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| BASIC
STOCK EXCHANGE TERMS AND DEFINITIONS |
Dividend
Yield (as a %): This is the annual dividend
of the Company (in cents per share), divided
by the current share price, as a percentage.
For example:
| Dividend |
137c |
=
4.6% |
|
|
| Share price |
2950c |
Earnings Yield (as a %): This is the total
profit of the Company (in cents per share),
divided by the current share price, as
a percentage. For example:
| Earnings |
425c |
=
14.4% |
|
|
| Share price |
2950c |
RETAINED EARNINGS and DIVIDEND COVER:
Most commonly, companies RETAIN about
half, to two thirds, to three quarters
of their annual profits. Using the figures
above – 137c dividend paid from
earnings (ie: profits) of 425c, the Dividend
Cover would be: 137 of 425 giving a dividend
cover of two times. The money so retained
(288c) is kept as RESERVES, and used to
"cover" the future dividends
which they would like to pay to shareholders
in following years, in case of bad or
poor performance. They could draw from
these reserves to maintain a steady flow
of dividends, through bad times. Hence
: "dividend cover". This dividend
cover is usually two to four times the
normal dividend. This is generally what
goes into making a "blue chip"
company, partly, at least. Of course,
there are other factors, like share price
growth, annual growth in dividends and
profits, nature of business, good management,
etc. The retained earnings and reserves
are sometimes also used for the expansion
of the company. This could be by taking
over other companies, building and opening
new branches, expansion of existing businesses,
etc.
PRICE EARNINGS RATIO (P/E or P/E ratio):
This is simply the share price of the
company divided by the last year's profits
(earnings in cents per share). For example:
| Share price |
2950c |
=
6.94 p/e |
|
|
| Earnings |
425c |
This could be said to be a P/E ratio of
6.94 times. Or, it could also be said
that if the company continued to earn
profits at the same rate as at present
(ie no further growth in earnings - unlikely),
then it would take about seven (6.94)
years to get back the present value (ie
2950c) paid for one share in the company.
Generally, it is said that a p/e ratio
of TEN or less, for a "blue chip"
share means that the share is an under
priced share, and worth buying. A p/e
ratio of under 12 or 13 would still be
quite attractive. A p/e ratio of 14 to
about 16 would represent fair value, and
a p/e of say, 17 or 18 and above, could,
or would sometimes mean that a share is
fully valued, and may no longer be a good
buy, although not necessarily so. Some
companies may have special circumstances,
which, even though the p/e ratio is higher
than "normal", may still be
a good investment. Each share must be
examined on its’ merits. Also the
needs of each individual Client may be
different, and so, all share portfolios
are not always the same.
BUT as always, there are exceptions to
this rule, which is not "hard &
fast", and where a company is growing
very rapidly, it may be that a p/e of
even 25 or 30 may be very acceptable.
Also, offshore listed companies (like
Liberty International and Richemont) would
often have a very acceptable p/e ratio
of anywhere from 20 to 30, which, in overseas
terms, is considered fair and reasonable.
It should also be remembered that most
of these terms and figures are based on
current market prices, and current dividends,
etc.
However, consider a shareholder who bought
shares a few years ago, at a good price.
What do these figures mean to them? For
example, whereas the current Standard
Bank share price might be (say) 6000c
per share, and the dividends paid by the
bank, over the last 12 months may be (say)
160c per share, then the dividend yield
(current) would be: 160 ÷ 6000
= 2.67% dividend yield. HOWEVER, what
if you bought Standard Bank in (say) May,
2000, when they were only 2200c per share?
Your dividend yield, based on the price
you paid, and therefore the return on
your ORIGINAL investment would be: 160c
÷ 2200c = 7.3%. AND, what if Standard
Bank increased their dividends next year
to (say) 180c per share, then your historic
dividend yield would be 180c ÷
2200c = 8.2% . And that is 8.2% tax free.
