Personal Income Tax (PIT) season is often a nightmare rush of catch-up, trying to capture and find invoices, mileage and other expenses! Now that we’re approaching March, start good habits that will make your next tax return that much easier and more rewarding in terms of returns. You’ll be grateful you did… Why everyone hates tax so much Imagine yourself digging through a haystack to find a specific needle ten times in a row… that’s most […]

All offshore who are going offshore… Beginning to invest offshore is increasingly looking good for worried South Africans amidst geopolitical turmoil. Depending on your risk appetite investment expectations, it can work for you and need not be an overwhelming or intimidating experience. Here’s what you need to know: Professional help is essential Everyone can invest offshore, it’s not only for the Oppenheimers… That being said, you cannot go it alone. Every country has its own nuanced […]

For decades retirement savings have formed the foundation of a financial plan, and for good reason – but did you know that retirement savings can not only help finance your older years, they can save you money on tax right now? It’s a common mistake, but many people forget to declare contributions to their retirement annuity (RA) in their tax return. The SA Revenue Service (SARS) allows tax deductions for contributions to your RA, a pension […]

It’s Valentine’s Day this month, a holiday that doesn’t get much love for the way it costs plenty of sensible people a lot of foolish spending. This Valentine’s, why not take a more financially prudent stance? First things first: have the important talks as a coupleThe number of couples who get engaged or take their relationship to the next level around Valentine’s Day is significant… and it’s worth noting that those who talk about money beforehand […]

For many of us, the first conversation any one has with us about our financial planning is around retirement. Either retirement is too close and is a tad on the stressful side to chat about (particularly if we’re a little behind in our investment strategy) or it’s just far enough away for us not to take it seriously. This blog has been written as a conversation sparker for you, your family, friends and colleagues. Stats show […]

If ever there was a universal cheat-meal week… it must be the week between Christmas day and New Years day. And that’s for the most diligent – if we’re honest, most of us view it as a two-to-three week cheat… Everyone could use a boost of healthy eating come January! Here, we’ve rounded up the best things to eat – and how to eat them – to improve concentration, creativity and productivity. Egg in your face […]

If your to-do list is stressing you out now that the holidays are over, worry no more. Sometimes productivity is not about trying to squeeze even more things into each day, which is still stubbornly refusing to be any longer than 24 hours, but rather about working smarter. Not harder – especially so soon after you’ve left your sun lounger. We all want to be more productive when January rolls around, but can we be? Here […]

We’ve all done it – made New Year’s resolutions and never fulfilled them. This January, why not get some little helpers instead? These apps will make 2019 a breeze. The ‘be more mindful’ resolution substitution: Kyō Most productivity apps help you try and cram more into your already busy day, but Kyō does the opposite. The Kyō app helps the user to reflect at the end of each day on what was truly important, what was […]

When 1 January rolls around, most of us are a little worse for wear: we’ve overindulged, under-exercised and are more than a little tired. It’s the same with our finances – many of our wallets take a financial overindulgence through the festive season. Fear not – with a few simple commitments, you can get keep your finances in shape and fighting fit for 2019 in no time. Deal with debt once and for all Merlin famously […]