Thinus Breytenbach Certified Financial Planner

When markets are noisy, good advice brings calm.

Markets will always move. Headlines will always create fear. And investors will always be tempted to react emotionally.

But often, the biggest risk is not the market itself.

It is making the wrong decision at the wrong time.

That is why professional financial planning matters.

A proper financial plan is not just about choosing investments. It is about understanding your goals, cash flow, tax position, retirement needs, family responsibilities, risk cover, estate plan and how much risk you can realistically afford to take.

This is also why working with a professional financial planner with a strong, proven track record matters.

Experience helps turn uncertainty into perspective. Process helps turn emotion into discipline. And good advice helps clients stay focused on the plan, not the panic.

For financial planners, our role is not to predict every market movement.

Our role is to help clients make better decisions when markets, headlines and emotions are all pulling them in different directions.

Good advice does not remove uncertainty.
It helps clients move through uncertainty with confidence.

Kainos Group Liberty Group SA

🇿🇦 2026 SA Budget – What it Means for You (In 60 Seconds)

Here are the key points from the latest Budget Speech that affect households and taxpayers:

✅ Income tax relief: Tax brackets and rebates were adjusted for inflation – this helps prevent “bracket creep” where salary increases push you into higher tax without real gains.
💼 Retirement saving boost: The annual tax-deductible limit for retirement annuities increased (from R350,000 to R430,000) – more incentive to save tax-efficiently for retirement.
👵 Social grants increased: Old age and child support grants increased above inflation to support vulnerable households.
⛽ Fuel levy increases: Petrol, RAF and carbon levies were increased – this will filter through to transport and food costs.
🍺🚬 Sin taxes up: Higher excise duties on alcohol and ci******es.
📊 No major new taxes: Government avoided broad tax hikes.

🌱 Positive fiscal outlook: Government expects public debt to stabilise and the deficit to narrow over time – a constructive signal for economic stability and investor confidence.

👉 Overall: Some relief for taxpayers and savers, balanced against higher everyday costs, with a more positive medium-term outlook for SA’s public finances.

Your budget isn’t “broken”… your emergency fund is missing. 🚨💸

Most people think budgeting is about discipline.
But in real life, budgeting fails because of surprises:

🚗 car repairs
🏥 medical costs
📉 income drops / retrenchment
🏠 home emergencies

Without an emergency fund, the “plan” becomes:
💳 credit card → 🧾 debt → 😰 stress → 🔁 repeat

The goal 🎯

✅ 3–6 months of essential expenses (not your full lifestyle)

Think:
🏠 rent/bond • 🛒 groceries • 🚕 transport • 💡 utilities • 🛡️ insurance • 📶 data

Simple way to start (even if money is tight) 👇
1. Calculate essentials (what you must pay to survive) ✍️
2. Set a starter target: R5,000 / R10,000 / 1 month essentials 🪜
3. Automate a small amount on payday (even R100–R500) 🤖
4. Keep it separate: savings pocket / money market / call account 🔒
5. Only use it for true emergencies (not holidays 😅) 🚫✈️

Your emergency fund doesn’t make you rich…
It makes you unbreakable. 🛡️📈

👋 Quick highlights from Jan ’26 📆

🇺🇸 US: Fed paused rate cuts 🏦; volatility ticked up, but S&P 500 still +1.5% 📈.
🇪🇺 Eurozone: Inflation back at 2.0% 🎯; defence shares rallied on budget headlines 💣📊.
🌏 Asia: China hit ~5% 2025 growth ✅; first big AI listings popped 🚀; Japan kept rates at 0.75% 🈺.
🇿🇦 SA: SARB kept repo at 6.75% ⚖️; gold hit a record 🪙🔝; JSE All Share +3.7% led by resources (+12.5%)—Sibanye +22%, Gold Fields +17%, Implats +21% ⛏️📈.
💬 Notables: Glencore & Rio Tinto back in merger talks 🤝.

Bottom line: Precious metals shined ✨, SA equities strong, global markets steady-but-watchful. As always, stay diversified and focused on your plan 🎯🧭.

✨ Continuous learning is the cornerstone of responsible financial advice.

I am proud to be attending the INN8 Investment Summit, where thought leaders and industry experts gather to share insights on managing wealth in an ever-changing investment landscape.

As a CFP® Professional, I remain committed to ongoing education and professional development – because staying informed ensures that the advice I give is always competent, ethical, and client-first    .

To my clients: you can rest assured that your wealth is being managed with diligence, integrity, and the highest professional standards. 🌍💼📈

Liberty Group SA Kainos Group

🚀 Interactive Scenario: Two Investors, One 40-Year Journey 🚀

Imagine two friends, both starting with big dreams and a TFSA account. They each invest R36 000 per year until they reach the R500 000 lifetime cap, then watch it grow over 40 years. 📈

👩‍💼 Investor A: Equity-Based TFSA
Allocation: 80% Global Equity @ 11% pa, 20% SA Equity @ 9% pa
Blended Return: 10.6% pa
🏦 Investor B: Cash-Only TFSA (Fixed Deposit)
Allocation: 100% Bank Fixed Deposit
Return: 8% pa

🧮 Growth Milestones
After 14 Years (R500 000 contributed):
Investor A → R1 051 100 💰
Investor B → R871 000 💸
After 40 Years (Compounding continues 26 more years):
Investor A → R14 411 000 🎉
Investor B → R6 439 000 🤔

🔑 Key Takeaways
Power of Compounding: 10.6% vs 8% → over 2.2× more wealth for Investor A.
Offshore Exposure: 80% in global equities accelerates growth and hedges rand risk. 🌍💱

Tax-Free Benefits: Both keep earnings tax-free, but higher returns amplify the magic of compounding. ✨

✅ Conclusion: Over 40 years, a tax-free, equity-based TFSA with significant offshore exposure turns R500 000 in contributions into over R14 million—compared to just R6.4 million in a bank fixed deposit. This shows why, for long-term goals, a diversified equity solution is the way to go! 💡📊



Liberty Group SA Kainos Group

💼 Getting Ready for Your First Meeting with a Financial Planner?

🎉 Congratulations!

You've taken the first step in getting your finances in order by choosing to work with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional (CFP®). That’s a big move toward a better financial future!

🧭 What to Expect in the First Meeting (The “Discovery” Meeting)

This first meeting is all about getting to know each other. Think of it like a first visit to a doctor — your planner needs to understand your full financial health to help you best.

The CFP® professional will:

- Ask about your money goals and dreams (like retirement, buying a home, paying for education, or leaving a legacy).
- Learn about your personal life (family, hobbies, lifestyle), since these affect how you handle money.
- Discuss your attitude toward money — Are you a spender or a saver? What worries or excites you about finances?

📋 How to Prepare?

🧠 Reflect on These Questions:

- What do I want my money to do for me and my family?
- What scares me or excites me about money?
- How involved do I want to be in managing my finances?
- Am I comfortable using online tools to track my finances?

🗂️ Bring These Documents (if you can):

- Insurance policies
- Medical Aid Information
- Pension/retirement account info
- Any estate planning papers (like a will or trust)
- Investment statements

🤝 Why It Matters

Being honest and open — even about past money mistakes — helps your planner create a better plan for your future. The more they know, the more they can help.

🌱 The Goal: A Long-Term Relationship

This isn’t just a one-time meeting. It’s the beginning of a lifelong partnership to help you reach your financial goals — through all the ups and downs of life.