This would represent a return of about
12.6% on a taxable investment for a person
at a 35% marginal rate. Then we should
not to forget that the Standard Bank share
price has grown from 2200c to 6000c in
4½ years. ie about 38% per annum.
So the overall return of Standard Bank
in the past four to five years has been
OVER 40% PER ANNUM.
This is the beauty of investing in good
companies in the long term. Not forgetting
of course,
that shares tend to go in cycles, both
down and up. But over time, the good shares
tend to always progress upwards through
these cycles. Again, using Standard Bank
as an example, these are the ANNUAL shares
prices, both LOW and HIGH for the past
TEN years. You will note how the annual
lows, tend to go UP most years, but not
always, and that the annual highs tend
to go UP most years, but not always. BUT
over TEN years, the share went up by 453%,
or on average, 45% PER ANNUM...........
!!!!!!!!!!!!
STANDARD BANK of S.A. Ltd: (in cents per
share)
| Year |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
Low |
1190 |
1600 |
1780 |
1040 |
1605 |
2205 |
2900 |
2775 |
2765 |
3726 |
High |
1750 |
1925 |
2210 |
3100 |
2500 |
3065 |
3485 |
3590 |
3900 |
6580 |
Divs (c) |
32.7 |
40.7 |
49.3 |
53 |
68 |
85 |
102 |
124 |
151 |
170 *(est) |
In this example, the low went UP six out
of nine completed years and the high went
UP eight out of nine completed years.
And, for good measure, I have also shown
how well the Standard Bank dividend has
progressed over the past ten years. So
much so, that the ten years total dividend
income amounts to 875c – and the
average share price ten years ago was
only about 1400c. So your yield today,
on a cost of 1400c per share would be
875c ÷ 1400c = 62.5% (on cost),
not to mention that the present share
value is over 6000c per share. Such is
long term growth…...............
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|
| CLASSES
of SHARES (EQUITIES) and Other Investments |
There is a confusing array
of different classes of Equity issued by Companies.
Equity is the “Share” of Ownership
in a Company. There are Ordinary Shares; various
classes of Preference Shares and Debentures
(Loans). The vast majority of Stock Exchange
traded financial instruments are Ordinary shares.
Other forms of investments available in many
Markets include traded Options and Futures (together
known as Market Derivatives) and Warrants. These
are however, generally very speculative and
carry risk, and only to be recommended for knowledgeable
expert investors. The final major form of Market
instrument is Bonds (known as “Government
Stock” in South Africa). Bonds are usually
interest bearing, fixed term loans issued by
the State, Public Utilities and Municipal Governments,
for example. Because of the vast number of listed
investments available, covering over 400 Companies
in South Africa and nearly 1000 assorted securities
in total (plus about 450 Unit Trusts), it is
wise to obtain expert advice and management
when deciding on Stock Exchange or Unit Trust
investments. It is not advisable to heed rumour
and ‘bar talk’ or “share tips”
from your Aunt Mildred’s neighbour’s
gardener. Burleigh Investment Management has
over 25 years of experience in this field, and
will provide Clients with sound, conservative
advice and investment management, in keeping
with their assessed personal financial requirements.
|
|
|
| ESTATE
and RETIREMENT PLANNING |
It is very important that
considerable thought and proper planning be
given to your future retirement, and also to
the structure of your Estate. Your future capital
and income requirements need to be assessed
and defined. Your Estate position needs to be
established. Are your assets and investments
best positioned to maximise your wealth, growth
and income? Is your financial position arranged
to minimise tax and future Estate Duty? Do you
require a Trust? Is your Will properly made
out and current to your personal circumstances
and to the needs of your heirs? These are all
very important considerations and attention
to these matters must be made now, and then
reviewed from time to time. Please contact Burleigh
Investment Management for professional advice
and assistance in this regard.
