Financial Advice

Don't Fall For It...

Don't Fall For It...

who can you trust with your money?

Opportunities to make your millions can come in many guises. Maybe you’ve been tempted to jump on the Bitcoin bandwagon or find a surefire way to become rich overnight. But it’s very important to fully understand the risks involved and seek sound advice before handing over your cash...

Trump & Trade War Risks

Trump & Trade War Risks

After the calm of 2017, 2018 is proving to be anything but with shares falling in February on worries about US inflation, only to rebound and then fall again with markets back to or below their February low, notwithstanding a nice US bounce overnight. So what’s driving the weakness and what should investors do? 

Can you afford not to have a plan?

Can you afford not to have a plan?

Many people wonder if they can afford a financial planner, or whether they even have enough money to justify one. As Simon Clifford writes, people can't afford to not have a financial planner, or a plan...

Why All The Share Market Volatility?

Why All The Share Market Volatility?

The return of inflation has been mentioned quite a lot recently as a reason why share markets are jumpy all of a sudden, by what has the return of inflation in the United States really got to do with share market volatility?

Teach Your Children Well

Teach Your Children Well

As we move towards a cashless society, how do we teach children that money comes from hard work and good financial management and not some magic money pot in the sky?

9 COMMON INVESTMENT MISTAKES

9 COMMON INVESTMENT MISTAKES

FROM THE VAULT:

(Originally posted on 24 November 2016)

The 9 Habits of highly ineffective investors...

As the Trump rally continues, its important to stop, take a deep breath and think about potential pitfalls going forward as the fear of missing out and 'animal spirits' take centre stage.

Many of the mistakes investors make are based on common sense rules of thumb that turn out to be wrong...

The True Value of Advice

The True Value of Advice

Does investing in a financial planner really pay off? According to the latest research from Sunsuper you could be thousands of dollars better off when you make choices based on professional financial advice. Plus you’ll take more family holidays, have greater peace of mind and more confidence in your financial decisions...

Mini-retirement: Where do I sign?

Mini-retirement: Where do I sign?

Think a mini-retirement sounds like a pipe-dream? If you daydream about having the time and energy to get through your bucket list while you’re still young, it could be time for the blue-sky thinking and practical planning that can make it happen...

What is the risk of a US recession?

What is the risk of a US recession?

Was the 10% selloff the 'entree' of what's to come, or just a 10% correction?

Teen heading off to Uni?

Teen heading off to Uni?

5 Vital chats to have...

With the HSC exams finished and new graduates about to begin the next stage of their education, perhaps it’s a good time to start thinking about a new challenge ahead: how your teenager will fund his or her life at university.

Of course, you can always give your childs a helping hand with their finances during this time. But it’s also important to get them ready to stand on their own two feet during and after their studies.

For some parents, this may be a great opportunity to have those crucial chats about money and the financial workings of the world.

Living the Good Life...

Living the Good Life...

Whether you’re twenty-something and single or married with kids, life is full of challenges and opportunities. How can you handle money better so you’re not held back by debts and financial stress? 

Guide to Planning Your Estate

Guide to Planning Your Estate

Thorough estate planning involves implementing strategies to deal with all your assets - not just those covered by your Will. This guide, produced by MLC, is a handy starting point to putting in the right strategies for you and your family....

Downsize your home, contribute to super

Downsize your home, contribute to super

From 1 July 2018, Australians aged 65 years or older will be able to make a non-concessional (after-tax) contribution into their superannuation (up to $300,000 each) from the sale proceeds of their family home, if they have owned the property for at least 10 years...

Frugal February - How Much Could You Save?

Frugal February - How Much Could You Save?

It’s the shortest month of the year so what better time to make a change and save some money? We’ve got three tips for each of the next four weeks to help those dollars pile up in Frugal February...

Interest rates unchanged

Interest rates unchanged

The Reserve Bank of Australia has today announced the official cash rate for February following its monthly board meeting. The RBA board has decided to keep the cash rate at 1.5 per cent, a move predicted by most industry experts...

Time for a share market correction?

Time for a share market correction?

Is this the beginning of a share market correction we had to have?

5 issues to consider before tying the knot...

5 issues to consider before tying the knot...

Before your big day, much of the financial talk may have been around budgeting for your wedding and planning your honeymoon. But while not nearly as exciting, there’s another vital part of your new partnership that should be considered: your future finances.

Finances can be one of the biggest sources of stress and tension in a marriage. However, open communication and careful planning now can help you avoid many problems down the road.

Here are five important areas to examine before you walk down the aisle:

Inflation: The risks to shares & property

Inflation: The risks to shares & property

The global risks to inflation and bond yields are finally shifting to the upside, with investment markets starting to take note as evident in the pullback in global share markets seen over the last few days. But how big is the risk? Are we on the brink of another bond crash that will engulf other assets like shares and property? 

2018: A List of Lists

2018: A List of Lists

Although 2017 saw the usual worry list – around President Trump, elections in Europe, China, North Korea and Australian property – it was good for investors. Balanced super funds had returns around 10%, which is pretty good given inflation was around 2%. This year has started favourably but volatility may pick up as geopolitical threats loom a little larger and US inflation rises. This note provides a summary of key insights on the global investment outlook in simple dot point form...