Investec Focus Radio SA

In this episode of Everything Counts, we unpack one of the most overlooked opportunities to improve your financial position: your tax return.

Many people treat tax filing season as a simple compliance exercise and move on. But as our experts explain, your SARS tax return is actually a powerful financial health check that can help you avoid costly mistakes, stay compliant, and even unlock additional value.

We dive into:

● Why you should rethink how you approach tax filing

● The risks of blindly accepting SARS auto assessments

● Common tax mistakes that could cost you money

● Medical aid deductions and what you might be missing

● Travel claims, cost-to-company structuring, and share incentives

● What happens during a SARS audit (and how to prepare)

Whether you're a salaried employee, high-income earner, or managing multiple income streams, this episode gives practical, actionable insights to help you file with confidence and make sure you aren’t unknowingly leaving money on the table.

00:00 Introduction

01:15 Tax filing beyond compliance

01:48 What changes to report to SARS

03:50 Tax returns as a financial health check

04:43 The importance of keeping track of your own numbers

05:27 Should I accept SARS auto assessment?

06:45 Changes to tax auto assessments for 2026

07:37 How to submit medical aid tax certificate to SARS

09:30 Beyond medical certificates for tax

10:30 Disability claim SARS

12:06 Is travel allowance tax deductible?

15:30 Structuring a tax efficient remuneration package

17:13 Tax implications on shares

18:36 What does it mean if SARS is auditing you?

20:00 Tax verification vs audit

21:15 The value of a tax practitioner if you are audited

21:50 Audit mistakes to avoid

23:00 Tax audit tips for high net worth individuals

24:38 How to maximise your tax refund

36:40 Conclusion Investec Focus Radio SA

While global equities are up strongly over the last year, there’s been a clear slowing in momentum in the last six months. According to Chris Holdsworth, Global Chief Investment Officer, Investec Investment Management, this implies that much of the strong US earnings performance has been priced into the market. Investec Focus Radio SA

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than almost anyone expected. After attending two of the world's biggest technology conferences in Boston and San Francisco, Investec global equity analysts David Smith and Zane Bezuidenhout unpack what they learned from the executives shaping AI's future. From surging demand and infrastructure bottlenecks to agentic AI and the companies best placed to benefit, they explore what investors should be watching next.

00:00: Intro

1:01: Demand for AI even stronger than expected

2:07: Scale of demand has outstripped supply

3:30: What is Agentic AI?

4:44: When will agentic AI be truly embedded in our lives?

5:27: The rise of “intelligence per dollar” and “token optimization”

7:07: Are companies starting to see returns on their AI investments?

8:26: For investors, what distinguishes the winners in the AI race?

10:00: Continuity announcement: Investec Global Leaders Portfolio

10:54: Is China closing in on the US when it comes to AI prowess?

11:36: The increase of regulation

12:28: AI opportunities beyond the Mag 7

13:49: What could derail the AI investment story

15:16: One message for investors

15:57: Outro Investec Focus Radio SA

We've all heard the advice. Save more. Spend less. Start earlier.

In this episode of Everything Counts, Motheo Khoaripe is joined by Investec's Nirvashni Rajkumar (KZN team leader for the Investec financial planning team) and Dorothy Asomaning (Investec Wealth & Investment Wealth Manager) to explore why saving is about much more than building a bigger bank balance. Together they unpack how lifestyle inflation quietly limits our choices, why earning more doesn't always lead to greater financial freedom, and how giving your money a clear purpose can change the way you think about your future.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why traditional conversations about saving no longer resonate.

• How lifestyle inflation quietly reduces financial freedom.

• Why financial freedom is about choice, not income.

• How to give your savings a meaningful purpose.

• The realities of saving while supporting family.

• Why behaviour shapes financial outcomes more than good intentions.

• The simple question that can change the way you think about saving.

If you've grown tired of traditional savings advice, this conversation offers a different perspective on what saving is really for.

Watch now and subscribe for more conversations that prove when it comes to money, everything counts.

00:00 Introduction

01:20 Has saving lost its meaning?

04:21 Why saving has become uninspiring

07:10 Can you accidentally out-earn your freedom?

08:23 The discipline of saving

16:40 Lifestyle inflation and financial choice

15:10 Saving while supporting family

18:50 What future is your money building?

20:35 Why behaviour matters more than willpower

25:00 Giving your savings a purpose

26:37 Closing thoughts Investec Focus Radio SA

Although US earnings for the second quarter have mostly beaten expectations, markets appear to have wanted more. Chris Holdsworth, Global Chief Investment Officer, Investec Investment Management, says even companies such as Alphabet that have beaten forecasts have seen declines in their prices after results. Investec Focus Radio SA