When can I afford to retire?

When can I afford to retire? Judging when you’re ready to retire is a tricky proposition, with the need to balance comfort, lifestyle and future income. When can you afford to retire? We sat down with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®professional and private client adviser Chris Giaouris of Chronos Private to find out how to tell when you’re retirement-ready.  How do you know how much money you’ll need to retire? To be frank, it’s impossible to know for …

How to spend more to save Penny wise, pound foolish rings true today

How to spend more to save The old saying “penny wise, pound foolish” couldn’t ring truer than in today’s throw-away world of overconsumption and excessive production of disposable items. Did you know that many manufacturers have been using techniques to deliberately reduce the life of a product to increase its replacement rate and sell you the same thing again? It’s called planned obsolescence. Some products are not built to last. Others are specifically designed to make …

7 money personalities you may identify with or want to avoid

7 money personalities you may identify with or want to avoid Are you the friend that shouts more than what you can afford, or the one that’s happy with a handout because no one knows struggle street like you do? When it comes to money and people’s behaviour, you may have a few labels or preferred ways of describing those nearest and dearest to you – and surprise surprise, they may do for you too. …

Weekly Market Update 27 July 2018

Weekly Market Update 27 July 2018 Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets mostly pushed higher over the last week helped by good US earnings news and a US/European trade agreement. This saw solid gains in US and European shares which helped the Australian share market. Chinese shares also benefitted from more stimulus talk. But Japanese shares fell slightly on talk of the Bank of Japan reviewing its monetary stimulus. Bank …

Should you be sharing your super with the kids?

Should you be sharing your super with the kids? According to the latest research from REST Industry Super, working Australians aged over 50 are very much in the habit of making financial contributions to their kids. So far they’ve shelled out $31.6 billion for home deposits, $55.9 billion for education and nearly $10 billion for wedding expenses1. So is funding major life events for the next generation affordable? And what happens when you want to …

Investment 101: what are your options?

Investment 101: what are your options? Nobody has a crystal ball to look into the future, but it’s important to have a general understanding of how investing works so you can build your assets for financial security. And it doesn’t hurt to know your options and be aware of potential associated risks and returns. Investment 101: what are your options? Risky business You may have heard the term “risk” mentioned when it comes to investing, but …

What is financial planning? (Video)

What is financial planning? (Video)  Are you a money optimist, or a money pessimist? The way we perceive our finances strongly influences how we spend our money, and make plans for the future. Whichever way you see the world, financial planning can help you reach your goals. What is financial planning? If you have a question you’d like answered by a professional financial planner please email us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you. This video …

Trumponomics and investment markets

Trumponomics and investment markets Key points So far President Trump has been positive for share markets but this year the focus is increasingly shifting to populist policies with greater risk for investors. The key risks to keep an eye on in this regard relate to trade conflict and the expanding US budget deficit, although the latter is more a risk for when the US economy next turns down. However, the best approach for investors in …

What are managed funds?

What are managed funds? You’ve probably heard friends or family say they have invested in managed funds, but what are these, how do they work and are they right for you? What is a managed fund? A managed fund is run by a professional fund manager, who pools together money from individual investors to invest in assets. There are many types of managed funds. Each will have a specific investment objective, usually focused on different asset …

Relationship rules for your finances (Video)

Relationship rules for your finances (Video)  Your relationship might be rock solid. But any romance can come unstuck when you fall out over money. Keep those financial squabbles at bay with our friendly guide to joint finances. If you have a question you’d like answered by a professional financial planner please email us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you. This video contains general financial advice only. It is provided by an Australian Financial …