A bit of planning and forethought may help take the financial stress out of Christmas. Christmas is a happy time of year that brings people together but it can also be expensive. With a bit of early planning you may…
Feeling generous and want to make a difference? Here are five tips on giving to consider. An estimated 14.9 million Australian adults (80.8 percent of the population) gave $12.5 billion to charities and not-for-profit organisations in 2015–16.[1] For many people, donating…
If your life insurance policy is in a drawer gathering dust, your family could be in for a nasty shock in the event of a claim. Here we outline some pitfalls to avoid when taking out cover. 1. Buying On…
Many of the federal government’s superannuation reforms came into effect on 1 July. Here’s what’s new. The government says it has tried to make the superannuation system more sustainable and has introduced more flexibility to suit modern work patterns. This…
Fixed income has been a friend to investors. Over the past 20 years, the annualised return to the end of last year for both domestic and global fixed income has exceeded global share returns. But with rates so low and…
Governments across the country are offering incentives for first-home buyers. You just have to know where to look. Buying your own home is the largest purchase most people will make in their lives. However, a long run of low interest…
As a general proposition, for income tax purposes, interest income on a bank account is assessable to the account holders in proportion to their beneficial ownership of the money in the account. The ATO will assume, unless there is evidence…
More and more people are turning to self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs). We explore why SMSFs are becoming more popular and look at their benefits and risks. What is an SMSF? An SMSF is a private superannuation fund that’s regulated by…
If you have been contemplating selling the family home but are confused about whether it will have a positive or negative impact on your finances, we can talk you through some proposed changes and how they may be relevant to…
The 2017 Federal Budget was delivered by Treasurer Scott Morrison on Tuesday 9 May 2017. Its supporters have labelled it as being “fair and responsible” and about making the “right choices” for the economy. The budget has infrastructure and housing…
