What to read in the first quarter 2017 edition (volume 70) of Personal Finance magazine, which is available in retailers for only R32.95.
How the big 10 unit trust funds shape up
The 10 giant funds of the unit trust industry, which invest almost R500 billion of our money among them, may be accused of being too big for their boots and not agile enough to take advantage of opportunities. So how have they performed over the past decade?
A snapshot of life assurers
How do you choose life and disability assurance? The options are many and varied, but, to guide you, we outline distinct differences between the companies and their offerings.
Crunching the numbers on buying vs renting
Is it better to buy or rent your home? The debate continues. Now, you can make an informed decision by running the numbers through an online calculator developed for the South African market.
Until fees fall
While the problem of how tertiary education should be funded remains unresolved, the options for students who cannot afford the fees and who do not qualify for bursaries remain limited to state-funded or bank study loans.
Taxes and fees on life policy payouts
The proceeds from a life assurance policy should be sufficient to pay off your debts and provide for your dependants. But have you considered the impact of taxes and fees?
Is duty-free for real?
Duty-free shopping is one of the rituals of international travel and a great antidote for airport boredom. But if it’s not all about lower prices for luxury goods (and research shows it’s not), how does it benefit travellers?
Dental care gets special treatment
The number of medical scheme members whose dental management is outsourced to specialist dental risk administrators has more than doubled in the past three years and the indications are that this is stretching dental-care budgets and improving benefits.
Caffeine connectivity
A quiet revolution has swept the country, transforming ordinary coffee shops and restaurants into internet hubs that serve as offices and meeting spaces as much as places of refuelling and relaxing. We examine the importance – and the cost to both providers and users – of public wi-fi.
What you can expect from the Community Schemes Ombud Service
At last residents in sectional title and gated communities have an affordable, efficient way to resolve their disputes. We spoke to chief ombud Themba Mthethwa.
Wealth under the spotlight
With the gap between rich and poor widening in South Africa, it is inevitable that the tax net will be adjusted to gather in more of the resources of the wealthy.
All about the Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme
Taxpayers with offshore investments who may not have complied fully with tax and exchange control regulations in the past have a chance to put that right over the next few months.
Is online gambling legal?
The messages are decidedly mixed, and confronted with websites that court South African punters and their rands unashamedly, how can you tell what is on the right side of the law and what is not?
Safety first?
For the cash-strapped car buyer, it’s not that simple.
Plus … Unit trust performance, PlexCrown Fund Ratings, tax guide and annuity rates.
BACK ISSUES
You can order back issues of some editions of Personal Finance. Issues of the past four quarters are R15 each, and those more than a year old are R10 each. Contact 021 488 4209 or [email protected]