Sue Torr
If you marry without signing an antenuptial contract, your marriage automatically defaults to in community of property with a single, joint estate. In terms of this marital regime, all assets and liabilities acquired both before and during the marriage merge
One of the unique features of a trust is that it never dies. Unlike individuals, who are subject to estate duty and executor’s fees on death, trusts continue seamlessly from one generation to the next. This means that assets housed
Gap cover is short-term insurance that protects medical scheme members from shortfalls between the medical scheme rate and the actual rate charged by specialists during hospitalisation—often as much as five to six times the scheme tariff.
Living annuities are highly effective succession planning tools because you are free to nominate any beneficiaries you wish. On death, the proceeds are paid directly to those beneficiaries, usually within a short time, once the administrator has been notified and
Few areas demonstrate the price of indecision more clearly than debt. High-interest loans left unconsolidated grow relentlessly as interest compounds. What may once have been a manageable problem quickly escalates into a burden that feels insurmountable.
Another overlooked pitfall of the DIY approach is the failure to account for hidden costs. Taxes, transaction fees, and capital gains implications can significantly erode returns if not carefully managed. From experience, we’ve found that investors are surprised to learn
Despite the financial safety net that inheritance provides, many heirs are determined to carve out success on their own terms, often emphasising that their careers, businesses, or philanthropic pursuits should stand independently of the family legacy. For these individuals, inherited
Debt rises and falls, careers pivot, children arrive and become financially independent, businesses are started and sold, and retirement draws nearer. Meanwhile, insurers refine products, adjust definitions and release new features.
Inflation may feel like a distant concern when you’re still earning, but in retirement, it becomes a silent assassin of purchasing power – keeping in mind that even modest inflation erodes the value of your income and savings over time.
The first risk of over-providing is that of entitlement. When children never experience financial difficulty or financial limitations, they may grow to view privilege as a right, rather than a gift.
