https://financeguide.co.za/ Independent, sourced money guides for South Africans. en-ZA https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/debt-review-explained/https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/debt-review-explained/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTDebt review restructures your debt into one affordable payment, but you can't take new credit until you're cleared. How it works under the credit law. https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/free-credit-report-south-africa/https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/free-credit-report-south-africa/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTYou can get a free credit report every 12 months under the National Credit Act. How to request it from Experian, TransUnion, XDS or CPB, and fix errors. https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/maximum-interest-rates-loans/https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/maximum-interest-rates-loans/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTThe National Credit Act caps loan interest at the repo rate plus a margin. With repo at 7.25%, personal loans can't exceed 28.25% a year. All the caps and fees. https://financeguide.co.za/home-solar/bond-repayment-calculator/https://financeguide.co.za/home-solar/bond-repayment-calculator/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTThe SARB raised the repo rate to 7.25% in September 2026, taking prime to 10.75%. Work out your bond repayment and see what each 0.25% change costs. https://financeguide.co.za/home-solar/electricity-price-increase-2026/https://financeguide.co.za/home-solar/electricity-price-increase-2026/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTEskom tariffs rose 8.76% from 1 April 2026, and municipalities face about 9.01% from 1 July. What it costs in rand, what changed and how to cut your bill. https://financeguide.co.za/home-solar/transfer-duty-calculator/https://financeguide.co.za/home-solar/transfer-duty-calculator/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTNo transfer duty applies to homes up to R1,210,000. Work out the duty on any price with the 2026/27 SARS table, and see who pays and when VAT applies. https://financeguide.co.za/insurance/car-insurance-tips-south-africa/https://financeguide.co.za/insurance/car-insurance-tips-south-africa/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTTen ways to cut your car insurance premium in South Africa, the most common reasons motor claims get rejected, and how to complain to the Ombud for free. https://financeguide.co.za/insurance/gap-cover-explained/https://financeguide.co.za/insurance/gap-cover-explained/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTGap cover pays the shortfall when specialists charge more than your medical aid pays in hospital. How it works, the legal limit and who needs it. https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/retirement-lump-sum-tax/https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/retirement-lump-sum-tax/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTThe first R550,000 of retirement lump sums is tax-free, but withdrawals are only tax-free up to R27,500. Both 2026/27 SARS tables, with worked examples. https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/two-pot-withdrawal-how-long/https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/two-pot-withdrawal-how-long/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTHow long a two-pot savings withdrawal takes to pay out, from 5 working days to 60 at GEPF, how to apply step by step, and the common reasons for delays. https://financeguide.co.za/saving-investing/interest-exemption-south-africa/https://financeguide.co.za/saving-investing/interest-exemption-south-africa/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTThe first R23,800 of local interest is tax-free in 2026/27 (R34,500 at 65+). How the interest exemption works, when interest is taxed and how TFSAs help. https://financeguide.co.za/saving-investing/rsa-retail-savings-bonds/https://financeguide.co.za/saving-investing/rsa-retail-savings-bonds/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTGovernment retail bonds pay 8.25% to 9% fixed (2 to 5 years), or inflation plus 4.25% to 4.75%. October 2026 rates, who can invest, withdrawals and tax. https://financeguide.co.za/tax/home-office-tax-deduction/https://financeguide.co.za/tax/home-office-tax-deduction/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTSARS only allows a home office deduction if the room is equipped, used only for work, and you work there over 50% of the time. The rules and the maths. https://financeguide.co.za/tax/medical-tax-credits/https://financeguide.co.za/tax/medical-tax-credits/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTThe 2026/27 medical tax credit is R376 a month for you and your first dependant, and R254 for each extra one. Plus the additional credit rules and examples. https://financeguide.co.za/tax/salary-after-tax-calculator/https://financeguide.co.za/tax/salary-after-tax-calculator/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTWork out your take-home pay for 2026/27 after PAYE, UIF, retirement contributions and the medical aid tax credit, using SARS's official tax tables. https://financeguide.co.za/tax/sars-refund-delayed/https://financeguide.co.za/tax/sars-refund-delayed/Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTSARS pays most refunds within 72 hours, but verification adds up to 21 business days and an audit 90. The 7 reasons refunds get held up, and the fixes. https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/cheapest-bank-account-south-africa/https://financeguide.co.za/banking-credit/cheapest-bank-account-south-africa/Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTWe compared 2026 entry-level bank account fees at Capitec, Standard Bank, Nedbank, FNB and Absa, and worked out what a typical month really costs. https://financeguide.co.za/insurance/medical-aid-increases-2027/https://financeguide.co.za/insurance/medical-aid-increases-2027/Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT2027 medical aid increases compared: Bonitas 8.7%, Discovery 8.2%, Momentum and Medshield 7.9%, Medihelp 7.5%, Bestmed 7.35%, vs the CMS 3.8% guide. https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/retirement-annuity-tax-calculator/https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/retirement-annuity-tax-calculator/Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTWork out how much tax a retirement annuity saves you in 2026/27. The 27.5% rule, the new R430,000 cap, worked examples and how to claim it from SARS. https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/two-pot-withdrawal-tax-calculator/https://financeguide.co.za/retirement/two-pot-withdrawal-tax-calculator/Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTWork out the tax on a two-pot savings withdrawal using the SARS 2026/27 tax table. How the tax is calculated, worked examples, fees and the rules. https://financeguide.co.za/saving-investing/best-tax-free-savings-account/https://financeguide.co.za/saving-investing/best-tax-free-savings-account/Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTWe compared tax-free savings accounts from EasyEquities, SatrixNOW, 10X and Discovery Bank on real fees in rand. Plus the new R46,000 limit and the rules. https://financeguide.co.za/tax/provisional-tax-freelancers/https://financeguide.co.za/tax/provisional-tax-freelancers/Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTEarn freelance or side-hustle income? How provisional tax works in South Africa, the 2026/27 payment dates, a worked example and the 10% and 20% penalties. https://financeguide.co.za/tax/sars-filing-season-2026-deadline/https://financeguide.co.za/tax/sars-filing-season-2026-deadline/Thu, 15 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMTThe SARS deadline for non-provisional taxpayers is Friday 23 October 2026. Who must file, what auto-assessed taxpayers should do, and the late penalties.