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Newsletter February 2021

The Simplest Part of Estate Planning is Often Overlooked

Many financial products, like life insurance, and pension funds, ask you to nominate a beneficiary in case of your death. Doing so is important in making sure that your loved ones are cared for if the worst were to happen. 

However, all too often, people forget to keep the listed beneficiaries on these policies up to date. This can cause both complications and, potentially, serious discord between those who are left behind.

Read on to see some of the common mistakes that people make and what you should be thinking about when listing your beneficiaries on any policy.  

Should You Tell Your Children How Much You Earn?

Having conversations about money with your children can feel very uncomfortable. Particularly if they ask very specifically about your financial situation, it is tempting to tell them that it is none of their business.

However, building a sound relationship with money starts at a young age, and children pick up a lot from their home environment. Being open to talking about money can go a long way to supporting a positive outlook in them as they grow up.

But just how much should you tell them? In this article we examine ways in which you can talk about your finances with your children in a healthy way.

Don’t Fall Victim to a Ponzi Scheme!

The lure of “easy money” is particularly attractive in times of economic upheaval and financial turmoil, and the criminals behind Ponzi, pyramid and other fraudulent schemes are doubtless eying this year with happy anticipation.

We share some thoughts on why these scamsters are so successful at conning even the best of us, a useful infographic on some of the main “red flags” to watch out for, and ideas on warning others (including your staff if you are an employer) of the dangers and how to avoid them.

Don’t be a victim!

Starting A New Business from Home? Don’t Forget Your Insurance

Despite the tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns across the world have forced people into discovering new ways of working. This has opened up all sorts of possibilities for people working from home, and the opportunities for entrepreneurs who can use technology to establish and build their businesses has never been greater.

If you are launching a new venture, however, you should think about the importance of having a safety net. Having insurance in place can be invaluable if anything goes wrong.

As a starting point, here are five things you need to think about with regards to insurance if you are starting a new business from home.

Should you top up your RA now?

As more and more South Africans opt to live together without formally marrying (or entering into a civil union or recognised customary marriage), the need to bust the myth of the “common law marriage” becomes more acute.

Let’s discuss the hard realities of our law as it currently stands, the risks of doing nothing about protecting yourselves from the consequences of break-up or death, and an easy, practical solution that you should implement immediately. 

Without it, your financial plan could turn into a financial disaster.

Quote of The Month – Sustainable Investing Rising to Prominence

27four Investment Managers:

“This year has potential to see environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing going mainstream. With more money moving into ESG, sustainable investments have seen valuations skyrocket in 2020.

We believe we are at the cusp of a fundamental shift that should see ESG investing rising to prominence. This is likely to create a halo effect for companies trying to be ‘greener’.”