The clock is ticking on major changes to superannuation that come into force on 1 July 2017. The changes are wide-ranging and are likely to affect everyone’s retirement savings. But it can pay to plan ahead both to take advantage of the existing rules, and to make the most of t

The Australian housing market – what are the key issues? The cooling in the Sydney and Melbourne property markets evident in late 2015 in response to macro prudential tightening deployed by APRA has proved ephemeral. Price gains have reaccelerated and auction clearance rates & len

Should you lend money to family? You’re probably fairly used to helping your family out with a little extra cash here and there. Whether it’s pocket money for doing chores, or money to pay phone bills, go see a movie or buy clothes, for example. But what happens when they put their ha

How to boost your pension under the new threshold rules To help you enjoy a more comfortable retirement, here are some tips to make the most of the new Age Pension rules which took effect on 1 January 2017. When you’re relying on the Age Pension to fund your retirement, every do

Don’t let your emotions get in the way of smart investing It’s often said that the share market is driven by two emotions – fear and greed. While this might be an over simplification, it helps to explain investor behaviour and why so many people are unsuccessful at investing. Emotiona

6 tips to having the right level of insurance cover   When life is busy it can be easy to overlook the important things and take your own wellbeing for granted. But it pays to stop and consider how much your loved ones depend on you. If something were to happen to you, money is t

Economics overview Australia -          The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board met on 4 April and as widely expected, left the official cash rate on hold at 1.5%. At the time of writing the RBA also left the official cash rate on hold at its 2 May 2017 meeting.  There has been no c

Your options in aged care explained With multiple avenues to explore, thinking about aged care earlier rather than later could provide you or your loved one with greater flexibility. It’s possible that in the future you, or someone close to you, may need some form of care or daily liv

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Your top five New Year’s financial resolutions Overspent in 2016? Here’s how to put your finances back on track – and even get ahead Despite the best intentions, many of us finished last year on a low note financially. Whether it’s the cost of Christmas presents or summer holidays, or