Being a smart Santa with your gift budget
When you’re under pressure to give that perfect present at Christmas it can be much harder to stick to a budget. Find ways to make your gift budget go further with our top tips for …
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Christmas Gifts that won’t break the Budget
Christmas is a wonderful time of year in Australia, filled with summer foods, decorations and of course, gift giving. This year will feel even sweeter for many, as friends and family reunite for the first …
Tax deductible donations: Get the most out of giving back
Donating to a charity or cause you care about is a win-win for both you and the charity. Charities rely on the generosity of donors to help them do their work, while you get the …
Why should I see a financial planner?
Financial planning is something more and more people are considering as a service they need to help them get the best from their finances and focus on putting their money towards what matters to them …
Should you merge your finances with your partner?
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our daily lives, and romance is no exception. While lengthy separations have led some relationships to end, other couples are choosing to move in together more quickly …
5 steps to better financial goals
Everyone has financial goals. Maybe you want to pay off your mortgage early, stop relying on your credit cards, or go on an amazing overseas holiday (once we’re allowed to travel again). Or you might …
What alternative assets bring to your super investment mix
Most of us have heard of the main asset classes: shares, property, fixed interest and cash, but alternative assets are less well known. However, these types of assets can provide further diversification and enhanced returns …
Market volatility during COVID-19
Market volatility refers to extreme price movements over a given period. These movements may occur in a particular area, such as real estate or shares, and may be upward or downward. Ever since COVID-19 started …
What happens to my super when I move overseas?
You might be leaving the country for a variety of reasons – career prospects, love, adventure, new opportunities – or you may be returning home. While you’ve probably got a checklist of things to cover …
Investing in investment bonds
Investment bonds are long-term investments that may offer tax efficiency to investors on a high marginal tax rate and those investing for children or grandchildren. Unlike traditional investment products, such as managed funds, bonds are …
Retirees: How to beat Inflation before it beats you
Investors with long memories – or a good education – will recall the bad old days when inflation was the economic bogeyman. It broke Germany’s Weimar Republic in the 1930s and nearly cratered America’s economy …
Economic and market commentary
Investors remained focused on rising inflation and the possibility of policy settings being tightened worldwide. Bond yields continued to rise – particularly in Australia – as investors brought forward their expectations for interest rate hikes. …
Do life insurance products cover mortgage payments?
You’ve worked tirelessly to own the home of your dreams. But if you suffered from an injury or illness that prevents you from working, would you be able to cover your mortgage repayments? A government …
An overview of the main residence CGT exemption
Generally, a property, including a taxpayer’s main residence, ie their family home, is considered to be a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) asset. When CGT assets are sold, taxpayers may be liable to pay tax on …
Millennials and money: what does the future hold?
The first millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) are turning 40 this year. Still, despite more than twenty years in the workforce, it seems their financial wellbeing isn’t guaranteed. A Commonwealth Bank study has found that almost …
How to invest ethically
Ethical investing involves using your ethical principles to filter and guide your investment decisions. The practice has been around for more than 30 years in Australia, and has started to gain significant traction in recent …
How ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ affects your credit score
In recent years, ‘buy now pay later’ (BNPL) has become an increasingly popular method for consumers looking to purchase goods via instalments without resorting to credit cards. These services are often billed as a safer …
Demand for financial advice doubles in five years
If your car engine sounds dodgy, you see a mechanic. If you’re unwell, you see a doctor. If you’ve got a tooth ache, you see a dentist. But what about when you’re looking to better …
7 ways to stay active and healthy in retirement
When it comes to living a longer, healthier, more active lifestyle, a good approach can often involve easy tasks that you can turn into everyday habits – even when social distancing is on the agenda. …
Your 7-point retirement planning checklist
You might feel emotionally ready to retire but you’ll want to make sure you’re financially ready too. Socialising with mates, enjoying leisurely activities and indulging in the odd trip away are all things that have …
Should I still change jobs despite COVID-19?
Go back a month or two and you’d be forgiven for thinking we were on the fast track to pay rises all round. The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in a decade in …
Mortgage versus super – a common dilemma
Conventional wisdom used to dictate Australians were better paying off their home loans, and then, once debt-free turning their attention to building up their super. But with interest rates at record lows and many super …
How salary sacrificing into super could work for you
An effective way of building your super savings (and potentially reducing your taxable income) is through salary sacrificing – that is, asking your employer to put some of your before-tax income directly into your super …
Financial rights and wellbeing for LGBTI couples
Since marriage equality was achieved in 2017, LGBTI people have had access to the same legal and financial rights as heterosexual married couples. Yet members of the LGBTI community still face some unique challenges when …
11 things everyone should know about their super
Super is there to provide you with an income when you stop working and it may provide a tax-effective way to save for your retirement over the long-term. What’s probably more interesting, is in time, …
Women and superannuation – how the pay gap can impact your super
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, women are retiring with 37% less than men in their super accounts, which is a frightening thought considering women, on average, live up to five years longer. So, …
Should you use your super to save for a home?
Getting money together to buy your first home can be a big ask. As well as a deposit (ideally 20% of the house price), you also need to consider stamp duty and other expenses like …
Money worries and your mental health
It’s been a trying time for many people, with our collective mental health taking a toll as the COVID-19 pandemic rolls on. The Melbourne Institute says one-in-three Australians are now reporting financial stress, while one-in-five …
How to use your tax return to build a stronger financial future
Whether you breeze through tax time or dread the extra admin, receiving a tax refund makes the effort worthwhile. For many of us, getting a financial boost will be even more welcome this year, and …
Creating an emergency budget that works for you
It could take months, even years, to clear debt – especially if you used your credit card and you know you’ll be slugged with snowballing compound interest each month you don’t pay it off. Things …