Start with your objective
Investing for growth means committing money for a chosen period. Investing for income means considering regular payments alongside the need for capital growth.
Investment options
Your circumstances guide the choice of product, investment term and level of risk. Options include:
- Endowment policies
- Income funds
- Offshore investing
- Retirement annuities
- Shares / online share trading
- Tax-free investment plans
- Unit trusts
Who this suits
Investment advice suits anyone with a goal and a timeline, whatever the amount:
- Saving for retirement, with or without an employer fund
- Receiving a lump sum from a property sale, bonus or inheritance
- Regular monthly savers building capital over time
- Retirees who need a dependable income from what they have built
- Parents saving for school and university fees
- Investors who want to hold assets offshore
Problems we help with
The situations that most often bring people to us, and that a review is designed to catch.
Money without a purpose
Savings sitting in cash for years because no one has set a goal, a timeline or a target.
Fees that are hard to see
Layers of platform, fund and advice charges that quietly reduce returns.
Risk that does not fit
Too little growth for a 30-year horizon, or too much volatility for money needed next year.
Reaching retirement without an income plan
A pension pot with no strategy for turning it into a monthly income that lasts.
Tax allowances left unused
Retirement annuity deductions and tax-free savings limits that go unclaimed each year.
Decisions driven by headlines
Selling in a downturn and buying back after the recovery, locking in losses.
What happens during a review
A review is a conversation, not a commitment. Here is how it usually runs.
- 01
We start with your goals
What the money is for, when you will need it and how much is enough.
- 02
We take stock of what you have
Existing investments, retirement funds, debt and cash, so the plan works with your whole picture.
- 03
We agree on risk
How much movement you can tolerate and how much you can afford, which are not always the same.
- 04
You get a recommendation with the costs laid out
Product, fund choice, fees and tax treatment, together with the reasons.
- 05
We implement and review
Investments are set up, then reviewed with you at least annually or when your circumstances change.
Bring your goals into the conversation
Think about your time horizon, access to cash, income needs, existing investments and comfort with losses. These help frame a suitable discussion.
Before we speak
Can returns be guaranteed?+
Returns and capital protection depend on the product. Market-linked investments can fall in value; past performance does not guarantee future results.
What costs should I ask about?+
Ask for advice, administration and investment costs, together with withdrawal restrictions and the tax implications relevant to your circumstances.
Plain-English guide
Terms you will see on schedules and quotes, explained without the jargon.
- Unit trust
- A pooled fund that invests in shares, bonds, property or cash on behalf of many investors. You own units in the fund.
- Retirement annuity
- A personal retirement fund with contributions that are tax-deductible within limits. Retirement from it is generally possible from age 55; under the two-pot system, limited withdrawals from the savings component are possible before then.
- Tax-free investment
- A savings account or fund where growth and withdrawals are tax free, within annual and lifetime contribution limits set in tax law.
- Endowment
- An investment policy with a minimum restricted period, usually five years, often used by investors in higher tax brackets or for estate planning.
- Living annuity
- A retirement income product where you choose the investments and draw an income within limits.
- Guaranteed annuity
- A retirement income product that pays a guaranteed income for life in exchange for your capital. The income can be level or escalate, depending on the option chosen.
- Income fund
- A fund built to pay regular income rather than to maximise growth.
- Asset allocation
- The mix of shares, bonds, property and cash in a portfolio. It drives most of the risk and return.
- Volatility
- How much an investment’s value moves up and down over time.
- Offshore investing
- Holding assets outside South Africa to diversify currency and market exposure, either directly using your annual allowances or through rand-denominated funds that invest offshore.