Rent2Buy: A new way to owning a home

Mark Bechard|Published

A recently launched product, Rent2Buy, says it can open the door to homeownership if you?re battling to save up for a deposit.

Section 12J: The investment with a 100% tax break

Mark Bechard|Published

You can claim a 100-percent tax break if you invest in qualifying small and medium-sized enterprises.

Check out Alexander Forbes' new blended annuity

Mark Bechard|Published

Alexander Forbes and Just have launched a blended annuity, which aims to deliver the advantages of both a living annuity and a guaranteed annuity.

Raging Bull Awards ready to charge

Mark Bechard|Published

The Raging Bull Awards, honouring the stars of the unit trust industry, will this year include an investment summit that is open to the public.

Ultra-careful approach keeps paying off for Prescient fund

Mark Bechard|Published

PRESCIENT INCOME PROVIDER FUND

Multiple strategies enable fund to select the right equities

Mark Bechard|Published

OLD MUTUAL GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

Tenants can rent via an online auction

Mark Bechard|Published

Prospective tenants can now secure accommodation by submitting bids on their smartphones. And if they sign a lease, they will have to pay a maximum of one month’s ...

What landlords and tenants should know about the CPA

Mark Bechard|Published

The Consumer Protection Act appears to be “lopsided” in favour of tenants. Until aspects of the Act are tested in court, landlords are advised to proceed cautiously. ...

Questions would-be buy-to-let investors must ask

Mark Bechard|Published

Astute investors do their homework before jumping in

Allan Gray tops in asset manager surveys

Mark Bechard|Published

Allan Gray was the top manager of actively managed South African unit trust funds in the quarter to September 30, according to two surveys that use different methodologies. ...

Community schemes finally have a channel for complaints

Mark Bechard|Published

Residents of communally owned properties, including sectional title schemes and homeowners’ associations, can now complain to a statutory dispute-resolution service ...

Community schemes must have fidelity cover

Mark Bechard|Published

It is now compulsory for all community schemes to have fidelity insurance so they are covered if their money is lost through theft or fraud committed by a scheme ...

Bodies corporate must have separate fund for big expenses

Mark Bechard|Published

Some owners of sectional title properties could see their levies increase significantly in the near future, because the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act (STSMA), ...

Tenant not paying rent? Here are some solutions

Mark Bechard|Published

When a tenant misses a rental payment, the landlord has a dilemma: take a hard line from the outset or be lenient in the hope of reaching an amicable agreement. ...

How to evict a tenant (lawfully)

Mark Bechard|Published

Contrary to popular belief, tenants, once installed, can be evicted, but you need to follow due procedure.

Restraints of trade: what you should know

Mark Bechard|Published

If you are asked by an employer to sign a restraint-of-trade agreement, or are already bound by one, make sure you understand the implications of such an agreement. ...

Draft ‘amnesty’ legislation changes tax calculation on offshore assets

Mark Bechard|Published

The revised draft legislation on the special voluntary disclosure programme (SVDP) proposes to simplify how tax will be calculated on offshore assets derived from ...

Rental payments take a turn for the worse

Mark Bechard|Published

The average percentage of residential tenants in good standing with their rental payments fell by 2. 8 percentage points in the first quarter of this year, abruptly ...

Buy-to-let property yield falls

Mark Bechard|Published

Small sectional title properties continue to perform best

How unit trust companies lined up at end of second quarter

Mark Bechard|Published

Allan Gray has retained its position as the top manager of South African unit trust funds, while Nedgroup Investments remains the best manager of offshore funds, ...

The Tax Ombud’s office is there to help

Mark Bechard|Published

Are you at your wits’ end because the South African Revenue Service (SARS) can’t provide a satisfactory answer to a query? Perhaps you’re due to receive a tax refund, ...

Can a charity benefit from your retirement savings?

Mark Bechard|Published

Must you nominate a natural person as a beneficiary of your retirement savings, or can you, say, nominate a charity? Pension fund lawyers are at odds on the issue. ...

Solidarity to fight GEPF’s changes to benefit calculations

Mark Bechard|Published

Solidarity this week lodged a High Court application in a bid to overturn an “unlawful” decision that has resulted in members of the Government Employees Pension ...

Allan Gray returns to the top of the manager rankings

Mark Bechard|Published

Allan Gray has ousted Nedgroup Investments as the top manager of South African unit trust funds. However, Nedgroup Investments has retained its position as the top ...

Buy-to-let net yield ‘won’t exceed 5. 5%’

Mark Bechard|Published

Buy-to-let investors earned an average net yield of 5. 05 percent in 2015, and it is expected that net yields will not exceed 5. 5 percent this year, according to ...