Daily Maverick Articles #financial wellness

In most cases, some form of retirement savings is available through group schemes offered an employer. Unfortunately though, sometimes the people that set these up take a chance, and hide details in the fine print. Let's take some time and discuss what you should look out for, and uncover the truths hidden underneath.

As we've spoken about before, it's important to have some assets overseas if possible, as it diversifies your portfolio to optimise growth. However, what are the advantages of having it in a wrapper? Let's take some time and unpack this scenario, with special interest on inheraitance and taxation.

We all want to live our lives as comfortably as possible, but often don't think about what happens to our loved ones should we pass away, or don't take the necessary measures soon enough. Let's take some time and discuss the importance of this planning, and ensure a bright future for your loved ones after you're gone.

If you lived overseas, you would not have all your investments in South Africa. By spreading your investments across countries, you can get better returns and reduce the risk in your portfolio

The phrase "make your money work for you" is thrown around very often, but most people don't really grasp the concept fully, or have the knowledge of what to do and what resources are available. Let's take some time and discuss what structures you can put in place to ensure a healthy financial standpoint and in turn "make your money work for you".

As we've discussed many times before, nothing in my line of work is "one size fits all"; everyone has a unique set of circumstances that must be taken into consideration when they make decisions. You need to be in a solution which works in line with your own goals and targets. A specific factor in this regard is deciding what type of annuity option to choose. Let's take some time to discuss the differences between living and life annuities, and where the strength lies within each option.

Bank interest rates have been very good this year and many received a nasty surprise when they realized how much tax is payable. By restructuring the investment so that you pay CGT rather than income tax, you can reduce your tax bill significantly.

Tax free investments are such a great vehicle for saving money, as its perfect for long-term saving. Many people underestimate the value of such an investment, but there's more than what meets the eye. Let's discuss certain things to take note of and realise just how valuable these investments can be.

Something I come across very often is that people more advanced in their years really struggle to keep up with the cost of living in our ever-modernising world. This is often due to the fact that their retirement monies aren't structured in such a way to ensure sustainability. Let's take a look at how some savvy decision making can increase your pension, and with that, your quality of life.

One of the biggest hurdles I see many people face, especially in their later years, is the burden of life insurance premiums, and wanting to scale down on their cover. Many people think that they've figured out a great solution, but in the long run that turns out not to be the case. Let's take some time and discuss how to go about analysing quotes by assessing what you get vs what you need, and understanding premium patterns.

As daunting as it can be, something to think about when investing and reviewing current investments is about what would happen when you die. It's intended for the transfer to be as smooth as possible, but the right structures need to be put in place. Let's discuss what measures you can put in place to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of and have one less thing to worry about should you pass away.

A question we often ask ourselves is "Do I have enough, or at least the correct, medical cover?" Way too often people overpay for some new and fancy policy, but the difference between what they pay versus what they get out of it is mind-blowing. Let's take some time and discuss the basics of medical aid and how to choose the cover that is best suited for your needs.