Martin Hesse

The local equity market enjoyed a welcome upswing in the second quarter to June 30 after lacklustre performance in 2023 and early 2024. The FTSE/JSE All Share Index (Alsi) closed at 79 707 points at the end of June, up 4.8% from 76 027 points at the end of March and up 6.9% from 74 535 points at the end of June last year.

Certified financial planner Rudolph Geldenhuys from WealthUp in Durbanville, Western Cape, is the Financial Planning Institute's (FPI) Financial Planner of the Year for 2024/25.

If you're a pensioner who has a relatively large proportion of your retirement savings invested in higher-risk assets such as local and offshore equities, market volatility and negative performance matter a lot, because you may not have the time for the markets to compensate you for any loss.

Don't take your money offshore before considering the implications when it comes to the laws of overseas jurisdictions in terms of tax, ownership, and inheritance, among others.

Gender discrimination works in women's favour when they take out insurance because, all else being equal, they pay lower premiums than men for vehicle and life cover.

The people most affected are pensioners, the very people whose health-care needs are highest. And, like most people who battle to afford the contributions, the reason they hang on to membership is that it covers hospital expenses, the prescribed minimum benefit conditions and emergencies. If you opt out, you're penalised if you ever want to join again. The medical schemes have got you by the you-know-what.

The people most affected are pensioners, the very people whose health-care needs are highest.

PMBs were introduced by the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) in 2000, guaranteeing a minimum level of cover by schemes. They ensure you have access to essential healthcare services for serious conditions without the fear that you won't be covered.

If you're thinking of buying your first home, this may be a good time to do so, but don't put it off for too long – there are signs that the residential property market will see a turnaround in months to come, after what have been a gloomy few years.

So in today's column, I thought I'd go over a few basics concerning estates and wills.