Stop Paying Yourself Last

Ruvan J Grobler • February 23, 2026

For many professionals, personal savings are what’s left over — if anything is left at all.

 

The data is clear: South Africa’s domestic savings rate remains worryingly low. Even among high-income earners, inconsistent or delayed investing is common. Income alone does not create wealth. Behaviour does. The real risk isn’t lifestyle inflation — it’s time.

 

Missed early contributions cannot be fully recovered later, no matter how high your income becomes. Compounding rewards consistency, not intention. Paying yourself first isn’t about sacrifice; it’s about ensuring today’s success translates into future independence.

 

If Your Business Needs a Budget, So Do You

 

No business operates successfully without a budget. Yet many professionals try to run their personal finances without one. Paying everyone else first — the bank, SARS, suppliers, schools, lifestyle — is what happens when there is no clear structure.

 

Fortunately, a simple framework solves this: the 50/30/20 principle.

 

  • 50% – Essential Expenses

 

Bond or rent, food, medical aid, school fees, fuel, insurance and other “must-have” costs.

 

  • 30% – Investments (Your Future Self)

 

Long-term wealth building. Retirement funding. Investments that compound over decades.

This allocation happens before discretionary spending. This is how you pay yourself first.

 

  • 20% – Lifestyle & Discretionary Spending

 

Travel, entertainment, upgrades, dining out and lifestyle enhancements.

 

This framework also brings clarity to big financial decisions. If a new home or vehicle pushes your essential expenses above 50%, it is not affordable — regardless of what the bank approves. Affordability is not what you qualify for. Affordability is what fits sustainably inside your structure.

 

The Cost of Waiting: A Simple Illustration

 

Let’s consider two investors with similar careers and earning potential.

 

  • Investor A starts investing R15,000 per month at age 30 and contributes for 10 years — stopping at age 40 — but leaves the money invested.
  • Investor B delays saving while focusing on practice expenses and family commitments. At age 40, they begin investing R15,000 per month and continue until age 65 — 25 years of contributions.


Assuming the same long-term return, Investor A can still retire with more capital than Investor B despite investing for less than half the time.

 

Why? Because Investor A gave their money an extra decade to compound. Those early contributions don’t just grow — they grow on top of growth, year after year. By the time Doctor B begins, Doctor A’s capital has already built momentum. Compounding is exponential, not linear. The first ten years are often the most powerful.

 

Time is the most valuable asset in wealth creation. And unlike income, it cannot be increased later. High income creates opportunity, but discipline creates freedom. If your budget reflects your priorities, your future becomes predictable.

 

Ruvan J Grobler RFP™ (PGDip Financial Planning)

