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Clear explanations of the decisions that affect your money, retirement and family. Start with a question or browse a topic.
All 62 questions
01 / 17 questions
Retirement
Make a considered plan for the income, flexibility and security you need in retirement.
- How Much Money Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in South Africa?
- Living vs Guaranteed Annuity: Which Risks Do You Keep?
- What Is a Safe Withdrawal Rate for South African Retirees?
- How does Regulation 28 affect retirement savings?
- Should You Combine a Living Annuity and a Guaranteed Annuity?
- Retirement Annuity or TFSA: Which Should Come First?
- What Is Sequence Risk, and Why Does It Matter in Retirement?
- How Does Inflation Erode Retirement Savings Over Time?
- Which Investments Should You Draw From First in Retirement?
- How Much of a Business Sale Can Actually Fund Your Retirement?
- How Much of Your Retirement Fund Should You Take as Cash in South Africa?
- How should couples plan for retirement and the surviving partner?
- How should you budget for healthcare and long term care in retirement?
- What should you prepare in the year before retirement?
- What should you check before buying into a retirement village?
- How can you fund early retirement before pension income starts?
- How can you protect retirement savings during a career break?
02 / 16 questions
Investing
Understand how investments work together, from offshore exposure to the risks of a concentrated portfolio.
- How Much Offshore Exposure Should South Africans Have?
- How should retirees draw income from offshore investments?
- Direct Offshore or Rand Feeder Fund: Which Route Fits?
- How Much Should You Hold in Equities and Bonds at Each Stage of Life?
- How Many Shares Should You Hold in a Diversified Portfolio?
- How Much Wealth Is Too Much in One Property, Business or Investment?
- Active or Passive Investing: What Are You Paying For?
- Could your portfolio survive a market crash?
- How Do Interest-Rate Changes Affect Your Investment Portfolio?
- Should You Invest a Lump Sum Now or Phase It Into the Market?
- When Does a South African Endowment Make Sense?
- Offshore Endowment or Direct Investment: Which Problems Does the Wrapper Solve?
- What Happens to Your Investments If Your Adviser, Platform or Bank Fails?
- Can rental property provide reliable retirement income?
- How do you calculate the total cost of your investments?
- How can you check whether an investment offer is a scam?
03 / 8 questions
Financial planning
Connect the decisions about your investments, home, family and future responsibilities.
- What is the difference between financial planning and investment management?
- Should You Pay Off Your Home Loan or Invest the Extra Money?
- How often should I review my investment portfolio?
- What Does a Discretionary Fund Manager Add to Your Portfolio?
- Who Can Manage Your Money If You Lose Mental Capacity in South Africa?
- Should You Give or Lend Money to Your Adult Children?
- How do you create a financial map your family can use?
- Should you keep your home, downsize or rent in retirement?
04 / 9 questions
Tax & estate planning
Understand the questions to raise about ownership, tax, inheritance and the money your estate may need.
- How Does a Trust Work in South African Estate Planning?
- What happens if you die without a will in South Africa?
- When Does Capital Gains Tax Apply in South Africa?
- What Is Estate Duty, and How Can It Be Reduced Legally in South Africa?
- Should you hold investments in your own name, a company or a trust?
- What is the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion in financial planning?
- Offshore Estate Planning: Who Can Inherit, Act and Pay?
- Foreign Estate and Situs Tax: What South African Investors Need to Check
- Do Retirement Fund Beneficiary Nominations Override Your Will?
05 / 4 questions
Behaviour & decisions
Think clearly about underperformance, market news and the difficult decisions that come with investing.
06 / 8 questions
Choosing a financial adviser
Know what to ask, what you should receive and how to judge the relationship before making a commitment.
- How Do You Choose a Financial Adviser in South Africa?
- What Should You Ask Before Hiring a Financial Adviser?
- How much should financial advice cost in South Africa?
- The advice fee increase you might never notice
- How Can You Tell Whether a Financial Adviser Is Independent?
- When Should You Get a Second Opinion on Financial Advice?
- When Should You Consider Changing Your Financial Adviser?
- How Do You Know Whether Your Financial Adviser Is Acting in Your Best Interest?
Further reading
How we think about wealth.
Longer essays on judgement, structure and the decisions that shape a financial life.
Your own financial decisions
An independent second opinion.
A Financial Clarity Review™ considers how your financial arrangements work together. We agree the scope and once-off fee before work begins.