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April 8, 2020

Can I freeze my medical aid contributions because of financial strain during COVID-19 lockdown?

5 April 2020 GTC Healthcare gives members guidance on medical aid payment options during “COVID times” South Africans are under significant financial strain following recent occurrences, particularly regarding the extreme measures implemented by President Cyril Ramaphosa in an attempt to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. South Africans’ budgets came under pressure following the President’s declaration of a National State of Disaster on 15 March and the subsequent implementation of a nationwide lockdown of all “non- essential services” for 21 days at midnight on Thursday 26 March. Investors’ budgetary pressures were further complicated when Moody’s announced their downgrade of South Africa to “junk status” late last week. With many people now having to accept that they will probably have little or no income in their foreseeable future, individuals are looking to cut expenses wherever possible. One big expense on the...
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Don’t get out of the market when temperatures run high – GTC Investment Analytics

17 March 2020 Global markets are reeling from the largest declines in the prices of “risky” assets since the global financial crash of 2008. With trillions of rand in value being wiped off various listed equity valuations daily, pension funds and individual retail investors would naturally be worried about just how much money they could lose. “Historical evidence proves that remaining invested is the best course of action, and that panic-selling to avoid losses actually destroys value,” says Clive Eggers, head of Investment Analytics at leading financial and advisory business GTC. The cause of the current market fallout is fear and uncertainty about the spread of Coronavirus (Covid- 19) and its effects on productivity and sales of companies globally as lockdowns take hold. An additional factor at play is the sudden, sharp drop in the price of oil as Russia,...
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Are you covered if you test positive (or negative) for the Coronavirus?

13 March 2020 While people who contract COVID-19 (Coronavirus) who are under the age of 80 and do not have any pre-existing conditions – such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension or cancer – are most likely to experience only flu-like symptoms, those who are over 80 years’ of age or individuals with pre-existing conditions are certainly at a much greater risk. To prepare yourself – and your family – for possible infection of the virus, Jill Larkan, Head of Healthcare Consulting at leading wealth and financial advisory business, GTC, says that there are a few important first steps to follow: STEP 1 – “Should you experience a combination of the following symptoms, it is important to record these and also to note when these symptoms first began: fever, sore throat, dry cough or breathing difficulties,” says Larkan....
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