Henceforward

26/08/2026

Buying offshore is easy. But how you own those investments matters. 🌍

Many South Africans are increasingly investing directly into US shares and ETFs — often without considering what happens to those assets when they die.

One potential trap is US estate tax.

For non-US residents, directly holding certain US-situs assets can create US estate-tax exposure once their value exceeds $60,000 — with rates potentially reaching 40%.

It’s a great example of why offshore investing is about more than choosing an ETF, predicting the rand or finding the best-performing market.

The structure matters too.

🎙️ In our latest episode of Giving Wealth Purpose, we unpack offshore investing for South Africans — including diversification, the rand, ETFs, offshore structures, tax and estate-planning considerations, and the question we get asked all the time:

How much of your wealth should actually be offshore?

Episode 6 — How Much Should You Invest Offshore? — is out now.

🎥 Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel, or find it in the comments

06/08/2026

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself what your investments are actually trying to achieve?

Too often, investment portfolios become increasingly complicated over time. New funds are added, old ones are never removed, fees creep up, and before long, nobody can clearly explain why each investment is there.

In this clip from our latest Giving Wealth Purpose podcast, we discuss why the best investment strategy isn't necessarily the most sophisticated—it's the one that's built around your purpose.

When every investment has a clear role, decisions become easier, costs often come down, and staying invested becomes much less stressful.

If you've ever looked at your portfolio and thought, "This feels more complicated than it should be," this episode is for you.

🎙️ Watch the full episode here:
👉 https://youtu.be/mVUtriRqXgE

We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Have you ever simplified your investments, or do you think complexity adds value?

28/07/2026

Living annuity or life annuity? For many retirees, the better question is: how much of each?

A living annuity keeps your money invested and offers flexibility, but you carry the risk if markets disappoint or you draw down too fast. A life annuity hands that risk to the insurer and guarantees income for life, but the capital is gone, and the terms are fixed from day one.

Here’s what we tell clients: this doesn’t have to be either/or. Covering your non-negotiable costs (housing, medical aid, food) with guaranteed income, and using the rest for flexible, growth-focused income, often serves people better than picking one path entirely.
Retirement income planning isn’t about finding the “right” product, it’s about making sure your money can actually support the life you want for the next 20–30 years.

Grab our free Retirement Insights Guide for the full framework: https://henceforward.co.za/retirement-ebook/

23/07/2026

How is your financial advisor actually compensated and does that structure work in your favour?

Three models dominate in South Africa:
• Commission-based advisors are paid by the product provider, so the product they recommend and the product that pays them best aren’t always two different things.
• AUM-based advisors charge a % of your portfolio, so the fee grows even when the advice doesn’t get more complex.
• Flat-fee advisors charge one number, agreed upfront, with nothing tied to what you buy or how much you have.

None of this is about good or bad people, it’s about structure. We built Henceforward on the third model deliberately.
We’re fee-only because we believe the only thing we should be paid for is good advice. Not products. Not your portfolio size. Just the advice.

14/07/2026

Overcoming the mental barriers we hold around wealth is the first true step toward financial independence. Real success means knowing your "money story" and shifting away from a negative mindset to one where you save, invest, and build a life you truly care about.

📈 Head over to henceforward.co.za to learn more.

13/07/2026

A fund returned almost 30% a year for three years running. Tempting, right?

It’s real. It’s also a concentrated bet on a handful of US tech giants, not a diversified global equity holding. Three years of extraordinary AI-driven gains don’t tell you what the next three look like, and concentrated funds can give back gains just as fast as they made them.

This is the trap with chasing last year’s winner: the best-performing fund over 3 years is rarely the best-performing fund over the next 3.

Good investing isn’t about finding the fund with the best headline number. It’s about building a portfolio that matches what you’re actually trying to achieve and can survive when the story changes.
We break down the full global equity fund rankings (and which managers have actually been consistent over 3, 5 and 10 years) in this blog post:
https://henceforward.co.za/best-performing-unit-trusts-global-equities/

09/07/2026

AI is getting better at sounding like someone you trust.

Bank emails that look real. Voices that sound exactly like a colleague. Documents that pass at a glance.
It’s why we keep saying it: slow down, verify, and don’t let urgency make the decision for you.

Three habits worth building:
→ A password manager + unique passwords everywhere
→ Multi-factor authentication on email, banking and investments
→ A second-channel check before you action any change to banking details

Money is a tool for the life you’re building – protecting it is part of using it well.

If you want the full picture on what’s moving markets every month, sign up for our newsletter:
https://henceforward.co.za/contact/

01/07/2026

🎙 NEW PODCAST EPISODE

Most people think estate planning starts and ends with a will.

In our latest two-part Giving Wealth Purpose podcast, we discuss why many estate plans fail, the hidden liquidity traps families face, and what it takes to create a legacy that truly reflects your wishes.

🎥 Watch on YouTube:
Part 1: https://youtu.be/65EYAx_jK0Y
Part 2: https://youtu.be/2xHcANQVfPo

🎧 Listen on Spotify:
Part 1: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/steven-hall7/episodes/Why-most-Estate-Plans-Fail-Part-1-of-2-e3lfm0v
Part 2: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/steven-hall7/episodes/The-Estate-Planning-Liquidity-Trap-Part-2-of-2-e3lfnst

When wealth has purpose, legacy becomes intentional.

What happens when a family inherits assets but has no access to cash?In Part 2 of our estate planning series, Steven Hall and Carl-Peter Lehmann discuss one of the most overlooked risks in estate planning: liquidity.The conversation explores executor fees, estate administration delays, funding ongoi...

01/06/2026

New Episode: Markets Without the Noise

Markets are loud.

Every week seems to bring another headline, another prediction, another reason to believe we should be doing something.

But when we step back, long-term wealth is rarely built through reacting. More often, it’s shaped by behaviour, discipline and clarity.

In Episode 3 of Giving Wealth Purpose — Markets Without the Noise — Steven Hall and Carl-Peter Lehmann explore how investors can navigate uncertainty without becoming captive to it.
From media narratives and market volatility to compounding, diversification and behavioural decision-making, the conversation focuses on a simple question:

What actually matters — and what is just noise?
One of our favourite reflections from the episode:

“Urgency and wisdom rarely travel together.”

If markets have felt overwhelming lately, this episode is an invitation to zoom out and reconnect with the things that compound over time.

Because wealth should serve life — not the other way around.

When markets spike and headlines scream, how do you know whether to act — or stay the course?In this episode of Giving Wealth Purpose, Steven Hall and Carl-P...

01/05/2026

“Is the market getting the Iran war wrong?”

We have been looking closely at the current global landscape and the noise that often follows.
Between the ceasefire that wasn't quite a ceasefire, markets somehow hitting record highs, and SA's rate cut hopes quietly turning into rate hike fears – there was no shortage of things to write about this month.

Worth a read over the long weekend 👇
https://mailchi.mp/54a4fe771904/henceforward-is-the-market-getting-the-iran-war-wrong-6747646

Join our thinking partnership for future insights: https://www.henceforward.co.za/contact/