Personal Finance
A legacy is something passed down from a predecessor to a future generation. There are many ways to leave a personal legacy. Regardless, one of the most powerful legacies you can leave is a financial legacy.
It’s pretty common for people to defer thinking about legacy planning till when they are approaching old age. It is a well-known fact that death is a reality and one never knows when it’s their time. Though it is discomforting to think about dying it is equally important to have a plan in place in the event of your death.
No matter how much you are worth, legacy planning is an important part of your overall financial and retirement planning and it’s never too early to get your affairs in order. Read on for four important steps to get organized and leave a lasting financial legacy.
1. Take a Personal Inventory
Having accumulated all kinds of assets and other things over the years it is crucial you make a list that accounts for all your belongings from your home to your personal items. This is usually the first step in getting organized so as to ensure you are not forgetting and leaving out anything of immense value.
2. Life Insurance
Life insurance protects you and your loved ones from the financial uncertainty of death or severe illness or disability. Getting life insurance is a cost-effective way of ensuring the financial security of your family or beneficiaries in the event of your passing. This is important if you have children or other family members who are dependent on you for financial support. It will provide an income for them in the event of your untimely death. If you have one already, do ensure that your beneficiaries are up-to-date and listed correctly.
3. Prepare a Will and Testament
Having a will is a significant step in securing the financial future of your loved ones. A Will is a legal document that coordinates the distribution of your assets and wealth after your death. A Will declares who the beneficiaries of your assets are and how your assets should be distributed. Having a Will protects your family or loved ones and makes it much easier to sort everything out when you die. In the absence of a Will, the process can be time-consuming and stressful as assets will be distributed according to state laws and the courts.
If you are yet to put your will together, get in touch with us for assistance over here.
4. Select The Right Estate Administrator
Your estate administrator or executor manages and administers your Will when you die. As such it is essential that you select an individual who is trustworthy, reliable and responsible. Many people appoint an executor such as their spouse or child without giving it much thought. To ensure your wishes are followed it makes sense to consider carefully who’s best suited for it.
Bottom Line
Putting your affairs in order can be a difficult thing as no one likes to think about dying. Nevertheless, failure to put a plan in place can make life difficult and strenuous for your loved ones.
Personal Finance
South Africans have always experienced tougher economic conditions than other countries so its no wonder we are savvy when it comes to saving money. With economic conditions being tougher than ever before, many South Africans are cutting back on their expenses in order to save money and make it through the month. In fact, 55% of all households are still bearing the brunt of the strain the Cover-19 pandemic have put on their finances.
Here is a list of the top expenses South Africans cut back on in 2023:
Most consumers have cut back on luxury and big-ticket purchases like appliances, cars and luxury brands, delaying the purchases until their personal finances recover. They have also cut back on subscriptions and memberships like gym and mobile phone contracts.
On the flip side, households have put more money into emergency savings funds, into cutting down debt and into retirement funds. 85% of households are very concerned about how they will manage to pay their bills and debts going forward if things don’t improve.
If you find yourself in a real financial bind and need access to cash quickly, apply for one of our loan solutions today:
Personal Loans – got a clear credit record and need up to R150k fast? Apply for a personal loan.
Pension Bridging Loans – waiting for your pension or provident payout? Apply for a pension cash advance and get some of your money early to ease financial stress.
Loans Against Assets – use art, jewellery, handbags and luxury items as security for a secured personal loan. Get them back once your loan is paid up.
Loans Using Un-bonded Property – is your property valued at over R2 million and fully paid up? Use your home as security for an equity release loan of R1 million or more.
Personal Finance
When we rang in the New Year, who would have guessed we would face a global pandemic that would creep into every country and continent across the world. That some of us would lose businesses, lose our jobs or take massive salary cuts. We are living in extraordinarily difficult times.
The business gurus and commentators say there is a new ‘normal’ we all need to get used to which includes working from home, working in shifts or teams and often as a result, reduced hours. Unfortunately, this new way of doing business has resulted in company retrenchments, dismissals and forced resignations across almost every industry, with some being harder hit than others. As of today, hair & beauty salons, restaurants, certain manufacturing concerns and gyms to name a few can only operate under reduced capacity and with major restrictions in place. Many businesses have been unable to bring in an income since lockdown in South Africa started on 26 March 2020.
When faced with this situation, UIF registered employees can claim from the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The problem with UIF is that it does not pay out the full wage or salary. This leaves an income shortfall. Families expenses are generally fixed and there is very little opportunity to reduce monthly living costs. For example: school fees, rent, bond repayments and food are all fixed costs.
The good news is that there are a number of temporary financial solutions available to the public:
1. Pension Loan
If you have given notice to your pension fund or provident fund that you want to make your policy paid up, it is possible to secure a short- term Pension Bridging Loan from accredited private lenders.
2. Property Secured Loan
If your home is bond-free or has a bond that is less than 40% of the property value, it is possible
to secure a Loan Against the Property in some circumstances, to help you free up cash to cover expenses.
3. Loan Against a Movable Asset
It is possible to use your valuables like gold, diamonds, art, antiques, jet skis, cars, bakkies, motorbikes and other loose assets, as security for a loan.
When faced with the daunting prospect of retrenchment, do not panic. There are temporary financial solutions that enable families to make it through the tough times. For more ideas and financing solutions click here: www.nhfinance.co.za
