Good health care is not always easily obtainable and quickly becomes a costly experience. Many people who have health cover policies sometimes expect to have more cover than their policy actually includes, and they are saddled with high shortfall bills; they land up paying the difference between the medical cover rate, and the cost of the specialist. This is because having medical aid doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be fully covered for all treatments. This […]

Towards the end of every year, many medical schemes announce their annual contribution increases for the following year. This makes these last few months of 2018 the perfect time to review your cover and make any necessary amendments, as, until the start of December, most medical aid providers will allow you to change plans or options without penalties. Alternatively, if you are not happy with your provider, you can even go as far as to switch […]

“Without mental health there can be no true physical health” – Dr Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Brock Chisholm was a psychiatrist who asserted the notion that mental and physical health are linked, and an increasing amount of evidence highlights the impact that mental illnesses — particularly depression and anxiety — can have on physical health. Even though this may be the case, policy unfortunately still continues to lag […]

Understanding how your (or your loved one’s) possessions and wealth are treated when you pass away is crucial to how you plan for what will happen to them. This blog is aimed at breaking down an incredibly paper-heavy, jargon-filled process! When a taxpayer dies, all their assets are placed in an estate, which is commonly referred to as a ‘deceased estate’. Assets can include a property, a car, money in the bank, and even furniture. Once […]

Each year, about a million people need to stop working due to an illness or a debilitating injury. Yet, according to an article published in The Times, only 10% of people have severe illness cover. A severe illness is a medical condition that prevents you from leading your normal life, and the life industry covers a wide range of these dreaded diseases and health conditions, from Type 1 diabetes to Parkinson’s disease. However, the ‘Big Four’ […]

It is highly likely that one of your biggest assets is your earning power. It is vital to protect this asset and ensure you maintain a steady salary until you have reached your financial goals. Many people take a head-in-sand approach when it comes to income protection, believing that they’ll never be inflicted with a disability, or assuming they can find a quick resolution if they are. However, this doesn’t necessarily equate to positive thinking, but […]

“It is health that is your real wealth” — Mahatma Gandhi Many entrepreneurs and ambitious people are concerned with climbing the career ladder and building their wealth. However, as you get older or suffer bouts of illness, you will start to appreciate the true value of your health and not take it for granted. Although achieving your goals is understandably important, you don’t need to completely abandon your health in your pursuit of success. It’s simply […]

This Thursday, 9th August is National Women’s Day, which marks the historic moment on 9th August 1956 when 20,000 South African women of all races showed that they would not be intimidated by unjust laws when they marched to Pretoria’s Union Buildings to present a petition to the prime minister against the carrying of passes. It was one of the largest demonstrations staged in the country’s history and, to commemorate the event, the first National Women’s […]

Creating your long-term saving goals (this is retirement for many people) is not something that you can simply decide on the spot – and often, these goals may change over time. Before you even get into some of the technicalities of long-term saving strategies, as we will cover in this blog, you need to know why you’re saving – and what you’re saving for. When you know the why, the how is much easier. This should […]

In his bestselling book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, the author, Robert Kiyosaki, explains the fundamental differences in the way his two fathers thought about money — his real father who was ‘poor’ and the father of his best friend who was ‘rich’, despite both earning a good salary. From studying their journeys, he realised that your wealth can depend more on your actions than the money you earn. He surmised that it is, therefore, important to […]