Expat Insights
Get news and useful articles for South Africans worldwide on our blog.
Gourmet braai recipe (a whole spread)
Hello there, is it time for yet another braai? Whether you live in sunny South Africa or on foreign shores, South Africans never need a reason to fire up the coals. Anytime is the right braai-time in our books! However, if we have the added benefit of a genuine excuse...
Second residency options for people who want out of SA
Are you looking for a safety net as a Saffa, just in case you one day in the future (or even soon) want to get out of the country? What are your second residency options and costs? If the answers to these questions are, “yes” and “I don’t know,” then you are not...
Tax Matters: Top misconceptions about double taxation agreements in South Africa
Before “expat tax” was written into our tax law with the Taxation Law Amendment Act of 2020, Double Taxation Agreements weren’t much of a big deal because South African tax residents living and working abroad could claim exemption from paying tax on foreign income,...
How to make rusks
The Danes call them 'Tvebak', the French call them 'biscotte', but we're sure you'll agree that there's nothing quite like a South African rusk! Other brands exist, but Ouma is to rusks what Colgate is to toothpaste: it's the benchmark and a staple in many South...
FinGlobal client base
The idea of packing up your life and heading overseas might be something you’ve toyed with on occasion. And now, since the advent of the Covid induced economy downward spiral and the recent looting and unrest that seems to have enveloped the country, that idea may be...
Expat Talk: What happens if I don’t emigrate for tax purposes?
If you’re a South African living and working abroad, it’s likely that you’re weighing up your options when it comes to tax emigration after the changes brought into effect by the Taxation Laws Amendment Act in March 2020. According to these changes, South Africans...
South African crayfish
South African crayfish, also called the spiny lobster, rock lobster, or kreef in Afrikaans, are known for their spiny shells and long antennae. Their natural habitat is along the east and west coasts of South Africa, where they can be found hiding under rocky...
New Mauritius visa rules attract SA emigrants
When South Africans consider immigrating, the most significant concern is giving up the relaxed holiday-feel lifestyle they are accustomed to. Unfortunately, growing up in a country that is home to perpetual braai weather makes one a little weather-spoilt when viewing...
Tax emigration vs Financial emigration: The facts
Tax emigration, financial emigration, formal emigration, physical emigration - what’s the difference? Is there a difference? Whether you’re living abroad already or you’re still planning on leaving South Africa in the future, if you’ve been doing your homework on the...
Herderspastei
Any South African will tell you that we turn to the kitchen and healing properties of good home-cooked food in moments of crisis. Hence the theory that a sumptuous shepherd's pie can alleviate feelings of 'home sickness' when far from the shores of home and cure the...
White South Africans leaving the country in their thousands according to stats
Leaving South Africa, this little phrase is likely to strike panic in the hearts of many South Africans. We are a fiercely proud and independent nation, and so when the topic of leaving our warm and sunny paradise is discussed, it’s often fraught with emotion and...
Expat tax matters: claiming your tax back in South Africa
Did someone say “tax refund”? Yes, that’s a real thing. Believe it or not, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) isn’t always about taking all of your money. Sometimes SARS even gives some of it back! All jokes aside, as a South African living and working overseas,...
Weskus snoek & patat
The icy waves of the Atlantic ocean crashing down onto the blitz-wit sand. The mournful sound of Seagulls calling in the crystal blue sky as they wheel and spin above the water as the salty breeze gently whispers against your skin. Welcome to the West Coast Peninsula...
FinGlobal as an intermediary
Emigration can be a daunting prospect – it can hang over your head like an exciting, yet black cloud. So, where does one even start? With so many decisions and hoops to jump through, the obvious choice is to obtain professional emigration assistance. When choosing an...
Expat tax planning: How does being married in community of property affect your tax status?
Unless you specifically choose otherwise, marriages in South Africa are ‘in community of property’ by default. Not only does this mean you enter the marriage as equals to jointly share all property and money 50/50 but being married in community of property also has...