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| EXCHANGE
CONTROL |
South Africa has a limited
Exchange Control system for Residents. Offshore
funds may be imported and exported by Non-Residents
without hindrance, subject only to exchange
rate fluctuations. Residents however, may draw
an annual Travel Allowance of R160,000 p.a.
for adults and R50,000 p.a. for children. There
is a once off R750,000 “FOREIGN CAPITAL
ALLOWANCE” (FCA) for individuals, who
are in good standing with local revenue authorities.
This may be held or invested offshore, and any
income may be retained offshore, although it
must be declared for tax. Emigrants may apply
for a “settling-in” allowance of
up to R1.5 million, per family (R750,000 per
single), with an additional value of R1 million
for household and personal and other effects.
The R750,000 FCA is included in these allowances.
There are also further allowances for Study,
Gifts, Maintenance, Directors Fees, and so on.
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| FINANCIAL
ADVISORY and INTERMEDIARY SERVICES ACT–
(Act 37 of 2002)-(“ FAIS ”) |
|
In an effort to protect
the investing public, this Act was introduced
to ensure that all who dispense Financial Advice
and Services to the public, must be registered
with the FINANCIAL SERVICES BOARD (FSB), in
terms of the Act. The Act provides for certain
minimum levels of qualification in terms of
education, experience, administration, compliance,
etc. A Licence is then granted to approved “FINANCIAL
SERVICE PROVIDERS” (FSP) by the FSB. All
Banking Institutions, Stockbrokers**, Financial
Advisors and Brokers, Portfolio Managers, Insurance
Companies, Insurance Brokers (Life and Short
Term), Funeral Policy Providers; Medical Aid
Brokers, etc – whether they act as Individuals
or Companies – must be a Registered “FSP”.
Indeed, ALL who deal with the Public in any
form of Financial Transaction (under the Act)
whether this includes investing the funds of
the Public, or merely the giving of financial
advice, must be properly registered, as a FSP.
**The FAIS Act provides exemption for Stockbrokers,
who must comply with similar regulations under
the Stock Exchanges Control Act, No.1 of 1985
and the Securities Services Act, No.36 of 2004,
amongst others.
Burleigh Investment
Management has been approved by the Financial
Services Board as a Financial Services Provider
(Category I - Advisory; and Category II - Discretionary).
Licence Number : 10158
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| FINANCIAL
INTELLIGENCE CENTRE ACT– (Act 38 of 2001)
- (“ FICA ”) |
This Act requires that
all Financial Institutions must VERIFY the personal
details of their Clients, Account Holders, Customers,
etc. There are detailed and complex requirements
under the Act which must be supplied to Financial
Institutions by ALL LEGAL BODIES. That is, by
Companies, Trusts, Individuals, etc. As far
as INDIVIDUALS are concerned, the requirements
include that full details be supplied of: Proof
of Identity; Proof of Bank Account; Proof of
Residential Address; Proof of Tax Registration
and Proof of Source of Funds, amongst others.
Without supplying these details, you may be
unable to transact business. The background
to this Act is that it seeks to eliminate “Money
Laundering”, fraudulently acquired funds
and other illegal financial transactions. In
other words, “Know your Client”.
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| JSE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOTES |
The Johannesburg
Stock Exchange was founded in 1887 –
one year after Gold was first discovered on
the Witwatersrand. The JSE is now housed in
its sixth building since then – in Gwen
Lane, Sandown. After operating on an “Open
Outcry” share trading floor until the
late 1990s, trading is now fully electronic,
and the JSE has one of the most modern trading
systems in the world. Actual trading is done
through the JSE “SETS” electronic
trading system. This new system has also seen
changes in how shares are “owned”
and paid for. Where there were once physical
share certificates, this is no longer the case.
