An important aspect of financial wellness is mental wellness. Financial stress can cause emotional stress, it impacts our relationships and our workplace. When it comes to managing money, we need to be aware of our money emotions - what makes us spend, why does money make us so anxious? While financial pressure can impact our mental wellbeing, our mental wellbeing could be causing our financial challenges. For example, if you are feeling stressed you overeat, you are more likely to make impulsiv...
Aug 24, 2023•22 min
As banks improve security around identification and biometrics are introduced, fraudsters are finding that the easiest way to get into your bank account is to get you to help them! In this podcast Maya shares the story of how her husband nearly fell victim to a vishing attack. “I often write about these scams and we are all aware of them. We think it will never happen to us because we are savvy, we are aware – but these scamsters are so good and they know how to push the emotional buttons”. Maya...
Aug 10, 2023•28 min
If you are about to retire, you need to start thinking about how to invest your lump sum to provide you with an income for life. According to an article by the Actuarial Society of SA, there is a window of opportunity for retirees to lock in some of the highest rates in 20 years. With inflation peaking and the cost of living rising, this is an opportunity not to be missed. In this podcast Maya speaks to Deane Moore, CEO of the Just Group about how to use a guaranteed annuity to boost your income...
Jul 27, 2023•29 min
The 2023 City Press/Absa Money Makeover Challenge has begun. This is the seventh year where Maya Fisher-French together with a team of Absa financial advisers work with six individuals to turn around their finances in just six months. In this podcast Maya chats to Sarah Nkwana of Absa about the candidates, why they were selected and the challenges they face. Everyone following the Money Makeover Challenge will find someone they can identify with. Follow their journeys online at: https://media24....
Jul 13, 2023•14 min
Welcome to the finale of the Emotions and Money podcast series, where we explain concept of the Money Fingerprint. Join host Maya Fisher-French and Paul Nixon, head of Behavioral Finance at Momentum, as they take you on a journey of self-discovery and financial empowerment. The Money Fingerprint isn't just another run-of-the-mill personality test. It's a diagnostic tool, created in collaboration with Pretoria University, that weaves together the core themes explored throughout this podcast serie...
Jun 29, 2023•17 min
Are you aware that our ability to accurately assess risk is flawed? Think about those posters that surround the shark tanks at aquariums that compare the statistics of shark-related fatalities with seemingly innocuous household items like toasters or even the act of simply falling off a chair. Surprisingly, the numbers reveal that toasters and chairs pose a greater threat to our safety than sharks. Yet, why does the mere thought of a shark strike terror in our hearts, while a toaster fails to ev...
Jun 15, 2023•19 min
Did you know that shedding tears isn't just an emotional release, but also a fascinating biological phenomenon? Emotional tears actually flush out cortisol, the stress hormone, while containing traces of oxytocin, the powerful trust and bonding hormone. Join us on the captivating Emotions and Money podcast as we delve into the connection between our emotions and financial decisions. Tune in as renowned host Maya Fisher-French and guest Paul Nixon, the brilliant mind behind Behavioral Finance at ...
Jun 01, 2023•15 min
On 24 April 2023, seemingly out of the blue, SARS updated its "Manage Your Compliance Status” webpage and announced a “new enhanced” TCS application form. This meant that a South African who was wishing to invest more than R1 million offshore would have to follow the same financial audit process as a person applying for a tax non-resident status. In this podcast Maya speaks to Thomas Lobbin, head of Cross-Border Taxation at Tax Consulting South Africa to understand what this means for investors ...
May 18, 2023•18 min
Emotions and Money is a six-part podcast series where we unpack the psychology behind our investment decisions and how our emotions could be sabotaging our financial outcomes. What makes a good investor? In discussion with Maya Fisher-French, Paul Nixon, head of behavioural finance at Momentum Investments identifies the key behaviours that lead to successful financial outcomes and the impact Covid has had on how we invest. Emotions and Money is a podcast series in partnership with Momentum Inves...
May 04, 2023•22 min
Emotions and Money is a six-part podcast series where we unpack the psychology behind our investment decisions and how our emotions could be sabotaging our financial outcomes. In this episode Maya Fisher-French and Paul Nixon, head of behavioural finance at Momentum Investments discuss the different personality types and how your personality could be affecting the way you manage your money. Emotions and Money is a six-part podcast series in partnership with Momentum Investments....
