SARS pays back R10bn, but some taxpayers’ refunds are being withheld

Taxpayers should inform SARS if they have been unemployed for a full year or longer, to avoid being flagged as non-compliant.

Retirement Reform Update

The Minister of Finance met the CEOs of service providers in the retirement fund industry on Thursday, 20 June 2013 to discuss the 2012 and 2013 Budget Retirement Reform proposals. The primary objective […]

Wimbledon Wipe-out

First Nadal went, then Sharapova, now Federer. The people running the show must be very grateful that their tickets for next week are already sold. The two gentlemen, Rafa in particular, are the […]

Court in the Act

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and published by court reporters that had the torment […]

In Search of the Lost Key

Several days ago, as I left a meeting at a hotel, I desperately gave myself a personal “total body search” pat down. I was looking for my keys. They were not in my […]

Fee for Commission Survey

A recent survey by CoreData research tested the current state of readiness and awareness of advisors concerning the proposed replacement of commission with a fee structure. The data in this study was gathered […]

PI Cover Increase

We recently reported on an experience of a FSP who found that his PI cover premium had nearly doubled at renewal. We speculated that this may be the result of an expected rise […]

Correction to Moonstone Article on Licensing

We were approached by the Registrar regarding some of the information contained in an article titled “FSB Licensing – Part I”. The FSB pointed out certain statements in the article which are incorrect, […]

What a Weekend

This weekend was a particularly frustrating one for the females in my family who were obliged to watch PVR recordings of shows that clashed with my sporting obligations on the box. Thank you […]

Where does it come from?

In George Washington’s days, there were no cameras. One’s image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while […]

Postponement of the level 2 RE's

The Financial Services Board (FSB) announced its decision last week to postpone the level 2 regulatory examinations (REs) until a date yet to be determined. The reasons, provided in Circular 6 of 2013, […]

Tax Practioner Registration Deadline Looms

All tax practitioners are required to register with SARS. Those not registered yet, have until 1 July 2013 to register. If you are already registered, you are not required to re-register with SARS […]

PI Increase Shock

At the telematic broadcast, a FSP shared his rude awakening when he received his annual review and premium increase from his PI cover provider. There was a substantial increase in the premium, far […]

FSB Telematic Broadcast on 19 June

This telematic broadcast by the FSB contained something for almost everyone. I found the presentations very informative, and at one stage even identifying new business opportunities. The Agenda of the FSB Insurance Satellite […]

A bitter Pill

The only consolation for me after two defeats, since Tuesday, is that the junior Boks at least put up a semblance of a fight, and hung in there right up to the end. […]

Devil’s Dictionary Quotes

Ambrose Bierce, famous for his Devil’s Dictionary, has a most creative mind. Herewith, some samples of his wit and wisdom: Sweater, n. Garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. Selfish, […]

Sales, Service and Financial Advice…

Around the financial advisory world, firms are moving from product-based commission to a servicing revenue model. This underlying shift has become widely known as “fee-for-service”, hereafter referred to as FFS. In certain jurisdictions, […]