All persons who held share certificates should,
by now, have “dematted” them. That
is, submitted them to the Share Transfer Secretaries
for dematerialisation – from a paper certificate
into an electronic form of ownership. Shares
are now held through a Central Securities Depository
Participant (CSDP) via (usually) the Nominee
Company of a Stockbroking firm. The settlement
system operated by the JSE is called “STRATE”
(Share Transactions Totally Electronic) and
all transactions are now handled quickly and
efficiently through this system. Generally,
it is expected that purchases must be paid for
within three working days and that sales will
be paid within five working days. All share
transactions carry Brokerage, which is unregulated,
as well as certain statutory charges payable
both to the JSE and to the State. Full details
are obtainable on request from us. For more
detailed JSE information and guidance, please
see the JSE
website.
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| KEEPING PROPER INVESTMENT & TAX RECORDS |
(Administration advice for Share Owners)
In this Sub-Section, we advise Clients and other Readers of the proper manner of record
keeping as far as it concerns their J.S.E. and other Investments.
"TAX BROCHURE for SHARE OWNERS" - is a very useful 31 page document prepared
and published by the Law Administration Department of S.A.R.S. This valuable and detailed
publication covers all aspects of Tax insofar as it concerns share ownership, correct as at
1 February 2006, and covers, inter alia the following :
- Ownership of Shares as Trading Stock as compared with holding Shares as Capital Assets;
- How to distinguish between Share profits of a capital or of a revenue nature;
- How to determine a Taxpayer's liability for Capital Gains Tax (C.G.T.);
- How Corporate Actions impact on the determination of Tax Liability
We suggest that all Clients and other Readers contact S.A.R.S. (see their website www.sars.gov.za)
free, from where you can download, onto your computer, the necessary booklet. Or you can write
to SARS or visit a local office to obtain a copy of the SARS Tax Booklet for your future use.
KEEPING a PROPER RECORD of your INVESTMENTS :
J.S.E. SHARE OWNERSHIP :
It is suggested that Clients use (if they do not already do so) a Lever Arch File, with file
separators, marked into sections as detailed below:
Most Clients will be receiving THREE TYPES of paperwork concerning their share portfolios :
(A) Whenever a share transaction (ie. a Purchase or a Sale) is completed, the Client will receive
a CONTRACT NOTE (also known as a Broker's Note). This will detail the Quantity of Shares
Traded; the Name of the Company bought or sold; the Price (or prices) that the transaction was
settled at; the Transaction Date; the Transaction Settlement Date; the Transaction reference
number; the Principal Amount; the Charges, and finally, the Net Amount Due to or by you. The
note details all the charges for the Transaction: ie: Brokerage; VAT; JSE and other Statutory
Charges, etc For filing in your Lever Arch File, open two sections: (i) for PURCHASES and
(ii) for SALES.
(B) At the end of each month (and, for JSE purposes, the "Month End" is ALWAYS the LAST
working FRIDAY of each month) every Client will receive a STATEMENT of ACCOUNT. This
Statement of Account is the OFFICIAL record of your account, and you should always check it
for accuracy. It will contain two sections: (i) A Statement of your SCRIP HOLDING. This shows
the Opening and Closing balances of the QUANTITIES of shares you own in each company,
showing the movements (either adding - for purchases, or deducting for sales) which occurred
during the month in question. This Statement of Scrip Holding shows the Shares OWNED BY
YOU through your CSDP (Central Securities Depository Participant) in STRATE (Share
Transactions Totally Electronic) - the JSE's Electronic Share Settlement and Recording
System. As most Clients should now be aware, there are no longer any paper share certificates.
All shares held*¹ by you are recorded electronically through STRATE. (ii) The second part of the
Statement is the FINANCIAL RECORD for the month in question. The Statement shows the
Client's cash position - in summary - at the top of the page, and details where the cash is held -
either in JSE Trustees or in a Money Market account - both of which bear similar rates of interest
(as a daily call account) - so that any cash you hold does not lie idle - it DOES earn good interest.
