Finding your disappearing dollars Do you earn a decent salary but still find it hard to live within your means or save? If your strategy is to save what is left in your bank account at the end of the month, you probably won’t have any savings at all. Invariably there is nothing left at the end of the month, so this is not really a strategy. We talk to two CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals about …
Taking your first step towards financial freedom (video) You might think that financial planners solve money problems. Financial planning is about so much more than this. It’s about bringing your dreams to life, identifying your life goals, hopes and dreams – and putting in place a financial plan to get you there. Here, Jen explains how meeting a financial adviser made her feel like she had taken the first steps to future financial stability …
Should your investment journey start with property? When you’re priced out of owning a home in your neighbourhood, is property investing a good solution for growing your wealth? Will renting for the rest of your life cost more and make you more vulnerable? We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Rebecca Fergusson, financial planner at Main Street Financial Solutions, about the pros and cons of property investing as a strategy for securing your financial future. …
How to max your tax refund Expecting a refund from your 2017/18 tax return? 77 out of 100 Aussies are likely to get one and many could already have plans to spend it. If you’re one of them, find out how to treat yourself right with your windfall and be better off for good. For most of us, tax refunds rarely come as a complete surprise. In fact, sometimes we might even be using the …
Are you living your dream life? (Video) Financial planning starts with understanding what’s important to you and your family. If you are not living the life that you have always wanted, so far, then talking to a financial planner to identify what you want and map out a plan, is a good place to start. People who plan have more control of their lives because they can see options to move forward. This provides them …
The wallet challenge: Step 1 – your financial audit This 4 part series will get you ready to grow your wealth in the new financial year. Starting with an audit of your current financial position, this checklist will guide you through a review of all your assets – savings, super, properties etc and liabilities – loan payments, insurance policies, bills so you can get a clear picture of where you are at financially and where …
Flying solo: Stories of the self-employed There are 2.1 million small businesses in Australia. Of them, just under 1.3 million are sole traders or partnerships. Making the decision to start your own business can be both exciting and terrifying. There are many perks to being your own boss but plenty of responsibilities too. We spoke to two Australian business owners to get their take on it. Go your own way Running your own business generally means working …
Women and wealth creation: Closing the gap through financial planning With the gender pay gap still prevalent today, women often face an uphill battle to stay ahead of the game financially. The financial disparity is further compounded when women take time out from full-time work to care for family, sacrificing superannuation and wages along the way. While we each do our part for the gender imbalance to improve, investing in a financial plan is an …
Aussie attitudes to finance across the generations From Gen Y to Gen X to the Boomers, are attitudes to finance really that different between the generations? “Young people don’t understand the value of working hard and saving for the future.” “Baby Boomers are ruining our chance to buy a home.” People of all ages will express opinions about the older or younger generations, but are we actually any different in our attitudes to finance? The …
6 ways to navigate your finances in your 40s Growing responsibilities and competing priorities can be a feature of your 40s. Strategic wealth advisor Adrian Hanrahan offers his tips for getting ahead in mid-life. Although marriage, mortgage, and young children may have characterised your 30s, your 40s often feature growing responsibilities and ever-competing priorities. Your parents are older, your mortgage is still on foot, children’s education costs are growing, and though retirement may seem a …
