By Karla Cloete
Edited by Tasmiyah Randeree
Financial planner Angela Saltas discusses the importance of her specialization in retirement planning.
Financial planners specialize in trying to create certainty where there is risk and planning for the unexpected and unexplainable. They ask scary questions: what will happen to your family if you die or lose your job? What if you become disabled in a car crash or your geyser bursts? What do you want to do with your money? How far can it really take you?
According to Angela Saltas, a 42-year-old financial planner who specializes in retirement planning, financial planners are partners for your financial life. Her life has been full of unexpected turns and unplanned adventures.
Angela studied towards a BA in Psychology and Communications whilst helping out at her father’s financial planning practice. Angela started working as an English High School teacher until she fell pregnant with her first daughter. After her maternity leave, she decided to join her father in the business world so she started studying at Milpark Business School.
Fate had it that her father’s business partner retired so the pair bought him out and continued to run their business together. She got her post-graduate diploma in financial planning and was blessed with another baby girl. Studying, working and raising two small children wasn’t easy, but she was happy to be working with her father.
At the end of 2010, her father became very ill. Eventually, he was diagnosed with cancer and soon he was being treated for it through many difficult treatments. He was in a lot of pain and was could hardly stay active let alone run a business. So it fell to Angela to take the reigns.
Angela had to run a business with a diploma and only 2 years of experience and without the guidance of her mentor. She relied on her business-savvy sister to step in and advise on the business side of things. Her sister encouraged her to step up and fill her father’s shoes as the boss in her own way and carve out a new way of doing business. She started creating new systems and improving their business.
But she didn’t get comfortable but continued to educate and empower herself. In 2015 she completed another Post-Grad in Estate and Trust Administration and a GIBS Executive and Professional Coaching Course in 2017. At the time, she didn't really know how she would use her coaching course but it ended up completely transforming her approach to financial planning. After that, an Allan Gray course helped her integrate the coaching and financial planning which shaped her business practice in new ways.
Sadly her father passed in 2017. He never did return to the business world but was fortunate enough to be able to travel and spend time with his family and friends. Angela feels she was very lucky to have been able to spend so much time with her father while they were working together. Working with your family isn’t easy:
“You have to work twice as hard for half the recognition. But I was fortunate that our clients trusted me more easily because I was my father's daughter. I loved working with him - and learning from him. He was a pragmatist and I learned so much from him.”
Her father always encouraged her to build a career and foster financial security for herself.
“Your kids will leave (if you've done a good job that is what is supposed to happen). You cannot guarantee that your partner will do it for you. You have to do it yourself. So being a working Mom was about making sure that, at the end of the day, I had something that was just mine… You have to put yourself and your own needs first - and that is okay because you cannot pour from an empty cup.”
Financial independence is especially important for women in Angela’s view. Both parties in a marriage should be empowered to know how to manage their money. My belief is that women need to protect themselves and prioritize themselves - and having some financial independence is part of that process.
One of the most essential parts of financial planning is retirement planning, Angela’s speciality. She says retirement planning can feel unreal when you’re young and more focused on spending than balancing and saving. Retirement planning is about structuring your money and finances so that they can support your future plans. It’s about investing in your future self through saving and investing. Angela emphasises being an active participant in one’s finances because no one is going to take responsibility for your financial future if you don’t.
Social Media
Instagram : @retirementservices
Facebook : Retirementservices
Karla Cloete is a 22-year-old student, from Gauteng, currently doing her honours in Creative Writing at the North West University. She did both her undergraduate and honours degree in psychology. She is an avid reader and plant collector. She is also passionate about mental health, women’s rights and working with young people and children. Karla also dabbles in art and loves participating in debate in her free time. She also has a background in theatre and acting. Her ultimate goal is to become a psychologist and to work in children’s literature.
Comments