The account then details the financial transactions during the month - shown in two sections -
a Capital Account (which covers your actual share purchases and sales) and an Income
Account - which details (usually) for example, dividends received and interest received, and
sometimes any charges made to your account (for example, Management Fees). The combined
credit balances (and you should ALWAYS be in credit *² ) will be the total cash held on your
account. Quite often, there is an additional page to the Financial Record page(s). This will be
provided when, for example, there has been a change to the account, but which does not involve
either a direct purchase or sale. These are known as "Corporate Actions" and include: B.E.E.
Transactions; Share Splits or Consolidations; Name Changes; Mergers; Take-overs; Rights
Issues; "Unbundlings" and other similar changes which usually involve a change in the quantity
of shares owned by the Client, or sometimes a change of company name. ( *³ )
These STATEMENTS of ACCOUNT may be filed, MONTHLY in one section of your file, called
Statements of Account, or even in two sections, one for the Scrip Holdings and another for the
actual Financial Record.
Notes:
*¹ Share ownership: Despite the fact that your shares are held electronically through a DSDP,
and cash through JSE Trustees or a Money Market Account, it must be remembered that
your shares and cash are always held in YOUR name - as the beneficial owner. Neither the
CSDP nor Burleigh Investment Management ever hold any assets of Clients. ALL Investments
are always conducted in the name of the Client as the beneficial owner.
*² Accounts in credit: Normally Stockbrokers DO NOT permit Client accounts to be in debit at
any time. The exception would be if a purchase was made a day or two before the month end
and where payment (settlement) was only required AFTER the month end. The account would
then be in debit for a couple of days only. Remember, it is normal, that if there is insufficient
cash on an account to cover current purchases, then the Stockbroker will require full payment
of the purchase(s) within three working days. If payment for purchases or for Manangement
Fees is not made within the required time, or the Client defaults on any payment, then either
Burleigh or the Stockbroker is entitled to sell sufficient shares of the Client in order to recover
the funds in debit.
*³ Corporate Actions: Remember that if you are on the mailing list of a company in which you
own shares - ie to receive Annual Reports and other shareholder information, then you will receive
(for most large companies, anyway) quite a few "Important Documents" through the year.
These are usually white in colour, and marked as "Important - consult your Stockbroker or other
Investment Advisor". These documents are most often details of some or other Corporate Action
(as detailed previously, above). If you are a Client of Burleigh Investment Management then
you will have a MANAGED ACCOUNT, and all such corporate actions are attended to, on your
behalf, by Burleigh Investment Management. Most Clients will receive these "Corporate
Action" booklets, for information, and then discard them.
(C) The third and final set of documents you would normally receive - if your account warrants it
by size (usually), is the MONTHLY PORTFOLIO VALUATION. Again, open another section in
your file for the Monthly Portfolio Valuations. This valuation (called a "PVAL" for short) will detail
all your shares held (and it should agree with the quantities shown in the Scrip Holding statement),
the names of the companies held; the cost price; the current market value; the annual dividends;
the total portfolio costs and total current market values and total annual income (historical) earned.
The PVAL also contains other useful and interesting historic information. These PVALS should all
be filed.
NOW, with each of these three sets of documents neatly filed EACH MONTH, you should have a
FULL RECORD of all your share transactions, which, if kept from March of a year to February of
the next year, will be ALL the information necessary for you or your accountant to complete your
income tax return for the period (insofar as your JSE share transactions are concerned, of course).
It will generally not be necessary for the ordinary individual to keep additional written records,
although, of course, many people do so.
OTHER INVESTMENT RECORDS :
Many Clients will, in addition to their JSE Investments, hold other forms of Investments -
for example, local or offshore Mutual Funds / Unit Trusts; Pension or Provident Fund investments;
Retirement Annuities, etc. If space permits, the records and statements of these investments
could be kept in the Level Arch File, or in a second (and similar) file, if required.
Not only does it make your life more simple when having to look up information for yourself, or for
income tax purposes, but in the event of your death, it is very useful for the Executor of your
Estate to have all your records neatly filed in one place.