Apr 20, 2023•21 min
Emotions and Money is a six-part podcast series where we unpack the psychology behind our investment decisions and how our emotions could be sabotaging our financial outcomes. In this episode Maya Fisher-French and Paul Nixon, head of behavioural finance at Momentum Investments look at the true cost of our poor investment decision. In 2020 South Africans paid 6.5% in behaviour tax and around 3.5% in 2021. What is behaviour tax and what is it about our money emotions that leads us to make decisio...
Apr 06, 2023•23 min
In this podcast discussion Maya and Moroka Modiba, author of Think yourself Rich, discuss how a newly married couple should start managing their finances together. Why a household budget is important along with a discussion around shared goals. Moroka unpacks at the various investments that the couple should consider based on their investment horizon.
Mar 09, 2023•32 min
There have been mixed reactions to Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana’s annual Budget Speech this week. The general feeling is that while the financial manoeuvrings by National Treasury are commendable, there appears very little faith in government’s ability to execute what needs to be done to bring the country back on track. In this podcast Maya and Thomas Lobban from Tax Consulting South Africa unpack the budget. What does it mean for South Africa’s debt levels and what does it mean for our...
Feb 23, 2023•24 min
Since March 2001, all South Africans have been legally required to declare and pay tax on their annual worldwide income, irrespective of where they live. So even if you have been living abroad for a few years, you are still considered a resident for tax purposes, unless you can objectively prove to SARS your intention to remain outside the country permanently. With the introduction of a formal SARS Non-Resident Tax Status Confirmation Letter in 2021, South African expatriates can now confirm the...
Feb 09, 2023•25 min
What is the best blend of investment products that will provide you with a sustainable, tax-efficient income in retirement? While there is no question that the pre-retirement tax benefit from investing in a retirement annuity is significant, to what extent is an RA tax efficient over the full course of your financial plan which includes the 20-odd years you will be drawing a retirement income? In this podcast Maya speaks to financial planner Wynand Gouws, author of To 100 and Beyond , about the ...
Jan 26, 2023•22 min
“I needed to be braver” is how 2022 Money Makeover runner-up Zinzy described her financial situation when she entered the money bootcamp six months ago. In this open and frank conversation, Zinzy talks about the courage it took to have difficult discussions with people who owed her money and taking her head out the sand to tackle conversations with creditors including SARS. “I was an ignorer of note,” admits Zinzy. In this podcast discussion Maya is joined by both Zinzy and Absa financial advise...
Dec 08, 2022•33 min
It is possible to turn your finances around in just six months. The Money Makeover Challenge has proven this over and again. The stories from the candidates who enter are testament to the fact that financial freedom is not about miracles, it is about having a plan, a partner and discipline. In this podcast Maya speaks to the 2022 Money Makeover winner, township entrepreneur Mpho along with his biggest cheerleader, Absa financial adviser Gladnes Masia about how, in just six months, he turned his ...
Nov 24, 2022•35 min
Medical scheme membership is expensive and it becomes more expensive every year. The average family pays R6000 or more a month for their medical scheme benefits, yet Andre Jacobs author of “Medical Schemes Explained: Your Ultimate Guide to Using Your Medical Scheme Efficiently” argues that many are paying too much, simply because they do not understand the way their scheme works. In this podcast Maya and Andre discuss the importance of understanding your medical scheme and what to do if your sch...
Nov 10, 2022•42 min
Earning your first pay cheque and balancing the many financial demands is challenging for any graduate. For those who are the first in their family to become a professional, there are even greater expectations and financial demands. In this podcast Maya speaks to Akhona Modi, a Financial Planner at BDO, about both the practical and emotional aspects of meeting the expectations of family.
Oct 27, 2022•31 min
“Many people see the stock market as an exclusive club or that only professionals understand it well enough to succeed, but really investing is more accessible than ever,” says Moroko Modiba, managing director of Fatima Capital and author of “The Wise Investor: The Beginners Guide to making money on the stock market”. In this podcast Maya and Moroko discuss investment strategies for those starting out. They discuss how to create a core portfolio and how to use this as a building block to investi...
