Weekly Market Update 6 July 2018 Investment markets and key developments over the past week Trade war fears continued to cause nervousness over the last week, weighing on Chinese, Japanese and Asian shares generally but US and Eurozone shares rose partly on hopes for a resolution but also helped by good data and Australian shares also pushed higher helped by a rebound in Telstra. Bond yields were generally flat to down excepting in Italy where …
Salary sacrifice: A lot less painful than it sounds Maybe you’ve heard about salary sacrifice as a way to increase your retirement savings. But did you know it can be a very tax-effective way to make voluntary super contributions? Find out how you could boost your retirement savings and pay less tax all in one go. What is salary sacrificing to super? In very simple terms, salary sacrificing into super means paying an amount from …
As a small business owner, do I need a Plan B for retirement? (Video) Alexis Wheatley CFP® As Principal of Wheatley Wealth Management, Alexis provides high-quality strategic advice to help her clients create and preserve their wealth. As part of the Financial Planning Association’s Ask a Planner video series, Alexis Wheatley CFP® answers the commonly asked question, “As a small business owner, I see my business as my retirement nest egg. So why would I …
Getting ahead with your superannuation when you’re self-employed If you’re self-employed in Australia, there’s a good chance your retirement savings aren’t all they could be. In fact, research from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (AFSA) found in the run up to retirement, the self-employed have around half the superannuation of employees. We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Dacian Moses, financial planner at Waterfall Way Associates, about strategies for the self-employed to get on …
2017-18 saw strong returns for diversified investors – but there’s a few storm clouds around Key points 2017-18 saw strong returns for diversified investors, but it was a story of two halves with strong December half returns but more volatility in the past 6 months. Key lessons for investors from the last financial year include: turn down the noise around financial markets, maintain a well-diversified portfolio; be cautious of the crowd; and cash continues to …
Your money goals and how to reach them It’s easy to have big ideas about your financial future, but harder to achieve them. As most dieters know, you can follow the best dieting program, but struggle to stick to it. The same is true for your financial goals, whatever they include, and the plan you draw up to achieve them. Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to fall “off the wagon”. Life is full …
How can I prepare my finances for having a family? (Video) Louise Lakomy CFP® Louise has a wide range of experience and depth of knowledge in all facets of financial planning providing advice over 15 years specialising in retirement strategies. As part of the Financial Planning Association’s Ask a Planner video series, Louise Lakomy CFP® answers the commonly asked question, “What can I do financially to prepare for having a family?” If you have …
Do I need an accountant to do my tax return? Depending on whether your finances are straightforward or more complex, you may choose to do your tax return yourself or engage a professional. If you have multiple sources of income, various investments, possibly your own business or have lots of deductible work-related expenses, using an accountant (who’ll need to be a registered tax agent1) to prepare and lodge your tax return may be useful. However, …
Financial planning for business owners With the freedom you get from running your own business comes the responsibility for generating your own income and building your enterprise into something you can retire on. We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Steven Monaco, Associate Director at Hood Sweeney, about how financial advice can help you look forward to a better future for you and your business. Why is good financial advice particularly important when you run …
What is an asset class? If you are starting to invest, you are sure to come across the term “asset class”. Don’t panic! You’ve probably heard of the different asset classes under their real names: cash, bonds, property and shares. An asset class is simply a group of investments that share similar characteristics, behave similarly in the market and are subject to the same rules and regulations. Most importantly, each asset class comes with different …
