How much do you need to retire comfortably in Australia?

How much do you need to retire comfortably in Australia? Knowing how much money you might need, how long it will last can be tricky. Working out how much is enough for retirement depends on many factors, such as your lifestyle, plans for the future, and the number of years you’ll spend retired. Additionally, estimating how much you’ll have when you plan to retire depends on factors such as your current salary, super balance and …

Understanding home loans

Understanding home loans Chances are, buying a home will be the most expensive and exciting purchase you’ll make during your life. Like most Australians, you’ll need to take out a home loan to help fund your purchase. Here, we explain how different home loans work and what to look out for. How home loans work A ‘home loan’ or ‘mortgage’ is a sum of money loaned to you by a financial institution so you can …

Weekly market update 28-07-2023

Fed & ECB at/near the top; BoJ tweaks yield control; Aust inflation falling too; RBA to hold after lower inflation & retail sales but its a close call; and more.

How to prepare financially for starting a family

How to prepare financially for starting a family Starting a family is exciting, but it can also mean big changes to your lifestyle and your finances. As expecting parents, it’s natural to have questions around family finance planning. One of the main questions you may have when starting a family is “how much do babies cost?” According to research, it costs an average of $140-170i. It could help to plan and have a family budget …

The confusing economic picture

The confusing economic picture – why you need to know the difference between leading and lagging economic indicators Dr Shane Oliver – Head of Investment Strategy and Chief Economist, AMP Download PDF version Key points For nearly 30 years Australia had benign economic cycles so the current environment may be a bit of a shock for many. Still low unemployment and still high inflation despite slowing economic growth are not that unusual because they both normally lag …

Informed June 2023

June 2023 Download PDF version Market update The table below provides details of the movement in average investment returns from various asset classes for the period up to 31 May 2023. Asset class (% change) 1 month 3 months 1 year 3 years (% pa) Australian shares -2.5 -0.9 2.9 11.4 Smaller companies -3.3 -1.3 -5.8 4.5 International shares (unhedged) 1.2 8.4 13.4 11.9 International shares (hedged) -0.2 4.0 3.2 11.7 Emerging markets (unhedged) 0.4 4.4 …

9 money mistakes people make in retirement

9 money mistakes people make in retirement How to keep your finances on track once you leave the workforce When you’ve worked hard all your life to build up your nest egg, the last thing you want to do is fritter it away too quickly. In this article, we look at the common money mistakes people in retirement make, and how you can do your best to avoid them. 1. Not taking control of your …