RETENTION OF RECORDS :
How long should you keep this information? See the sub-section : Retention of Records
and Documents, elswhere on this "Investment Info" page.
OTHER LISTED INVESTMENTS :
Some Clients have either inherited or acquired shares, which they still hold, but which are not
included in their formal share portfolios. For example, shares inherited from an Estate; or shares
purchased through a public offer, or acquired through being a client or customer of a company
which "went public". Good examples of such commonly held shares include ABSA; Sasol;
MNET; Telkom; Old Mutual and Sanlam. In many cases, Clients hold these shares through
a CSDP via the Transfer Secretary of the Company, and these holdings do not form part of the
Client's formal share portfolio. It is a good idea (for the reasons mentioned earlier) to have these
shares TRANSFERRED into your formal share portfolio - thereby retaining everything neatly
together and in one place. A good idea for orderly record keeping. The less sources your
Executor has to check, or search, the easier will be his job once you pass on.
Burleigh Investment Management will gladly assist to arrange for the transfer of these
shares to your portfolio, if necessary. Please ask for assistance if you require it.
It is sincerely hoped that the above ideas and information will be of assistance to Clients,
particularly the book on Tax Information. Should there be any further enquiries or detail
required, on any matter, please contact BURLEIGH Investment Management.
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| NEWSPAPER
SHARE PRICE QUOTATIONS |
The most important thing
to note about the prices in newspapers is that
they are yesterday’s prices (if in the
Natal Mercury / Business Report, for example)
- in other words, how the share prices CLOSED
at the end of business on the previous trading
day. COLUMN HEADINGS: These are, most commonly:
B = The price buyers were offering to the sellers
for the share ("bid" price) in cents
per share.
S = The price that sellers were asking from
the buyers to sell the shares for ("offered"
price)
LS or LAST = The last price or last sale at
which the share actually TRADED for, or changed
hands for. This LAST price may be higher or
lower than what the present buy and sell price
is, and may even have been on a previous day,
when the share last traded, as there may have
been no actual sales for a day or three. In
highly traded, popular shares (eg: Rembrandt,
Anglos) this is almost never the case, however.
A typical example may be:
Buyers: 9520c Sellers: 9560c Last sale: 9540c.
VOLUME: Could be expressed as either : Vol.
or DV (day's volume) or WV (week's volume)
and is, obviously the actual number of shares
which traded that particular day or week. The
other figures quoted in the newspaper may be
DY; EY; P/E which have been covered elsewhere
in this section. Sometimes the DIVIDEND is quoted:
“Div.” – also in cents per
share. Then of course, some papers also give
HI and LO (for the day's - or week's - HIGH
and LOW prices at which the share traded in
that period). The closing price (“Last
“ price) may be lower than the day's high
for example. It may even be at the "low"
price for the day. Or somewhere in between,
naturally. Sometimes the DAY’S MOVE (DM)
or WEEK’S MOVE (WM) is given either as
a “+” (up) or “-“ (down)
and either in cents per share or even as a percentage
(%).
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| PENSION and PROVIDENT CONTINUATION FUNDS |
This is the ideal investment instrument for those who are planning to change employment, or if you have
been retrenched, or for any reason decide to leave or withdraw from your existing Pension or Provident
Fund. Rather than taking all or part of your Pension or Provident Fund as cash, particularly if you do not
yet plan to retire (and thereby also be subjected to the payment of tax, at that stage), it would be most
beneficial to re-invest the Fund proceeds into a CONTINUATION FUND, until you finally require it, in other
words, upon your final retirement, or at the age of 55 years. The transfer from your Pension or Provident
Fund into a Continuation Fund is done free of tax. Together with Burleigh Investment Management, you can
have a say in how your Fund is invested and managed, subject to certain rules. Your Continuation Fund
is not combined with the investments of other members, and is a fund which is personal to you and is set
up and managed with your investments only, by Burleigh Investment Management, according to your initial
investment guidelines and choices, within the applicable Fund rules.
