Financial Planning

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? 

Industry Super Funds On Notice...

Industry Super Funds On Notice...

The Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly O’Dwyer, has made a thinly-veiled attack on advertising spending by Industry Superannuation Funds...

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...

5 Questions To Ask A Financial Planner

5 Questions To Ask A Financial Planner

Finding the right financial planner for your needs, goals and life stage is essential to help you achieve your financial goals. As a specialist profession, it's important to check your financial planner is professionally licensed and qualified to provide you with advice. Equally important is the rapport you have with them - it should be comfortable and feel like the right fit from the start. Here are five questions to ask a financial planner at your first meeting...

Goals: A New Sense of Progress

Goals: A New Sense of Progress

Chances are, you're thinking about 2018 - most of us do this time of year. It's a great time to regroup and hit the refresh button to get a clean start, especially if this year didn't quite work out how you thought it would...

Alert: Residential Property Deductions

Alert: Residential Property Deductions

The ATO have now made the following changes to residential property deductions, applicable from 1st July 2017...

Market outlook for 2018

Market outlook for 2018

By the standards of recent years, 2017 was relatively quiet. Sure there was the usual “worry list” – about Trump, elections in Europe, China as always, North Korea and the perennial property crash in Australia. And there was a mania in bitcoin. But overall it has been pretty positive for investors...

Accountant or Planner?

Accountant or Planner?

When it comes to sorting out money matters, where do you go to seek professional help? Can an accountant take care of your finances or should you be speaking to a financial planner? Discover more about the difference between these two support services and how you can benefit from both...

Mistakes To Mastery (Free eBook)

Mistakes To Mastery (Free eBook)

Life doesn’t revolve around money. Lots of other things - like family, friends, and health - can be much more important to you than your bank balance. But some personal goals are hard to achieve if you don’t have much money. That’s why the FPA have put together this handy guide to getting to grips with the do’s and don’ts of your finances...

US interest rates: The Fed hikes again

US interest rates: The Fed hikes again

The US Federal Reserve raised rates last night by another 0.25%, noting continuing strengthening in the US labour market and solid economic growth. The question now is where to from here? Will the Fed get more aggressive? Should investors be concerned?

Superannuation: Housing Measures Passed

Superannuation: Housing Measures Passed

Two very important housing affordability measures were passed on December 7th - the First Home Super Saver Scheme & Downsizer Contributions...

Investing: Cautious optimism better for your health...

Investing: Cautious optimism better for your health...

At the start of last year, with global and Australian shares down around 20% from their April/May 2015 highs, the big worry was that the global economy was going back into recession and that there will be another Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Now, with share markets having had a strong run higher, it seems to have been replaced by worries that a crash is around the corner and this will give us the global recession and new GFC that we missed last year!

Psych yourself into saving

Psych yourself into saving

Whether you’re struggling to make ends meet or living comfortably, saving money can be something you’ll be finding hard to do. In her new book “Mind Over Money: The Psychology of Money and How To Use it Better” BBC broadcaster and psychologist Claudia Hammond shares insights into how we can change our ways when it comes to budgeting, spending and saving more for a rainy day...