Money challenges women face

Knowledge is power. Financial knowledge is particularly powerful when it comes to securing your future. Women and men alike can benefit from acquiring financial knowledge and skills. But when it comes to money, women face unique challenges. The last few years have seen the spotlight shining brightly on women’s issues globally with calls for political and social change, and exciting progress has been made to close the gender gap. However, there are still a number …

Health and holistic financial advice [Free eBook] | Money & Life

As financial planning professionals, it can be easy to confine our advice and interactions with clients to topics related directly to money and finances – after all, that’s what usually gets them in the front door! But as our relationships with clients hopefully grow over time, and we become more familiar with their personal circumstances, ambitions and what is holding them back from achieving their goals, it makes sense that we start working with them …

Budget smarter with the 50/20/30 rule

Looking at your spending in a new light could make a substantial difference to your financial future. The 50/20/30 budget rule works for one main reason – it’s easy. You’re new to budgeting. You know how much money you make and have a rough idea of how much you spend. But you’re not really sure about what, exactly, you’re spending it on, or if your spending patterns will benefit you in the long run. The …

How to avoid bill shock with bill-smoothing payments

How to avoid bill shock with bill-smoothing payments Sidestep the shock of unexpected bills by smoothing out payments and making regular, automated instalments that can be planned well in advance. Ever experience that sinking feeling when you’ve opened a bill that you can’t possibly afford to pay? The shock of receiving a big bill – or worse, a number of them arriving at the same time – can be extremely stressful. Thankfully, by setting up …

A guide to retirement in Australia | Money & Life

A guide to retirement in Australia | Money & Life Many of us think of retirement as a given – you work hard for your middle years, and then you get to bow out of the workforce and enjoy a well-deserved rest, take those bucket-list trips and enjoy the best life has to offer. After all, you’ve made your contribution and now you’ve earned the right to kick back. But unfortunately, retirement isn’t that simple …

Life After Work

Life After Work Retirement is instilling a new level of confidence, with almost two thirds of Australians aged 50 and over saying they are living their best years.i In this video we demonstrate this with some real-life stories. Three retirees talk about what their lives are like after work, including their fears, hopes and dreams for the future. “Nothing like what I dreamt it’d be like – it’s so much better.” Retirees reveal the magic of …

Borrowing money: When and how to do it right | Money & Life

We all know getting into debt isn’t really desirable. So are there times when borrowing is justified? And what’s the best approach to keeping repayments within reasonable limits?   We spoke to Sandy Hopps CFP® from Strategic Planners to get expert advice on smart ways to borrow money. Recent reports and statistics show we’re no strangers to debt in Australia. According to OECD data from 2015, Australia is 4th in the world – behind Denmark, the …

The increasing economic threat from Coronavirus – what to watch for and what should investors do | AMP Capital

Key points The rout in financial markets has continued, on the back of coronavirus, made worse by a flow on to oil markets. The risk of a deeper hit to economic activity has risen. Key things to watch are the daily number of new cases, measures of economic stress and policy stimulus. Key things for investors to bear in mind remain that: share market falls are normal; selling shares after a fall locks in a …

Market Update 6 March 2020 | AMP Capital

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets had a very volatile week – helped initially by more policy easing globally with both the Fed and the RBA cutting interest rates but only to get hit again by intensifying coronavirus concerns. While Chinese shares briefly made it back to their January high and had a strong week, Eurozone, Japanese and Australian shares fell for the week. The Australian share market got some boost …