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Maysure

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The best things in life are (TAX) free…

We think that its pretty safe to say that South Africans have a long-standing legacy of being big spenders but maybe not the best savers. With a nation that includes the majority barely breaking through the breadline, it’s not an unfamiliar feeling to be left wondering how you’re going to make it through the month.

With extreme levels of consumer debt reaching record heights in 2015, the government took the initiative to introduce a ground-breaking concept – Tax Free Investment Accounts – an incentive to encourage long term household savings.

Since then, financial houses have created quite a buzz about the concept, promoting them at every turn, but what exactly are tax free investment accounts and how do they affect you as the tax payer?

Simply put, a tax free investment account is a type of savings account that allows you to invest your money across a combination of financial products such as unit trusts, fixed deposits, bonds and so forth. The main difference between this and traditional savings accounts is that all your income and returns are completely tax free.

The critical advantage of this type of account is that your growth or earnings are exempt from tax on withdrawal, meaning that you won’t pay any tax when you cash out your investment. You’re also able to reinvest your returns and they don’t count towards your annual or lifetime contribution limit. You’re free to withdraw from your tax savings account at any time you wish, however any replacement investment amount is treated as a new contribution and will therefore count towards your annual and lifetime limits.

So how does it work and are there Limits to Tax Free Savings Investments?

Current regulations allow for an annual contribution limit of R33,000 per tax year, with a lifetime limit of R500,000. Once you have reached your lifetime contribution limit of R500,000 no further investment in tax free savings account will be allowed.

Provided that you don’t invest more than R33,000 in total for the tax year, your investment can be spread across as many accounts as you like. It’s important to remember that the annual limitation can’t be carried over to the next tax year, you simply forfeit any unused amount and are given a new annual limit of R33,000 to invest in the following tax year.

A massive benefit is that if you’re a parent, you’re able to open a tax free savings account for your child(ren), but you need to be aware that any contributions you make to this account on their behalf counts towards their annual and lifetime contribution limit.

Choosing the best investment partner

The benefits and features of tax-free savings accounts in South Africa are pretty much standard, so the important part of choosing the best one for you would be to choose the very best advisors and planners. It is critical that you choose a provider who shares the same goals for your unique investment journey. Some companies are willing to carry greater cost for the sake of better customer experiences and others, will rather take the lower cost and the lower quality customer experience.

At Maysure, we understand that investment is so much more than a game of numbers. It is a personal journey that you and your loved ones are undertaking to cement the future for those most important to you. No two journeys are the same, and no two clients will receive the same advice from us. We listen, we talk, we plan – together. You are more than a client for us, you are an unwritten story that we want to help you write.

We truly believe that knowledge is power, and we want to make sure that you know exactly what your money is doing for you.

It is very important to understand Tax-free saving investments shouldn’t replace other types of investments. Keep your portfolio fluid and focus on all aspects of investing with a suggested priority list from your advisors.

You should never sacrifice your maximum retirement savings or reduce your other financial commitments to invest in tax-free savings accounts. Rather see them as a long term investment opportunity that needs to be nurtured and grown as each financial year passes. Another very important consideration to keep in mind is that Tax free investment contributions are NOT tax deductible like RA contributions are, so this needs to be factored into your discussions with your advisors.

As a human being, you know that you’ll have those days in life that you’ll be faced with unexpected expenses. And you’ll either be wishing you had some savings, or you’ll be thanking yourself for saving in the past.

So where to from here? Tax-free investment accounts are a fantastic long-term investment product. Do not use them for your day-to-day savings, do not use them for your emergency fund, do not replace your retirement annuity and do not go into debt to invest in them. Rather speak to us, let us look at your portfolio and advise you on the best way forward. Once all aspects of your financial planning are in order then let us create a road map for the best way to achieve tax free financial growth on further planned investments.

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Maysure Estate Planning: Leave a Lasting Legacy

Leaving a lasting legacy for those you love is ultimately the final gift that you will be giving them. Although it is not a subject that one likes to dwell on, your life cycle is just that, a cycle; and if planned properly you can leave a lasting legacy that will set up those who have been with you on your journey, for generations to come.