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| PORTFOLIO
MANAGEMENT |
Many individuals believe,
incorrectly, that because their knowledge of
the Stock Exchange and of Shares and Unit Trusts
(Mutual Funds), including Offshore Investments,
may be so small that these investments are not
for them. So they simply place their money and
hard-earned savings in non-performing bank deposits.
It is important to know that the vast majority
of the world’s WEALTH is made, held and
generated through the Stock Exchanges, and to
a lesser extent through Unit Trusts. One does
NOT NEED to be knowledgeable about the Stock
Exchange, to invest successfully. What IS required,
is the acceptance that this is the MAIN form
of INVESTMENT, world wide. There are few other
reliable forms of growth investments available.
Through Burleigh Investment Management (BIM)
your investment needs and personal financial
position will be properly assessed, and then
professionally conducted for you through a MANAGED
PORTFOLIO. It is not necessary to have an in-depth
knowledge of the Stock Exchange. BIM has the
professional knowledge and ability to successfully
conduct and manage these investments for you,
leaving you free to concentrate on other important
aspects and areas your life, such as business,
family, health, hobbies, travel, leisure, etc.
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| RETENTION
of DOCUMENTS |
These vary between Trusts,
Companies and Individuals. But generally, as
a guide to you (as an individual), the following
would be applicable:
Any records to do with your Income Tax returns,
including your Stockbroking records: FIVE years
(after the date of each assessment). Paid Cheques
: SIX years. Bank Statements, Invoices, Purchase
and Sales records, etc : FIVE years. Investors
should keep all Notes, Statements, Portfolio
Valuations and similar documents connected with
their Investments neatly filed, both for easy
future reference, and for proper Taxation records.
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| TAXATION |
SHARE dividends in South
Africa, as income to an individual, are presently
Tax Free.
INTEREST income is TAXABLE, although the first
R22,000 of interest income (for the 2006 tax
year) will be tax free, for persons over the
age of 65 years. (The first R15,000 if you are
under 65 years of age).
INCOME TAX rates on Individuals (for 2005/6)
start at 18% of taxable income up to R74,000,
going up, on a five-step scale, to the top rates
of R78,070 on earnings of R270,000 plus a “marginal
rate” of 40% of income in excess of R270,001.
Generally, Companies are taxed at 29% and Trusts
at 40%. CAPITAL GAINS Tax exists in South Africa
from 1 October 2001. The formula is complicated
(refer our “link” to the Revenue
website, elsewhere on this Site), but, generally,
for individuals, the maximum effective rate
is 10%, and 20% for Trusts. DONATIONS Tax is
levied at a rate of 20%. ESTATE Duty is rated
at 20% with the first R1.5 million being exempt.
In the case of the ADMINISTRATION of Estates,
the Executor’s remuneration tariff is
3.5% of assets.
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| UNIT
TRUSTS or MUTUAL FUNDS |
These are “Collective
Investment Schemes”. They are excellent
investment choices for those individuals who
wish to save and invest a REGULAR AMOUNT EACH
MONTH (for example as an addition to, or even
in place of, a Pension, Provident or Retirement
Annuity Fund investment), or for those who have
a LUMP SUM available for investment, where the
amount is not large enough (and therefore unsuitable)
for a good, well diversified Stock Exchange
Portfolio. Unit Trust portfolios are managed
to give an interest in a well spread, quality
portfolio of Stock Exchange investments, generally
with an investment outlook of from three to
five years and longer. Wide selections of Unit
Trusts are available, and it is possible to
begin with a monthly investment of from as little
as R100 to R500 per month, or with Lump Sum
investments beginning from as low as R1000.
OFFSHORE MUTUAL FUNDS can be purchased with
amounts starting from US$2,500 or £1,500
and these are an excellent manner for diversifying
one’s investments offshore. Again, a wide
range of general equity funds to specialist
sector, industry and country funds are available.
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