Mental well-being linked to two-pot withdrawals
Discovery’s research points to a complex relationship between mental well-being, financial behaviour, and retirement savings withdrawals.
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Old Mutual’s new-business growth masks mixed trends
Large corporate risk sales boosted the headline figures, while Wealth Management recorded higher living annuity and endowment sales and guaranteed annuity sales declined.
Old Mutual earnings set to fall despite operating growth
Life APE sales and gross flows rose 21%, while results from operations are expected to increase, but investment returns have put pressure on profitability.
The more you earn, the more you borrow? Top earners carry biggest debt burden
DebtBusters’ Q2 Debt Index shows that consumers earning over R50 000 a month need more than their monthly income to service debt.
Debt and retirement pressures drive new product thinking
With household debt absorbing income and retirement outcomes remaining poor, Discovery has introduced a benefit aimed at addressing both pressures.
What a weekly workout can teach us about retirement
Exercising regularly is only the starting point for Discovery’s argument that everyday behaviours can have a lasting effect on earnings, debt, and retirement security.
Gary Kirsten: Why the best decisions are rarely made in the heat of the moment
From managing uncertainty to resisting emotional decisions, lessons from elite sport offer practical insights for investors and their advisers.
How retailers quietly persuade you to spend more
From store layouts to limited-time specials, understanding the psychology behind shopping can help consumers avoid impulse purchases and keep their budgets on track.
What makes a great financial planner? MBSE’s top achievers have one answer
The MBSE graduates say the Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning reshaped how they approach clients, proving that great advice begins with understanding people.
What happens when clients stop behaving their age?
Sanlam’s latest Benchmark suggests economic shocks, disrupted careers, and health risks are reshaping how clients across age groups make financial decisions.
Small bets, big consequences: How gambling quietly erodes financial resilience
The latest Benchmark research argues that small, recurring gambling losses can compound over time just as powerfully as disciplined investing can build wealth.
Debt pressure shifts up the income ladder despite rate relief
DebtBusters data shows repayments still swallow most take-home pay, with pressure shifting upwards to higher earners and credit thinning out for lower-income households.
Discipline, not distress: South Africans rethink how they spend
From weight-loss drugs reshaping grocery spend to online betting redefining entertainment budgets, South Africans are spending more deliberately – and differently.
School fees vs debt: why early planning matters more than ever
From no-fee schools to R200 000-plus private options, rising education costs are forcing families to budget smarter, plan earlier and rethink how they fund schooling without sinking deeper into debt.
Old Mutual lifts earnings by 29% on strong markets and underwriting gains
Results from operations rose 16% to R4.94bn in the six months to June, boosted by a 71% surge in Old Mutual Insure’s contribution.
Signs that consumers are becoming desensitized to high debt levels
Nearly half of South Africans dedicate more than 40% of their take-home pay to repayments – and there are indications of ‘savings fatigue’.
Link between size of household investments and financial advice
The research also finds that South Africans turn to advisers primarily in times of uncertainty or when faced with a personal crisis.
