Editorial Policy

Finance Guide publishes independent, research-based guides to personal finance in South Africa. This policy explains how they're made and how we keep them honest.

Independence

• No paid placements. Providers can't buy a review, a ranking or a mention.
• No pre-approval. Providers never see or approve a guide before it's published. We may contact them to confirm a fact, such as a fee.
• Affiliate links don't change verdicts. Where we earn a referral fee, the page says so, and partners get the same scrutiny as everyone else. See our affiliate disclosure.

Sourcing standards

• Primary sources first: SARS, National Treasury, the FSCA, the Prudential Authority, the Council for Medical Schemes, the Acts and Government Gazette, and providers' own fee schedules, minimum disclosure documents and policy wordings.
• At least five sources per guide, all listed at the end. We only cite pages we've actually read.
• Dated facts. Every guide shows when its prices and facts were checked.
• Research, not testing. We say "we compared" or "we researched". We never claim to have used a product unless we have.
• No invented people. No fake quotes, reviewers, testimonials or credentials. Customer feedback is summarised with its source and month.

Who writes and reviews

Guides are published under the Finance Guide Editors byline. When a qualified professional (such as a tax practitioner or financial planner) reviews a guide, we name them and their registration on that guide.

How we use AI

We use AI tools to help with research, summarising long documents and drafting. A person checks every claim against its source before publication, and every figure links to where it came from. AI is never used to invent quotes, reviews or experiences.

Updates and corrections

• Guides are re-checked after each Budget Speech (usually February) and at least every six months.
• Significant changes are recorded in each guide's changelog.
• Found an error? Email hello@financeguide.co.za. We fix confirmed errors quickly and note the correction.

Not financial advice

Our guides are general information, not financial advice under the FAIS Act. See our terms.