A pivotal part of your planning should include estate planning. Simply put, this is ensuring that your lifelong assets such as your car, home, other real estate, savings accounts and other personal possessions and policies are effectively managed in the most appropriate and financially savvy way during your life so that they can keep on giving after your life.

Estate planning is inspired by your life and plans generally consist of a will and other documents that are meant to provide a map for fulfilling your wishes both before and after death. Effective planning includes structuring of estate duties so that taxes are minimised, ensuring sufficient liquidation to cover all your estates financial obligations and protection of inheritance options for future heirs. This planning is not restricted to life policies, and all your assets will be taken into account by your advisors, such as wills and trusts as well as marital contracts and income tax.

It is important to remember that estate planning is so much more than just planning physical assets, but should also include:

  • Provisions for your intrinsic values. Who you are and what you believe in are the cornerstones for your family and should be documented and included. This can include things such as your religious wishes, education choices and family values.
  • Instructions for care should you become disabled. This is vitally important because you might not be of sound mind and your wishes need to be documented before hand should the unforeseen happen.
  • Ensure that instructions for minor children are set in place including the naming of guardians as well as inheritance trustee’s.
  • Trust planning for children who might leave South Africa to either work or live permanently overseas. Ensuring that your legacy is left for them in a protected trust in South Africa, leaves you and them with the peace of mind that they will be looked after, no matter where they decide to lay down their roots.

With the above in mind, an important consideration when undertaking the estate planning process is to set up provisions for the needs of any children who might have disabilities. This can be covered as a “Special Trust Type A”. and should this be relevant to your circumstances, it must be discussed from the outset with your financial advisor, so that it can be included in your directives.

The professionals at Maysure know and understand that to your family, you are their world, and because of this, their expert advice and guidance is inspired by your life. No two clients are the same, and no two clients will be advised the same. Your unique place in life, your personal journey, and the exact position that you are in on this journey will be taken into account, and from there all advice will be tailored and varied to determine the exact services we will offer you to ensure that your unique financial goals are reached.

It may seem like a daunting task to take stock of and financially plan the assets that you have accumulated, but death is not an ‘if’, it is a ‘when’, so doing the necessary groundwork now can reduce burdens of hundreds and thousands of rands for your loved ones. Some pertinent questions to ask your financial advisor should include:

  1. Do I have a will in place?

This is the first step that should be completed whether you have small or large assets. A will establishes how your assets are distributed and without one you will have no control over your wishes upon your death.

  1. Have I designated beneficiaries for all my assets?

This may seem obvious but ensuring that you have properly completed a beneficiary designation form ensures that your assets are transferred correctly and timeously upon your death to the person you have designated.

  1. Have I planned for joint ownership?

A pivotal question when planning your estate, jointly held assets ensure that upon the death of one of the named owners, the assets are passed on the joint owner without the need for laborious court proceedings.

Estate planning is essential to protect those you love, because without a plan in place, the negative repercussions could impact them for years to come. Coming to terms with our own mortality is hard and is usually not something we want to think about. However, if we want our families to be protected and if we want to protect the assets we’ve created, the earlier we start thinking about estate planning the better.

Let the Experts at Maysure advise you on the course of your journey, so that you are free to live your best life, with peace of mind that your legacy is in good hands.

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Maysure Financial Services: Company Profile

Since 2003 the founders of Maysure Financial Services have believed that life happens – whether we plan it, don’t plan it, save for it, don’t save for it, expect it, or don’t expect it…. It happens. But how your life has happened doesn’t dictate how it must be lived. It is simply a journey that you are on, and everything that you have experienced along the way has brought you to this point, and dictates the road you will take from here on out.

Whether you are at the beginning of your journey, or a long way down the path, a specialised team will help you set a firm financial focus and guide you as your journey continues, specifically when it comes to your retirement and estate planning.

Should you be of the Muslim faith, you will have access to a dedicated Muslim team that understand that your earnings must always remain wholesome and pure, this team will guide you with your Sharia Investments and estate planning so as ensure that your journey is sustained and nourished by that which is Halaal.

