Jeanette Marais
Articles by Jeanette Marais
How to tame temptations
A survey conducted by the University of Pennsylvania a few years ago asked respondents to rank their strengths in 24 different skills. Self-control ended up ...
Should you see a financial adviser?
With World Financial Planning Day happening on 4 October, there is no better time to get your financial house in order. If you have never sought the help of ...
Take charge of your finance this Women's month
A man is not a financial plan and women today are becoming more aware of the fact that they must take ownership of their finances. August is Women’s month, s...
Investment Summit to give an inside view from fund management houses
Allan Gray is bringing a group of international and local investment houses together to debate investment insights in a new one-day event, aimed at helping...
How do I know I’m on track with my retirement savings?
It is important to have a goal when you are saving for retirement. Studies show that you need 17 times your final pre-tax salary...
How to cope with ongoing uncertainty
Over the past year there have been plenty of painful reminders that we have no control over what happens in the world. And there doesn’t seem to be any clari...
Junk status: Diversification is key to protect against market shocks
The best thing you can do during periods of heightened uncertainty is to stick to your investment plan...
Raging Bull Awards
The results of the Raging Bull Awards were made public last night. Hosted by Personal Finance in conjunction with partners ProfileData and PlexCrown Fund...
How can I earn higher returns and pay less tax?
Tax has a significant impact on the returns of your investment. If, like most of us, you would like to see more return in your account and less in the hands ...
February: Don’t miss out on your 2015/2016 tax breaks
The end of the tax year is fast approaching – but there is still time to take advantage of some of the incentives the government has put in place to encourag...
Saving in a rising interest rate environment 2015
The South African Reserve bank has announced an interest rate increase from 6% to 6.25% confirming that the country is in a rising interest rate cycle. Whi...
Tales of rice and rewards
We often talk about the value of time in investing, but it is difficult to really get to grips with the rewards that can be reaped through compound growth:...
Are we snookering ourselves with confirmation bias?
We have written regularly about investor behaviour, noting how emotions can be our worst enemy. Driven by fear and greed, many investors buy high and sell lo...
Are your investment goals, products and expectations suitably aligned?
Our investment goals depend on our personal priorities in life and there is no generic set of goals that applies to everyone, and no set timeline for achievi...
What are the merits of good independent advice?
Many investors lack the time, knowledge and experience to invest successfully, often encountering difficulties that could have been avoided had they taken...
Fund ratings: an additional tool for your decision-making toolkit
Over the last 10 years the unit trust industry in South Africa has enjoyed substantial growth both in assets under management and in the number of funds...
Adding fund ratings to our Offshore Platform
The vast selection of fund managers and offshore unit trusts available globally makes offshore investing daunting even for more experienced investors and...
Make financial planning a priority in 2013
Research from the US1 shows that financial planning is a critical factor separating those who are on track to meet their financial goals and those who are...
Logic fails to prevail in investment decision making
Most of us make the same mistake with our money over and over again: we buy high out of greed and sell low out of fear, despite knowing on an intellectual...
The Allan Gray Investment Platform: high quality service with simple, transparent fund choice
Objectives for investing change throughout our lives, from buying a car or house, to longer-term goals, such as saving for our children's education and our...
Use your head not your heart and think long term
A key step when planning your investment is choosing the right unit trust based on your risk profile and priorities and then staying invested to reap the...
It is worthwhile starting to save early - a little can go a long way
You can substantially improve your financial situation if you start saving sooner rather than later and you will be a step closer to being financially...
Understanding your offshore investment options
On top of making investment decisions, there are various practical options to choose from when investing offshore. Exchange controls are currently a constrai...
The role of financial advice in helping you become a better long-term investor
In the Quarterly Commentary 3 of 2008, Richard Carter explained the difference between fund and investor returns. He outlined both our role at Allan Gray and...
The Balanced Fund celebrates 10 years
On 1 October 2009 Allan Gray celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Balanced Fund. Excluding the money market funds, at just over R29bn it is now the...
