Tips for better money management

Being ‘money smart’ and understanding money management principles can help your hard-earned cash go further. Here, we share some tips that could help you budget and better manage your finances. Income Income is any ‘incoming money’ you receive. This can include: Direct income: includes your salary or wages, or financial assistance from the government such as … Read more

The road ahead for shares

Trying to time investment markets is difficult if not impossible at the best of times, let alone now. The war in Ukraine, rising inflation and interest rates and an upcoming federal election have all added to market uncertainty and volatility. At times like these investors may be tempted to retreat to the ‘’safety” of cash, … Read more

Salary sacrifice to cut tax and boost your super

This time of year, people’s thoughts start turning to their tax return, but it can also be a good time to set things up so you don’t pay more tax than required next financial year. Simply talking to your employer about setting up an arrangement to “sacrifice” some of your pre-tax salary could potentially lower … Read more

The cost of not investing

For many people, the phrase “investing in the share market” is framed by either gains and losses. For the “gains” group, the thought of increasing their wealth and having the potential to generate returns is what propels them to invest. For the “losses” group, the thought of losing money is what keeps them out of … Read more

7 age pension traps to avoid

Make sure you don’t lose out on your age pension entitlements. After a lifetime of hard work, it’s important you maximise your entitlements in retirement. So you need to structure your finances carefully to make sure you don’t lose your age pension. After all, you’ve earned it.Here are some common traps to be aware of. … Read more

Look financially before you leap jobs

It’s a phenomenon widely being described as “the Great Resignation”. With many countries now having removed the tight operating restrictions they imposed on businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a quick ramp-up in economic activity. That ramp-up has spurred a surge in job vacancies around the world, and enticed record numbers of people to … Read more

A super end to the financial year

As the end of the financial year approaches, now is a good time to check your super and see what you could do to boost your retirement nest egg. What’s more, you could potentially reduce your tax bill at the same time. There are a handful of positive changes to super due to start next … Read more

Super changes that could affect you from 1 July 2022

A number of changes to the super system could create opportunities for Australians of all ages. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know. Last month, the Federal Government legislated a number of proposals that it previously put forward in its May 2021 Federal Budget. The changes announced will come into effect on 1 July … Read more

Behind the Reserve Bank’s interest rate hike

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to increase its official interest rate for the first time in more than a decade had been widely expected. The only so-called unknown was exactly when the RBA would move its cash rate higher. The cash rate is the set interest rate applied to unsecured overnight loans between banks … Read more