MARKET AND ECONOMIC OVERVIEW Australia The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cut the official cash rate from 2.25% to 2.00% on 5 May; this was largely expected by financial markets. The RBA subsequently left the official cash rate on hold on 2 June. The RBA noted that “the global econom

Tips for teaching kids the value of digital money One in three parents agree digital purchases make it harder to teach kids the value of money. Here are our tips for overcoming this. It can be hard for kids to understand what they can’t see. And as there’s no visible exchange of cash

Funeral Insurance – is it worth it? It’s difficult to watch television these days without being bombarded with advertising from insurance companies, the latest trend offering low cost funeral insurance. It seems so easy, pick up the phone and within a matter of minutes you can be cove

We’ve all heard the terms “estate plan”, “will” and “trust”,  however not everyone understands what they mean. Estate planning is the process of putting in place structures to ensure that the wealth you have accumulated over your lifetime is transferred to your beneficiaries in a tax-

When you retire but your partner doesn’t Many couples dream of sharing a life of leisure together. But what happens when things get out of sync? When we think of retirement, we often imagine a happy couple strolling hand in hand on the beach. But even if you and your partner are simil

MARKET UPDATE Market and economic overview Australia The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) eased monetary policy on 3 February 2015, cutting the official cash rate to a record low of 2.25%, from 2.5%. The first move in interest rates since August 2013. The RBA followed up on 3 March 201

Low interest rates – not good news for everyone They are a boon for those with mortgages but not entirely good news for everyone. Interest rates are now at record lows in Australia. The most recent rate cut announced by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) was made on the back of weak

Should I take my super as a lump sum or not? You’ve spent your working life accumulating super. So when the time comes, are you better off taking a lump sum, regular income or both?   Let’s weigh up the alternatives so you can start to consider what may be best for you. Ta

Super vs mortgage. Can you guess the winner? The pros and cons of using your spare income to either pay more off your mortgage or increase your super need to be weighed up.  The direction you take depends on a few factors such as your age, how much you earn, your level of debt and you

5 questions to ask before starting a SMSF Self Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) continue to be the fastest growing area within the superannuation industry. Many people are still eager to enter this segment of the Superannuation market. We look at 5 questions you should ask yourself to dete