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How to ... use disability cover
Disability assurance is one of the most problematic areas of life assurance, accounting for most of the complaints submitted to the life assurance ombudsman each year. In the eighth part of our "How to" series on life cover, we look at the different types of disability assurance and the important issues you need to know.
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How to ... use dread disease assurance
Dread disease cover is a relatively new aspect of assurance cover. In the seventh part of our "How to" series on life assurance, we look at this often overlooked but important aspect of risk cover.
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How to plan your finances as a woman
Life assurance has a special role to play for women, particularly in ensuring they will be financially secure in their retirement. In
the sixth part of our “How to” series on life assurance, Personal Finance looks at the significant issues all women need to take
into account to accommodate their special circumstances.
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How to ... plan your finances as a couple
Getting married and starting a family means having a sound financial plan, and life assurance will make up a special part of that plan. A failure to plan properly can mean debilitating poverty for those you love most. In the fifth part of our “How to” series on life assurance, we look at the significant factors that all people in long-term relationships must take into account when planning their finances.
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How to ... get the right advice on life assurance
Your financial planning needs change throughout your life. Financial planning is not something that happens on your first day at work and then maybe a few years before retirement. It is as dynamic as your life.
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How to ... recognise the level of risk you pose to a life assurance company
Life assurance is not a case of all sizes fit all. Life assurance companies take all sorts of things into account in deciding whterh you are "insurable" or not, and how much they will charge in premiums to cover anything from death to the loss of your job. In the third part of our "How to" series on life assurance, Personal Finance looks at the significant issues involved in determining how risky you are to insure.
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How to ... tell long-term from short-term cover
Insurance can be confusing. Many people do not understand the difference between long-term and short-term insurance. In the second part of our "How to" series on life assurance, we explain the differences between the two, and some of the ins and outs of long-term insurance.
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How to assure your biggest asset - your income
In the first of our "How to manage life assurance" series, we look at why you need life assurance. Life assurance enables you to face the risks of life with greater confidence in the knowledge that, if anything happens healthwise to prevent you from earning an income, you and your dependants will be able to maintain your standard of living.
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How to ... join a medical scheme
When you apply to join a medical scheme, you may find that the scheme will enforce waiting periods or late-joiner penalties. You need to know your rights and the reasons the scheme will impose these measures. You should also be aware that it is better to be honest when you fill out your membership application form and to sit out the waiting periods, because failing to make full disclosure could have dire consequences for you. In this, the last of our current series of articles on how to manage y...
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How to ... make the most of your medical savings account
A Sunday newspaper recently reported that by the middle of the year more than 40 to 50 percent of members of middle-of-the range medical schemes and 70 percent of members of low-cost schemes had run out of cover for day-to-day, or out-of-hospital, medical expenses.
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How to ... manage your out-of-pocket medical expenses
Depending on the medical scheme option you have chosen - discussed last week - you may, from your own pocket, have to meet certain expenses that are not covered, or are only partially covered, by your scheme. In this instalment in our series on how to manage your money, we tell you how to get the most out of your option.
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How to ... choose a suitable medical scheme option
Once you have identified medical schemes that are financially strong and likely to stay that way - which was covered last week - it is time to take a close look at the benefits available and to see if they match your healthcare needs. In this instalment of our series focusing on medical cover, we look at how you select an appropriate option from the range the schemes offer.
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How to ... choose a medical scheme
Finding the best medical scheme for your needs means finding a healthy scheme with suitable benefits. In this part of our series on how to manage your money, we look at the factors that will help you identify schemes that are financially strong and that have a growing membership.
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How to ... cover your medical needs
While your health is good, you may wonder what all the fuss regarding healthcare cover is all about. Only when you or someone close to you falls ill or is involved in an accident, do you realise both how valuable your health is and how much it costs to get it back. In this instalment in our series on how to manage your money, we look at healthcare cover offered by medical schemes and insurance companies.
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How to ... avoid a property scam
Property investments can be lucrative if you choose your investment wisely. However, there are a number of fraudulent schemes involving property or using property as a lure, which promise high returns within a short space of time. In this instalment of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you more about how to avoid becoming the victim of a property scam.