Sep 29, 2022•26 min
The only thing certain in life is death and taxes and this is particularly true when it comes to our wills. While we can never cheat death, by drawing up a will and doing some basic estate planning we can reduce, and provide for, the fees and taxes, leaving more of our assets as a family legacy. In this podcast Maya speaks to wills and estate specialist Alex Simeonides, CEO of Capital Legacy about the do’s and don’ts when it comes to writing up a will. Why are we so afraid to sign a will? How ca...
Sep 15, 2022•25 min
COVID-19 is here to stay. So how do we best protect ourselves over the long term? Discovery Life Deputy Chief Executive, Gareth Friedlander, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr Maritha van der Walt, break down the data around the risk factors when it comes to COVID-19, how we can improve our health and protect against unknown diseases. We also unpack the risks of long-covid, how to plan your recovery and how long-covid is assessed as a potential severe illness claim. Every life is unique, and life can...
Sep 12, 2022•18 min
Cancer can affect anyone, at any age. Across the insurance industry we see cancer as an increasing cause for claims, especially among younger people. Tune in as Discovery Life’s Head of Market Analytics and R&D, Kashmeera Kanji, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr Maritha van der Walt, delve into the statistics and why early detection is your greatest defence against this disease. Every life is unique and deserves customised protection from today’s risks. In this podcast series, Life behind the nu...
Sep 05, 2022•19 min
In this podcast we unpack the strange relationship we as South Africans have with our currency. Why does the value of the rand affect our perception of our country? A strong rand gives us an emotion boost in the same way as our winning sports teams do – and when the rand is weak, we see it as a sign of failure. Is this normal and do people in other countries feel the same way about their currency? In this podcast Maya chats to Michael Kruger, Senior Investment Analyst at Morningstar about the va...
Sep 01, 2022•17 min
Every life is unique, and life can be unpredictable. While some of life’s events may be unpredictable, there are ways to both mitigate and protect us from today’s risks. In this podcast series, Life behind the numbers , Maya talks to Discovery Life experts about the kinds of risks we’re all up against – in facts and figures – and how to protect against those risks. In this episode, Maya is joined by Discovery Life Deputy Chief Executive, Gareth Friedlander and Head of Market Analytics and R&...
Aug 25, 2022•19 min
Every life is unique, and life can be unpredictable. While some of life’s events may be unpredictable, there are ways to both mitigate and protect us from today’s risks. In this podcast series, Life behind the numbers , Maya talks to Discovery Life experts about the kinds of risks we’re all up against – in facts and figures – and how to protect against those risks. This is a four part series on life cover in partnership with Discovery Life
Aug 18, 2022•22 min
National Treasury released draft legislation around early access to pension funds and the so-called Two Pot system. In this podcast Maya speaks to retirement reform expert Rowan Burger about how the Two Pot system will work. In this podcast they dispel some myths around early access and explain how vested rights will affect your existing retirement assets.
Aug 05, 2022•25 min
In a recent survey, a debt counselling firm asked financially stressed South Africans “why have you not done something to alleviate your money-stress?”. Nearly 40% of people responded that they “feel stuck”. When faced with what appears to be an overwhelming problem we tend to shut down, sticking our head in the sand. But this obviously doesn’t solve the problem. What we know is that getting ourselves out of debt does require discipline and action, but what most people don’t realise is how quick...
Jul 21, 2022•24 min
It is tax filing season and while people look forward to tax season because they can get a rebate, for many of us it can feel a bit overwhelming. In this podcast Maya speaks to tax expert Reinert van Rensburg, Tax Legal Specialist at Leap Group, about everything you need to know about your 2022 Tax return. He discusses key changes to auto-assessments and why people who have been selected for auto-assessment have a much shorter deadline. He also explains why everyone should file a tax return and ...
Jul 07, 2022•25 min
Scientists are telling us that soon we will reach an average life expectancy of 100 years old. For some people that may be very exciting, but for others it is simply terrifying. How will we save enough money in 40 years of working to fund 35 years of retirement? In this podcast Maya speaks to financial planner Wynand Gouws about his book “To 100 & Beyond – how to make your money last as long as you do”. Wynand explains why asking “when should I retire?” is the wrong question, how you can pla...
Jun 09, 2022•29 min
