As South Africans reflect on the hard-won freedoms of our past this Freedom Day, JJ van Wyk, Financial Adviser from Momentum Financial Planning, reminds us that we owe it to ourselves – and future generations – to pursue a new kind of liberation: financial freedom.

Thomas Berry, Head of Sales, PSG Wealth, says that achieving financial freedom is not solely about increasing income or making the best investment decisions; it also involves understanding how our behaviours and thought processes shape our financial choices.

Financial advice is evolving into a people-first, tech-enhanced service focused on personalisation, values-based investing, and collaborative planning. Advisers are becoming trusted partners, guiding clients through life’s goals with ethical insight, innovation, and deep human connection at the core.

A holistic financial plan begins with defining your personal goals and assessing your finances. With guidance from a qualified adviser, budgeting, debt management, investing, and protection strategies create a flexible, robust foundation for long-term financial success and peace of mind.

Sean Hanlon highlights key behavioural biases impacting financial decisions: sticking to the familiar, loss aversion, anchoring, framing, and mental accounting. Recognising these biases enables advisers to create tailored strategies, fostering better financial habits and empowering clients to make smarter, more informed choices.

PPS reported a record R5.33 billion Profit-Share allocation to members in 2024, driven by strong operating and investment performance. Total member benefits reached R5.95 billion, reflecting the group's continued mutual model focus and growth in life-risk and investment business.