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How to ... invest in property syndications
Property syndications are often touted as an easy way to invest in property, and when property prices are on the rise, these investments can offer you above-average returns. However, they are high-risk investments and should be treated with caution. In this instalment of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you how to invest in a property syndication and what to watch out for.
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How to ... buy and rent out property
If you are not keen to invest in listed property and prefer a more tangible investment, you might want to consider buying a property for the purpose of renting it out. If you go this route, there are several things you, as a landlord, need to know. In this instalment of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you more about how to buy to let.
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How to ... invest in listed property
You may want to invest in property but you do not know how the rental property market works, you don't have the time to deal with tenants and collect rents, or you don't want the hassles of administration and maintenance. If this is the case, listed property may be the solution. In this instalment of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you about investing in listed property.
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How to ... finance the purchase of a property
Not many people have sufficient funds available to buy a property without financial assistance, and it is common to apply to the bank for a home loan. In this instalment of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you more about how to finance your property and what costs you will incur.
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How to ... buy into a share block property
Although new share block developments are not common nowadays, there is a fairly large number of established, existing schemes in South Africa that you can buy into. There are also many retirement complexes that operate using the share block ownership system. In this instalment of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you how to go about buying into a share block property.
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How to ... buy a sectional title property
When you buy a home, security and cost are probably two of your foremost concerns. One way to own a home at a lower cost than buying freehold, and with the added benefit of security, is to buy sectional title. This week, as part of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you about how to buy a sectional title property.
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How to ... buy a freehold property
There are several different ways to buy into the property market that involve different types of ownership, each with its own rights and obligations for you, the owner. Over the next few weeks, as part of our series on how to manage your money, we will tell you about the different types of property ownership, including freehold title, sectional title and shareblock. This week, we report on how to buy a freehold property.
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How to ... set up a special trust
Many people regard trusts as structures you set up to minimise estate duty if you have a sizeable estate. But trusts have other uses, and a special trust may be particularly important if you have minor children or other dependants who are not able to manage money they may inherit. This week, as part of our series on how to manage your money, we look at setting up a testamentary trust.
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How to ... plan your estate
Estate planning should be an integral part of your financial plan, yet many people fail to realise the implications of not planning their estates before they die. Planning your estate includes drawing up a will, establishing what you own and how much you owe, and calculating what your estate will have to pay out before any assets can be passed on to your beneficiaries. This week, in our series on how to manage your money, we tell you more about how to calculate the value of your estate and what ...
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How to ... draw up a valid will
The day you start earning money is the day you should make sure that you have a valid will. If you do not, the law will dictate how your assets are distributed after you die. A will is especially important if you need to make provision for your dependants. In this instalment of our series on how to manage your money, we tell you what you need to know about drawing up a valid will.
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How to ... get the most out of your planner
Last week, in our series on how to manage your money, we told you about the first five steps of financial planning. This week, we discuss the sixth and final step: reviewing your financial plan.
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How to … get your financial needs analysed
Once you have found someone you feel is professionally capable of handling your finances and giving you objective, expert advice on what to do with your money - and who you can trust with highly personal information - you need to sit down with your newfound financial adviser and get down to the essentials: how much you earn, how much you spend, and how much you want to invest for a rainy day and for retirement. This week, in our series on how to manage your money, we tell you what to expect from...
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How to … find a financial planner
In the past, relatively unqualified people could set themselves up as financial advisers - and live off the high commissions many of their products delivered. But regulations have been tightened, and the industry now boasts a growing body of well-qualified professionals. This week, in our series on how to manage your money, we show you where to find one.
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How to … invest offshore (part 2)
There is a whole wide world out there. Should you invest in developed countries, such as the US, or developing ones, such as China? Should you focus on a particular region or invest across the globe? Last week, we looked at the benefits of investing offshore. This week, we look at how you should determine where to invest.
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How to … invest offshore
It is important to diversify your portfolio. You do this to minimise your risk if some of your investments perform badly. To ensure diversity, you should invest not only across asset classes, but across countries and currencies as well. This week, in the first of two articles on investing offshore, we look at the differences between rand-denominated and foreign currency investments.
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