tax planning
The tax benefits achieved by investing in tax-free investments are not realised early on which means that these vehicles do not make good emergency funds. The value of the tax benefit in the first five years of investing is incredibly
Living annuities can play an important estate planning role if correctly structured. Where the annuitant nominates beneficiaries, any residual value remaining in the event of their death will be paid to the beneficiaries and, in doing so, will bypass the
As partnerships can have up to 20 members, decision-making can be slow and cumbersome if there are too many people involved. In the case of a private company, all directors have shared control of the business, and all decisions must
Funds held in retirement annuities do not form part of one’s deceased estate meaning that RAs can play a role in your overall estate plan, although it is important to understand the associated idiosyncrasies. This is because retirement annuities, being
As an aside, it is important to note that this type of trust can only be set up for the benefit of a disabled person and no one else’s benefit. Where there are two or more beneficiaries to your trust,
If you are invested directly offshore, it is unlikely that you will need a foreign Will for these assets. However, if you have other assets offshore, such as fixed property or business interests, it may be necessary to seek estate
Where you hold REITs in a retirement fund, you will not be liable for tax on distributions, and the ability to reinvest and compound these before-tax distributions within your retirement fund over a long period of time is a significant
Life insurance policies can be used to create liquidity in your estate and to make financial provision for your spouse and/or beneficiaries. However, as with other estate planning tools, it is essential to correctly structure your policy so that it
Avoid using your salary increase as a reason to live a more expensive lifestyle. While you may be tempted to buy a more expensive car or live a more lavish lifestyle, consider the lost opportunity costs of not investing the