Media reports of the recent Constitutional Court decision holding a section of the Divorce Act unconstitutional and giving Parliament 24 months to remedy that haven’t always been clear about who needs to be aware of this, and who doesn’t.
Firstly, understand the three “marital regimes” available to you
Legally, marriage amounts to a binding contract, and you have the right to choose […]
“Oh, I’m an alien, I’m a legal alien” (Sting’s ‘Englishman in New York’)
South Africa is attractive to overseas property buyers with our world-class lifestyle, depreciated Rand, strong property registration and legal systems, and minimal restrictions against non-resident property ownership.
Which is of course great news for property sellers in any area popular with foreign investors. Coastal and other tourist-friendly areas will […]
Caveat subscriptor” – old legal maxim meaning “Let the signer beware!’
A recent High Court decision once again highlights the dangers of signing anything without reading, understanding and fully considering it.
A “Renovator’s Dream” and a case of buyer’s remorse
“…imposing administrative non-compliance penalties is to ensure the widest possible compliance with the provisions of a Tax Act … they are imposed impartially, consistently and proportionately to the seriousness and duration of the non-compliance.” (SARS)
The Tax Administration Act stipulates that SARS can issue administrative penalties for outstanding tax returns.
In previous years, penalties were only imposed on taxpayers with more than one tax […]
South Africa’s benchmark stock market index, the JSE All Share Index, fell 2.7% in October, leaving it 4.2% lower for the year to date. That contrasts with developed market stock exchanges, which had a negative month but remained positive for the year to date.
The US technology index, the Nasdaq, eased 0.6% during October, while the broad-based S&P 500 Index shed […]
Wealth buckets
Property is one of several asset classes, the others being equity (shares or unit trusts), cash-related products (like money market products), and bonds.
Here are some of the most important benefits of investing in property:
Two main categories of people are needed in your circle; those who give you the necessary support to accomplish your dreams and those who become beneficiaries of what you achieve.” (Unattributed)
Pension and provident funds and retirement annuities
All retirement funds are governed by the Pension Funds Act, which prioritises financial dependants when distributing death benefits. Nominated beneficiaries may not necessarily receive […]
“The most terrible poverty is loneliness.” (Mother Theresa)
Loneliness is a subject that researchers and even politicians have started to think about a lot more in recent years.
In 2017, former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called loneliness a public health “epidemic”. The following year, the UK appointed a “minister for loneliness” to deal with what it saw as a growing problem.
“Loneliness […]
Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.” (Ambrose Bierce)
It may well be that in the future, we will be able to make a perfectly valid will (“Last Will and Testament”) by way of a video recording or other electronic means, but that day has not yet arrived.
For now, it is essential that your will be […]
“The common assumption is that trusts are some kind of tax panacea…Then, conversely, from a South African Revenue Service (SARS) perspective, trusts are viewed with a degree of suspicion and mistrust. [T]he truth lies somewhere between these positions.” (Broomberg on Tax Strategy)
The legal and tax landscape in which South African trusts operate has changed substantially over the last few months, […]
