Protect Your Income
If you’re employed or self‑employed, income protection insurance can replace up to 75% of your pre-tax income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. Why protect your income? If you are unable to work for an extended period due to illness or injury, you could run down your savings very quickly and…
Read MoreSmart super strategies for this EOFY
Want to help boost your retirement savings while potentially saving on tax? Here are five smart super strategies to consider before the end of the financial year. 1. Add to your super – and claim a tax deduction If you contribute some of your after-tax income or savings into super, you may be eligible to…
Read MoreMarket Wrap
Markets march on April 2019 The market rally that began in January continued more modestly in February and into March, with most markets positive. Global shares were up by 1.7% and 1.5% in hedged and unhedged terms, respectively. US shares were up 1.8% and economic indicators were mixed. On the upside, the manufacturing PMI firmed;…
Read MoreThe out of pocket burden
• Whilst Medicare is universal, and can cover hospital, medical and pharmaceutical benefits, more than 11 million Australians choose to ‘supplement’ their healthcare funding with private hospital cover and around 13 million had private ancillary cover2 • Notwithstanding the interaction between Medicare and private cover, the individual is often left with a ‘gap’ between the…
Read MoreFederal Budget
How will the Federal Budget affect you? This year’s Federal Budget is an ‘election budget’ with future tax cuts for all Australians, especially low and middle income earners. Overall, there were minimal changes to super proposed in the Budget, with minor changes to super contributions for older Australians. We’ve summarised some of the key points…
Read MoreCashflow: Keeping top tips top of mind
We all like a good cost saving tip, even if it is something we already know, it never hurts to revisit some top tips and take a look at our current situation to see if there are savings to be made. Any little savings we make throughout the year can be diverted to a bigger…
Read MorePrune, adapt and budget: Managing the rising cost of living
If you’re organised with your finances, the high cost of living doesn’t have to mean diminished savings. The increasing cost of goods and services – from food and housing to transport and utilities – is a reality most Australians have to face every day. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that living…
Read MoreMarket Wrap
February 2019 A mixed bag After January’s bounce, February was a little quieter but still ended in positive territory, with global shares up by 3.4% and 5.6% in hedged and unhedged terms respectively. US shares similarly were up 3%, a more modest rise than January’s 7.9% rally, which was driven by a better-than-expected US reporting…
Read MoreMy 5 tips…..for using a mortgage broker
Jonathan Ekehov from Eko Finance and Home Loans writes There are lots of good reasons why more than half of Australians now use a broker to secure a home loan. Here are my top 5. 1. Probably the most important one that is we work for you, not the banks. We work with multiple lenders, not…
Read MoreSmart ways to financially get ahead in your 40’s
In your 40’s and still not financially secure? Don’t fret. You can still catch up. Being in your 40’s often involves balancing different priorities. For example, you may need to care for your ageing parents, grow your career or business, and if you’re a parent, support your children. With all these responsibilities, it’s easy to…
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