Pulse checking your finances

Your financial health is key to the health of your wellbeing, relationships, work and home life. It’s important to have a regular checkup of your financial position to ensure you’re on track and to confirm …

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Grow your retirement income

In retirement, every dollar counts and it is worth exploring different strategies to grow your retirement income. Here’s how do it… Use your super wisely If you’re about to retire or are in retirement, it …

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What is a distribution?

A managed fund generates income from its investments – for example, through share dividends, interest on cash or fixed interest investments in the fund, or any gains made when fund investments (like shares) are sold. …

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Ever thought of investing in essential services?

Investing in infrastructure is about investing in the companies that provide essential services to society and earning predictable, reliable returns in the process. More than 350 infrastructure and utility companies are listed on global stock …

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Economic and market overview November 2024

Investors maintained a healthy risk appetite for much of October, which enabled major share markets to make further progress. Movements in the US set the tone, with the S&P 500 Index rising to fresh all-time …

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Caring for ageing parents

Some of us may help provide assistance to our ageing parents or other relatives in the future. That time may bring a range of emotional and physical challenges. Planning ahead may help relieve stress down …

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How fixed interest got its groove back

Looking for higher returns than cash in the bank with less volatility than shares and property? With interest rates generally considered to be at or near their peak, fixed interest investments, such as bonds and …

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Financial literacy for kids

Books can spark our imaginations, transport us to new worlds, and let us explore other times and other minds. They’re also an invaluable tool for learning. Here are some ideas to help kids of all …

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A guide to aged care

Moving into residential aged care can be an uncertain and overwhelming experience for everyone involved. On top of the personal and emotional challenges, there are a number of important decisions to make including which facility …

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8 tips to get a harder working home loan

It’s lucky Aussie homeowners are a pretty resilient bunch. All the interest rate rises over the past couple of years have delivered a serious reality check, leaving variable rate home loans higher than they’ve been …

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How old is too old for insurance?

Protecting your income during your working years makes sense. But once you – or your parents – grow older, is life insurance still important? We take a look. Life insurance for later in life As …

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How do Aussie women’s finances stack up?

Planning for retirement is a daunting task and many Australian women lack confidence in financial decision making. Fortunately, there are some small steps women can take today to make a positive difference to their future. …

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Get 2024/25 off to a great start

The beginning of the financial year is a great opportunity to review your financial situation, to make sure you’re on track and on top of changes happening across tax and superannuation. Here are five areas …

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Contributions, when are they made?

Thanks to the evolving rules and additional tests, the world of superannuation contributions continues to be a source of confusion, resulting in misunderstandings and genuine errors. Whether it’s the work test, work test exemption, downsizer …

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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 ramping up over the past …

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Is it worth salary sacrificing into super?

Let’s explore the ins and outs of salary sacrificing into your super and help you determine if it’s worth considering as part of your financial strategy. We’re all familiar with the concept of super. It’s …

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How to determine asset allocation

Asset allocation is the process of dividing funds between different asset classes including cash, bonds, property and shares. This takes place as spreading resources across different asset classes can help diversify the portfolio’s holdings, which …

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Economic and market overview

Australian shares fared well in July, buoyed by suggestions that no further interest rate hikes will be necessary. With inflation coming off the boil, there was optimism that borrowing costs have peaked and could be …

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