intimidating. I considered it a market for the wealthy, and certainly not a place that I could leverage for my own personal and professional benefit. I had a savings mindset, not an investing mindset. Therefore, I invested any surplus cash in a bank account earning interest.

In August I returned to East London for the 40th reunion of my class at Clarendon Girls’ High School. There is something wonderfully strange about seeing people again after four decades. Careers have been built, businesses started, families raised, countries crossed, and lives have taken turns none of us could possibly have predicted when we walked out of those school gates. And yet, within minutes, forty years seem to disappear.

National Wills Week may have ended on 18 September 2026, but the questions it raises remain relevant long after the campaign. A will is one of those tasks that many people intend to get around to “one day”. Yet, when that day comes, clear instructions can make an enormous difference to those left behind. You do not have to be wealthy, retired or a homeowner to need a will. You also do not necessarily need an attorney to draft one.

Safeguarding your family business for the next generation goes beyond just having a will - particularly when the family is dependent on income from the business. While the United Nations estimates that family-owned or managed businesses generate about two-thirds of global GDP and 60% of jobs, a successful business means far more than an income-producing asset for many South African families.

Most climate change conversations focus on shifting rain patterns, agricultural yields, or environmental damage. Yet one of its most immediate consequences often goes overlooked: the direct and measurable impact extreme weather events can have on household finances. A Super El Niño is one such event.