Personal Finance Newsletter - Volume 2012, Issue 374, March 2012

Imagine for a moment the following typical conversation taking place between a potential investor in 2012's investment climate:

Imperial's businesses are primarily focused around vehicles and transport, but it also has interests in tourism and financial services. The group is the largest owner of auto dealerships in the country, representing all the major car manufacturers.

Although the proverbial "glass ceiling" has become less of a factor, gender differences remain when it comes to money.

When advising our clients, we have on numerous occasions over the last couple of months emphasised the merits of offshore investments. We have also written often to existing and potential clients about the compelling value we are seeing abroad, and explained how our domestic unit trusts are utilising their 25% offshore allowance.

David, a long-time friend, is living proof that those who conquer South Africa can make a go of it anywhere in the world. He left SA eight years back after achieving pretty much everything available here.

Those amongst the South African public who enjoy gambling will also have a gambling tax awaiting them in the future, with a proposed national tax based on gross gambling revenue that will be effective from 1 April 2013. This will be done as an additional 1% levy on a uniform provincial gambling tax base. A similar base will also be used to tax the national lottery, Gordhan said.

Justice that is relatively quick, easy, and doesn't break the bank in legal fees.

According to the ASISA unit trust flow statistics for the quarter ended December 2011, the category of unit trusts that attracted the highest net inflows was the fixed income - varied specialist sector.

At least three of the big-four banks will allow you to use your accumulated pension as security.

In order to retire comfortably, it is estimated that we need a retirement income equal to 75% of our final salary. To meet this requirement on the day you retire, you will need to have savings worth about 16 times your annual salary.

Many South Africans love physical property as an investment. Personally, this fixation has always fascinated me, as I wonder if these property investors know what they are missing by ignoring the other major investment types available to them.

The Fundisa unit trust fund, an initiative aimed at encouraging low-income South Africans to save for their children's higher education, had distributed a total annual bonus payment of R4.8 million to investors at the end of December 2011. In 2010 investors shared in R2.8-million, while in 2009 the bonus was R1.2-million.