Dear FISA Members
This newsletter follows FISA’s fourth highly successful annual conference. For those who attended, I hope you found the content relevant and stimulating. Congratulations on the CPD points! For those who were unable to attend this year, we hope to see you next year. Click on these links to see the presentations, a synopsis and a photo gallery of the conference.
Continuing Professional Development is a part of the broader concept of personal self development. I love the quote in the adjacent image which to me says it all. I would like to think that it will resonate with FISA members, through the nature of their fiduciary work and adherence to our Code of Ethics.
As an organisation, we are doing all we can to help you to help yourself. We have developed a neat, user-friendly system for recording your CPD points online; we will be developing more training opportunities next year and of course we are offering the FPSA® exam again, which is set to become the major differentiator in our profession in the future.
All this and more is described in this newsletter – enjoy the read!
Fiduciary regards
Angélique Visser
Chairperson
We commissioned Colin Daniels once again to create an exclusive cartoon for our newsletter and hope you enjoy it! In terms of our agreement with Colin, please note this should not be used elsewhere.
The Origins of Wills
The Origins of WillsWe almost take for granted that one should execute a Will at some stage of life but this was not always so. In ancient times, no doubt after the death of a clan member, the strongest or the clan leader would merely help themselves to any item of the deceased worth keeping and the scraps would be fought over by the underlings. David Knott, Director of Private Client Trust and FPSA® member, looks at the origins of Wills. Continue Reading
Are you applying the new Employment Tax Incentive correctly?
Are you applying the new Employment Tax Incentive correctly?Millions of young South Africans are excluded from participating in economic activity, and as a result suffer disproportionately from unemployment, discouragement and economic marginalisation. High youth unemployment means young people are not gaining the skills or experience needed to drive the economy forward. George Enslin, Director of GFE Financial Services and FISA member, explains the intricacies of applying the ETI correctly. Continue Reading
Trust, Tax and Tomatoes
Trust, Tax and TomatoesIt is a daily occurrence that funds are loaned to a trust in order for the trust to acquire assets. A loan account is created for the lender of the funds and often this loan does not bear any interest and often income is distributed to beneficiaries and the income is then taxed at the beneficiaries’ personal tax bracket. Willem van der Merwe, Attorney and Fiduciary Specialist for Absa and FISA member, explains in more detail. Continue Reading.
Q&A with Colin Hickling
Q&A with Colin HicklingWe chat to Colin Hickling, FISA Councillor for the Free State and Northern Cape, about his vision, plans and events for the Free State and Northern Cape region. Continue Reading
The fourth year of FPSA® examinations
FISA’s examinations which give the successful candidates the right to apply for the FPSA® designation, will be written for the fourth time in November this year. The examinations will be taken on 3, 6, 10 and 12 November, and details about the sessions are available on the Events Calendar on the FISA website. Continue Reading
Events Calendar
Remember to visit the FISA website for the Events Calendar to see what is coming up. Following below are some key dates till year-end.
Important: Please also diarise the 18th of March 2015. This is the day scheduled for the 2015 AGM and CPD sessions. The event will be held in Johannesburg, with the final details to be advised to all members timeously.
3 Nov – Ethics exam
4 Nov – KZN Regional Meeting
5 Nov – Western Cape Regional Meeting
6 Nov – Trust and Estates exams
7 Nov – Gauteng Regional Meeting
10 Nov – Wills exam
12 Nov – Estate Planning exam
FISA on TV
Business Day TV runs a programme called The Money Show. Please click on the below link for the recent show in which FISA National Chairperson, Angelique Visser, took part titled Protecting minors in the event of death. You can read more on this and watch the videos here.
Angelique has been invited onto a few more shows and Adv Lester Basson, the Chief Master of the High Court, will be joining her to discuss The Cost of Death. Once broadcast, we will put the link up on the FISA website.