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

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.

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 quickly your circumstances change when you do take action.

In this podcast Maya speaks to Ntombi Dube, a remarkable woman who paid off R700 000 of debt. If you are feeling stuck and need some inspiration, listen to her story. You can also find out more about the The Money Mentors programme here https://www.themoneymentors.co.za/

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. 

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 plan your retirement to be more tax efficient and unpacks the curious phenomenon that the older you are, the longer you are expected to live.  

In this podcast Maya speaks to Louis van der Merwe about the biggest transition – death. Whether it is the death of a loved one or contemplating our own mortality, death is a part of life. Maya and Louis discuss how to manage both the fears and practical side of mortality. How to have these conversations with family, how to manage an unexpected death of a loved one or steps to take when you or a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The conversation covers various aspects from dealing with the estate to what happens to your social media accounts. 

The covid pandemic saw many people reflect on their lives. Not only did we stand still for a moment to take stock, but it opened new possibilities, especially with remote working. As result some people made major lifestyle changes. In the second part of a series of conversations around life transitions, Maya (@mayaonmoney) speaks to financial planner Louis van der Merwe of WealthUp on how to approach significant changes to your lifestyle. Even when it’s a choice, transitions can be traumatic. It is important to be prepared and to understand the emotional process you will be undergoing.Is this really what you want, or is it a short-term reaction to current circumstances? How do you manage your finances in this transition? Is your partner and your family on board? All choices and decisions have pros and cons.

As part of a series of conversations around life transitions, Maya speaks to financial planner Louis van der Merwe of WealthUp about how adult children can support their ageing parents.  Whether you are the adult child of an elderly parent, or even if you are getting older and  starting to think about your future, we need to plan for the reality that as we get older, we become less able. Decisions need to be made about how we want to live this part of our lives. Louis discusses how to have the difficult conversations, how to ensure the person you are supporting retains their sense of agency and independence, as well as the more practical issues around money management and protecting yourself or loved one from financial abuse.

Good financial advice is worth paying for. But do we know how much it is really costing and how do we know we are getting good advice? For years advice was wrapped up into sales commission creating the impression of “free advice” along with a general distrust in the process. The industry is changing with the separation of sales and advice fees. 
In this podcast Maya speaks to Rory Brachner founder of DoshGuide.co and financial planner Marc Sydow about a further evolution where financial planners no longer charge for assets under management, but are paid for work actually done.
DoshGuide a platform that connects investors with fee based financial planners. 

It is a whole new world and with the flexibility around the working environment, many people are looking at either moving or upgrading their spaces. How do you decide on the right property for your family? If you want to expand your space, how do you finance a renovation and what about the danger of over-capitalization? If you are renovating to sell, what should you be spending your money on? 
In this podcast Maya speaks to Andrea Tucker, director home loan originator MortgageMe about the pros and cons of building, renovating or buying.