Are we an industry or a profession? Financial planners or financial advisers? Do we help clients secure their futures or are we only concerned with our own? Over the past few months, I have witnessed different financial services role-players become more and more vocal about their views. I fully support robust debate; what does concern…
Working with, and having contact with, many financial advisers and their practices each week, I started noticing an alarming trend. Then I started noticing the exact same trend with businesses in completely unrelated industries as well. I became very aware of this and the impact it has on my perception of these businesses and even…
Buy a retirement annuity to save tax! Retirement annuities are a great way to neutralise tax! Save tax now, buy a retirement annuity. Save tax by investing into a retirement annuity before 28 February. Your last chance to save tax before 28 February. I lost count of the number of times I read this everywhere…
Much is being said about the new VAT rate of 15% that will become effective on 1 April 2018 in South Africa. Yes, we are talking about billions of Rands that it will raise, and as a consequence, leave consumers a little poorer, but I was keen to see the impact it will have specifically…
Have you ever considered this scenario? A well-structured buy and sell arrangement, policies in place, valuations in place… and then, a shareholder passes away, and the claim is repudiated. I never considered this, until I was asked a question: “What happens if a shareholder commits suicide?”. I wanted to answer immediately, but then I paused…
Recently our swimming pool turned a nice, deep, not-so-luscious green. Now, this is not the first time it happened. After fixing the green monster a few times before, you get to know why it turned green in the first place and which water levels are out. To have perfect swimming pool water There are 4…
Have you ever asked yourself this question? Have you ever investigated the philosophy and approach followed by the planning software you use in your practice? Do you fully believe in the system and the numbers? Are you using your system of choice merely for compliance (to have something on file) or do you increase the…
Francois attended the Discovery Financial Planning Summit 2017 on Monday 29 May 2017. He recorded a video, reviewing his experience of the event. Speakers on the day at the Discovery Financial Planning Summit 2017: Adrian Gore – CEO Discovery Isabelle Mateos Y Lago – Chief Multi Asset Strategist – Blackrock Moshe Tamir – Global Head of Digital…