Defining enough – the fundamental question for your financial plan Do all your future plans rely on having a lot more money than you do now? If the answer is yes, it might be time to think carefully about your values so you can put together a realistic financial plan that will bring you closer to the sort of life you want. Planning for your financial future doesn’t have to be about chasing more money. …
Five ways money can wreck your relationship Although women are often portrayed in television and film as “shopaholics” – for example spending thousands of dollars on shoes – in reality it is more likely for women in relationships to be the conservatives and the men the risk takers, says Kane Jiang, managing director at AA Financial Planning in Perth. “From a financial planner’s perspective,” Jiang says that couples often argue due to their “different risk …
Troubleshooting family finances Are your family finances a battleground where good and bad habits collide? Find out how to support your family towards better financial wellbeing without risking your relationship. Sometimes money can really drive a wedge between family members. When you have a parent, sibling, child or maybe even a partner who seems determined to sabotage their finances, it can be difficult to know how to help or where to draw the line with …
Seven lessons from the Global Financial Crisis for investors Key points The key lessons for investors from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) are that: there is always a cycle; while each cycle is different, markets are pushed to extremes of valuation and sentiment; high returns come with higher risk; be sceptical of financial engineering or hard-to-understand products; avoid too much gearing or gearing of the wrong sort; the importance of proper diversification; and the importance …
Money mistakes you make in your 20s Which of these rookie errors sound all too familiar when it comes to you and your squad? In your 20s, you might be saving for a plane ticket to go somewhere, a new car, your own pad, or just trying to keep your wardrobe up-to-date while still having enough cash left over for Saturday night. As you mull that over, give some thought to how what you spend …
First home buyers find success with advice and coaching Most of the conversations I have had with clients about their adult children are about buying and paying off their first home. Getting into debt is relatively easy, but high home prices and the need to pay it off make the challenge of home ownership more difficult than a generation ago. This is especially true in Sydney where home prices are over 12 times average earnings …
Dealing with redundancy How you spend your time and money after redundancy can make a difference to your future career and wellbeing. Find out how to plan for your best outcome. When your time at work comes to an end because of redundancy, it can stir up all sorts of feelings, ideas and possibilities. For some it’s a great opportunity to rethink how you want to be spending your time. Fear of the unknown can …
A quick guide to property investment Not only is property the largest asset class in the world, for many Australians it’s also the largest component of their household wealth. Indeed, of the top five people listed on the AFR’s 2018 Rich List, three have accumulated their wealth through property investment. Part of the appeal of property has been that it has proven to be a great ‘store of value’ with prices rising over the long …
Weekly Market Update 7 September 2018 Investment markets and key developments over the past week The past week saw share markets fall on the back of worries around emerging markets, trade wars and the potential regulation of US social media stocks. After being resilient to global threats over the last few months Australian shares also got hit and fell 3.1% to their lowest since June. Bond yields were generally little changed although they fell in Italy. …
What’s next for house prices? The bottom line is we see more downside in Australian house prices. That is, of course, a broad generalisation and it depends on where you live. Australian house prices have fallen for ten consecutive months driven mainly by declines in Sydney and Melbourne, which are coming off the back of a huge boom. Nationwide, there is likely more downside to go with expectations of another 5% decline. We’ve seen a …