We believe that your savings are the first step on your journey to your future – we apply expert, large scale, corporate savings principals to your investments, whilst still maintaining the personal, hands on approach of a small firm.

Maysure Financial Services is built on 3 solid propositions:

Serving you – we want to show you how to take your existing wealth and with some uniquely adapted and personalised guidance, turn it into the ground where your future takes root, the ground where you can start saving towards your dreams, passions and goals.

Services that are adapted to your circumstances – they are inspired by your life. The financial service instruments that we offer are as varied as your journey, and your circumstances will determine which services we will offer you to ensure that your unique financial goals are reached.

An understanding of that which is most important to you – Planning your future financial security should not be taken lightly. Our intention is to make your journey one that ends in financial independence, especially because the path is can be so strongly determined by simple consistency. With the right amount of experience, a firm grasp of the latest technology and a personal, hands on approach, our goal is for you hold the key to financial freedom.

SERVICES

When we are inspired by life to make choices that benefit ourselves and our families, it can be very daunting. This is where Maysure’s expert team steps in.

Our range of financial planning services include:

Retirement Planning
We all dream of being able to spend our time as we choose to. It may seem like an inconceivable notion, but effective retirement planning is exactly that – The process of setting retirement income goals and making the decision to do whatever is necessary to achieve them, in order to live your best life.
Effective retirement planning is essential to ensure that you accumulate the necessary funds necessary to give you financial freedom when you no longer enjoy the advantage of receiving a salary.

Sharia investments and estate planning
Sharia law acts as a code for living that all Muslims should adhere to, and this applies to investments and estate planning too. All earnings are to remain wholesome and pure, and no investments should be used for “sin” industries such as alcohol, tobacco, pornography as well as what can be considered unethical industries such as gambling, arms and weaponry.
Being secure in the knowledge that your investments are Halaal and pure is essential to ensure peace of mind; allowing you to graciously reap the rewards of what you have sown.

Investments – Unit Trusts, Endowments and Tax Free
You can empower yourself greatly by understanding the tax on your savings. Different tax structures apply to different investments and knowing exactly what you have and what you’re going to gain is an integral part of financial planning.
Understanding your investment portfolio is essential to ensure that you really are getting the most bang for your bucks.

Life Cover
Life happens, whether we plan for it or not. Having sufficient life cover ensures that the legacy of love that you leave behind for your family is not tainted by financial worries. Life cover can be reinvested to provide your family with an income and also used to cover any outstanding debt that you may have accumulated.
Ensuring the financial freedom of those you love in the event of your death is essential to ensure that they will not be burdened by financial strain and live the life that envisioned for them.

Medical Aid
Life is a precious gift and a well constructed medical aid ensures that you are able to pay for any treatment expenses incurred with regards to your health and wellbeing, on both a day to day basis and an emergency contingent.
Comprehensive medical aid is essential to ensure that you will not be burdened with debilitating medical bills should you fall ill.

Estate Planning
Your estate is comprised of everything that you own – your car, home, other real estate, checking and savings accounts, investments, life insurance, furniture, personal possessions etc. Estate planning is ensuring that your asset base is managed in the event of your incapacitation or death in an appropriate and financially savvy way.
Estate planning is essential to protect your loved ones, because without a plan in place, there could be a long-lasting negative impact on their future.

Offshore Investing
Offshore Investing allows you to spread your investment risk across different economies and regions. It also gives you access to industries and companies that may not be available locally.
Being strategic with your offshore investment is essential to allow you to make adjustments to your investment portfolio to accommodate the ebb and flow of well performing international markets and maximise your returns.

Fiduciary Services
Being in the position to leave a legacy is a wonderful gift, but it is also a complex one that must be thought through carefully. Fiduciary services help you preserve, grow and distribute your wealth the way you want, both during your lifetime and the lifetimes of your loved ones.
With a thorough fiduciary plan comes financial peace of mind, allowing you to focus on the important things in life – living it the best way you can.

We pride ourselves on a providing a personalised service because we are a small, tight knit team; but our investment tactics and guidance are based on solid corporate principals that are applied across the board, no matter the size of the portfolio.

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