Why rates aren’t going up in Australia Here’s 4 reasons why:

Why rates aren’t going up in Australia Here’s 4 reasons why: It wasn’t so long ago that everyone was wondering when rates were going to rise. Now it’s looking like we will be waiting for a while before the Reserve Bank of Australia puts up official rates. We don’t expect the RBA to raise rates until 2020. How is this so, you may ask, given inflationary fears are playing some havoc with stock markets, particularly …

Lender’s mortgage insurance explained

Lender’s mortgage insurance explained Find out what lender’s mortgage insurance is and how it could affect your home loan and what you pay back. Lender’s mortgage insurance is something you can probably expect to pay if you’re borrowing more than 80% of a property’s purchase price. We explain what it’s for, who arranges it and some potential ways you may be able to avoid it. What is lender’s mortgage insurance for? When it comes to …

The four steps to a better retirement

The four steps to a better retirement Today, with Australians living longer and healthier lives, the concept of retirement is much different to what it was only one generation ago. For each retiree, retirement is different. Typically, there are four areas that need to be considered to help you better understand your retirement goals and objectives. The four steps to a better retirement.  These are: Define your retirement vision; Understand your cash flow requirements; Clarify …

5 tips for a stress-free conversation about your Will

5 tips for a stress-free conversation about your Will No one likes unpleasant surprises. Talking about your Will with your family can be stressful, but it can also help to avoid a worse situation when you are gone. Contemplating one’s own death can be hard and in many families, talking about money or inheritances is taboo. Some parents worry that letting their children know how much they stand to inherit may cause a sense of entitlement or …

Weekly Market Update 20 July 2018

Weekly Market Update 20 July 2018 Investment markets and key developments over the past week Trade fears took a bit of a back seat over the past week allowing investors to focus on positive underlying fundamentals including good US earnings results, which saw most major share market rise. This included the Australian share market which is having another go at breaking through the 6300 level helped by industrial, financial, telco and consumer shares. Chinese shares …

Does a part-time job in retirement work for you?

Does a part-time job in retirement work for you? Maybe you can’t wait to give up work forever. But having a part-time job in retirement offers health and income benefits that could make it worth considering for your future lifestyle. Boosting your super For many people in their retirement years, one of the most compelling reasons for continuing with paid work is to make ends meet. According to a recent research report from the Association …

Getting in shape to start your own business

Getting in shape to start your own business Many of us dream of starting our own business, but to most it remains just that, a dream. We fantasise about what “being our own boss” would be like, after another run-in with the boss at work, or just the tedium of being in the same job, year-in, year-out, and starting to loathe every minute of it. To turn your dream into reality, there is much preparation …

Keeping tabs on your super investments

Keeping tabs on your super investments It’s important to get your investment strategy right with super. Keeping tabs on your super investments. Reviewing your portfolio regularly and getting advice can make all the difference to your savings and income for retirement. We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®professional Matt Torney from Muirfield Financial Services about how to make sure you’re taking the right approach with your super investments. What sort of questions can help you determine your …

Why real estate can deliver solid returns through different cycles

Commercial real estate is a unique asset class that acts and performs differently from other investment classes.

When is the right time to downsize?

When is the right time to downsize? Downsizing from a larger family home to somewhere smaller can be an obvious choice when retirement is on the cards.  For others it’s a necessity and something they do reluctantly. So when it comes to timing your decision, what’s the right approach to getting the best outcome for you and your finances? When is the right time to downsize? We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Anne Graham, principal …