The Financial Blind Spots That Put SMEs at Risk
Most small businesses do not fail because they lack ambition or attract the wrong market. They fail when the numbers no longer show what is really happening inside the business. When forecasts are unclear, cash flow tightens, projections lose value, compliance gaps grow, and important decisions are made without enough financial direction. For South African […]
Choosing the Right Company Structure in 2026
When you launch or restructure a business in South Africa, most SMEs and investors choose between three options: a private company (Pty Ltd), a trust, or a hybrid structure, which combines the two. This decision determines how your business is taxed, how risk is managed, and how easily you can raise funding or scale. With […]
How to Register Your Business in South Africa: A Step-by-Step Guide
Registering a business in South Africa is essential to ensure your company operates legally and complies with local regulations. The process can be straightforward if you follow the proper steps. Here’s a guide to help you through the registration process. Step 1: Choose Your Business Structure The first decision you’ll need to make is the […]
How to Prepare for an External Audit
Getting ready for an external audit is an essential process for any business aiming to uphold compliance, ensure transparency, and strengthen its governance practices. External audits are essential for ensuring the accuracy of financial statements and verifying that a company is adhering to required accounting standards. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you prepare for […]
Tax Planning Strategies for Small Business Owners
As a small business owner in South Africa, managing your tax responsibilities effectively is key to maintaining financial health. By adopting smart tax planning strategies, you can reduce your tax burden and keep your business running smoothly. Here are some practical strategies to consider: 1. Utilise Allowable Deductions One of the simplest ways to reduce […]
Get Paid on Time: Five Tips for Business Owners
Small businesses can master the skill of getting paid on time—here’s how. For small and medium businesses, getting paid on time is one of the biggest administration headaches. After all, when customers don’t pay on time, cash flow takes a knock and you need to borrow money to pay suppliers and service providers. Let’s not […]
Common Wealth-Planning Mistakes
In his poem The Mistake, James Fenton talks about the sad truth in making mistakes. He beautifully describes that even with blatant warnings that are ignored or subtle hints that have gone unnoticed, we sometimes go about our lives not knowing about the mistakes we are making—and how they will impact our loved ones when […]
Understanding the Two-Pot Retirement System: Questions and Answers
As of 1 September 2024, significant changes have been introduced to the retirement landscape in South Africa with the
Offshore Investing: Why Local Is Not Always Lekker
Being patriotic is good when it comes to sports teams, but not necessarily for investments. Samuel Johnson’s quotation about patriotism being “the last refuge of a scoundrel” may well have represented the 18th-century poet and playwright’s disdain for contemporary British politics, but when it comes to being patriotic, it might be good when it comes […]
How to Wind Up a Deceased Estate
Winding up an estate in South Africa is a meticulous process governed by the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965. It involves the collection and distribution of a deceased person’s assets, settling debts, and ensuring that the estate is managed according to the law and the deceased’s wishes. This article outlines the steps involved […]