Financial Planning

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? 

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...