Tag: FNB Wealth and Investments Solutions

Saving and investing consistently is essential when planning to build a large enough nest egg to retire comfortably. The latest 10X Retirement Reality Report showed that out of 15 million economically active South Africans, 67% have no retirement plans.

Investing in the stock market has played a key role in helping investors diversify their portfolios. Money Market funds and savings account are instruments used by investors and savers, looking to grow wealth in a risk averse manner.

Investment and financial fraud is on the rise across the world. Each day thousands of people are conned out of their hard-earned money by scams that have increasingly become sophisticated. There are dozens of ways scammers use to gain access to people’s accounts, often masquerading as being from financial institutions.

Any listed company has a strategy outlining where that company wants to go and how and when it is planning to achieve this. The same can be said about an investor looking to achieve long-term financial success. As an investor and saver, you should know where you want to go (identify your goals), how you are going to achieve this (investment and savings strategy), and the time frame associated with those investment and savings goals.

Money matters and finances continue to be a widely talked about subject. The pandemic has not only been onerous and taxing on everyone’s lives, but it has also created undue financial pressure on households globally. Instead of being overwhelmed by unnecessary expenses this year; look at ways or areas where you can save and invest your money. Unplanned finances can push people towards unnecessary short-term debt, which should be avoided at all costs.

Taxpayers were listening very closely as Tito Mboweni delivered his annual budget speech. Taxpayers can however breathe a sigh of relief as no increases in tax rates will be incurred despite a year of national lockdown and the roll out of the vaccine.

Many of us became more comfortable with using technology for everyday purposes like buying groceries, clothing and medication. One aspect of investing that was magnified during the lockdown was the importance of diversification. Introducing different asset classes and geographies into a portfolio can certainly be put down as one of the major lessons from last year.

Those fortunate enough to have some excess cash on hand are in a unique position within the global context as workers across the world continue to grapple with the economic fallout of COVID-19. While there may be the temptation to utilise excess cash flow on shorter-term expenses, recent events have emphasised the importance of positioning your finances for an uncertain future.

The stock market can be volatile, but it’s a market that many people will delve into at some point in their lives whether directly buying shares or through their employer retirement saving fund. I believe that investments should form a core part of any financial planning, even during uncertain times.