How much do you know about investing? Investing is normally a topic that conjures up images of pin-striped executives and sophisticated financial markets. But, in reality, the act of investing is part-and-parcel of our daily lives; all of us are doing it throughout the day, though we might not consciously […]
Sacrifice your mortgage to build wealth Back in the days of “normal” interest rates the simple answer to the question “what do I do with any surplus savings?” was “pay off debt”. That’s still a sound strategy for anyone paying high rates of interest on credit cards or personal loans. […]
Low income earners: Six super hacks to retire richer While it’s easy to be discouraged by superannuation and fear you will never have enough money saved to stop working, remember even a modest superannuation balance can make a big difference in retirement. For every $100,000 saved in superannuation, you can […]
When an SMSF may be the wrong idea Since the Australian Government introduced compulsory employer contributions to people’s superannuation funds in 1992, Australia’s funds invested in super have grown to $3 trillion. In this time, self-managed super funds (SMSFs) have grown in popularity too. There are currently just over 1.1 […]
The fast way to a life supported by passive income Imagine that, without any effort on your part, enough money regularly pours into your bank account to meet (or exceed) all your living expenses. Suddenly, work becomes optional and a world of opportunities opens up. That’s the ultimate in passive […]
Separation Planning: An adviser’s perspective Few client meetings have been as challenging. After years of being happily married, Sarah and her husband decided to separate, and the story of her acrimonious divorce was certainly distressing. It started with a chance meeting, where in passing, Sarah mentioned the divorce. She assured […]
The tips, traps and costs of retirement villages With an aging population, an increasing number of Australians are opting to live in retirement villages. While pitched at the ‘over-55s’, the average age of entry is 75, and average age of residents is 81. Depending on the retirement villages, attractions include […]
Retirees cash flow drought While cuts in interest rates are greeted with glee by homebuyers and other borrowers, for the millions of retirees and others who depend on interest payments for their income, falling interest rates can be a disaster. For them, a drop in interest rates from 4% to […]
Market crashes: The good, the bad and the ugly Just as night follows day, it seems part of the regular cycle of the world’s share markets that downturns and falling prices follow good times and rising prices. The impact of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic was typical of such downturns, prompting […]
How does Australia’s pensions plan stack up? One in six people will be over 65 years old by 2050. With the world’s population ageing quickly, it is natural to think about how pension systems around the world will cope, particularly in Australia. Fortunately, Australia’s three-component retirement income system means our […]