Tax Season 2026: Don’t Just Accept — Check First

By PJ Botha • July 3, 2026
Dear Client, Tax season is here again, and many South Africans will receive an auto-assessment from SARS. Auto-assessments can be very convenient. SARS uses information from employers, medical schemes, retirement funds, banks and investment providers to pre-populate your tax return. In many cases, this makes the process quicker and easier. However, easier does not always mean correct. We have already seen cases where auto-assessments were not fully accurate or where important information still needed to be checked. That is why our message this tax season is simple: don’t just accept your SARS assessment without reviewing it properly first. Between 1 July and 12 July 2026, SARS will notify selected taxpayers by SMS or email if they have been auto-assessed. The notice will show whether you are due a refund, whether you need to pay SARS, or whether there is no amount payable or refundable. If you receive an auto-assessment and everything is correct, you do not need to submit a separate return. But before accepting it, you should still log in to SARS eFiling and check the details carefully. If something is incorrect or missing, you should update and submit your tax return through eFiling. A few practical tips for tax season Before accepting or submitting anything, make sure you have the correct supporting documents on hand. These may include your IRP5, medical aid tax certificate, retirement annuity contribution certificate, investment tax certificates, tax-free investment certificate, donation certificates, rental income records and any other relevant supporting documents. Do not only look at the refund or amount payable. It is tempting to focus only on whether SARS says you are getting money back, but the more important question is whether the information behind the assessment is correct. Check that your personal details and banking details are up to date. Incorrect banking details can delay refunds, while outdated contact details may mean you miss important communication from SARS. Keep your supporting documents for at least five years from the date of submission, as SARS may request them later to verify your return. What to look out for on your investments Investment income is an area where clients should be especially careful. SARS may receive information directly from financial institutions, but you should still compare the information on your return with your tax certificates. Here are a few important items to check: Interest income Check whether all local and foreign interest has been included correctly. Even small interest amounts from bank accounts or money market investments can form part of your taxable income. Dividends and foreign dividends Local dividends are generally subject to dividends tax, but they may still appear on your tax certificate. Foreign dividends can have different tax treatment and should be reviewed carefully. Capital gains and losses If you sold or switched investments during the tax year, there may be a capital gain or loss. This can happen even if you did not withdraw the money into your bank account. For example, switching between funds can sometimes trigger a disposal for capital gains tax purposes. Retirement annuity contributions Make sure your retirement contributions are correctly reflected. If your contributions were more than the amount allowed as a deduction for the year, the excess amount may be carried forward and used in future years. Your notice of assessment, known as the ITA34, should reflect this. Tax-free investments Although growth and income in a tax-free investment are not taxed, your contributions still need to be monitored. Make sure your tax-free investment certificate is correct and that you have not exceeded the annual or lifetime contribution limits. Living annuity income If you receive income from a living annuity, check that the income and PAYE deducted are correctly reflected. It is also important to keep your tax affairs up to date, as SARS can recover outstanding tax debts directly from certain third parties, including income providers. Two-pot retirement withdrawals If you made a withdrawal from the savings component of your retirement fund, this amount is taxed at your marginal income tax rate. Your fund administrator should issue an IRP5 or IT3(a) certificate showing the withdrawal and any tax withheld. Be careful not to assume that the tax deducted at the time of withdrawal fully settles your final tax position. If you also earned other income during the year, such as a bonus, rental income or investment income, you may still have additional tax to pay when your return is assessed. A simple checklist before you accept or submit Before finalising your tax return, ask yourself: Have I checked my SARS auto-assessment in detail? Have I compared the SARS information to my actual tax certificates? Are all my sources of income included? Are my investment certificates reflected correctly? Are my retirement contributions correct? Have I checked whether any capital gains or losses apply? Have I included medical aid, donation or other allowable deductions where relevant? Are my banking and contact details correct? Have I saved my supporting documents? Tax season does not need to be stressful, but it does require care. SARS has made the process more automated, but the responsibility to ensure your return is complete and accurate still remains with you. Taking a few extra minutes to check your assessment properly can help you avoid delays, unexpected tax bills or corrections later. PJ Botha CFP ® CA(SA)

Comrades vs. Long term Investing: 3 Steps that will Guarantee success

By Geo Botha • July 2, 2026
Comrades... what an experience. Not just the race itself, but the entire 10-month journey. Life is simply more fulfilling when we step beyond our comfort zones—when we take on something that requires effort, discipline, and commitment. The race itself was somewhat of a blur, and somehow those 9.2 hours went by remarkably fast.  What stood out most was the incredible support along the route and the camaraderie among fellow South African runners. People from all walks of life, united by a single goal. It's difficult to put into words. As I reflected on the journey, I couldn't help but notice how much running the Comrades is like Long-term investing . Both are marathons, not sprints. The following 3 things almost Guarenteed my Comrades success, even before I started the race, following the same guidelines in investing and you will achieve your goals: Get a coach.. The first thing I did after I entered for the Comrades was to get a reputable, experience coach. Someone who knows exactly what it takes and what I will need to do to cross the finish line. He knew my strengths and weaknesses, gave me a personal week by week plan and was always there for feedback and advice. The role of an advisor/coach/ mentor can not be understated. There is a reason why all the gold and silver winners have a coach and personal plan, while the last batch try to wing it and do it themselves. 2. Surround yourself with like-minded people. The 2 nd thing I did was to get a “running parter” by convincing someone to do it with me. The road to Comrades requires discipline and dedication. There’s going to be times when you are ‘gatvol’ and want to sleep in and skip sessions – that’s when you need an accountability partner. Someone who understands your experience and that’s working towards the same goal, and you are. People will I push you down or lift you higher – make sure you have the right people in your corner 3. Consistency over everything else. Getting ready for the Comrades requires consistency and discipline over an extended period. You cannot start training for the Comrades in March and say you will to twice as much as the other runners, it doesn’t work that way. Success in fitness and in finance doesn't come from one great day— it comes from consistently showing up, taking small steps, gradually laying the bricks, even when you don't feel like it. If you incorporate these 3 key steps into any ambitious goal you might have, you eliminate the chances of failing and you will be guaranteed success over the long term. Geo Botha CFP ®