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 …
Under 40 and broke: Why young people need financial advice more than ever With increasing debt and falling home ownership among the under 40s, their financial prospects are less than rosy. If this trend is set to continue, young people are going to be needing financial advice more than ever to help them make the best choices for a secure future. There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about how much better off …
Weekend saving ideas – for your pocket and lifestyle When weekends are crammed with Saturday sport, shopping and screens, it can be hard to feel like you’ve had fun and relaxed. Discover how to get more from your precious days off and spend less. 1. Plan for all the right ingredients To have a happy weekend to look forward to (and back on), it’s important to get the balance right between the different activities you …
Get real: how we delude ourselves about investments In 1988, I bought $750 worth of special $5 coins, minted to commemorate the opening of Australia’s Parliament House. I figured it was a one-way bet to investment success. They were legal tender costing $5 and would always be worth at least $5, and if they became sought-after by collectors, the sky was the limit. I found the box of coins recently while cleaning the attic. They …
Five things you need to know about the Australian economy Key points The Australian economy grew solidly over the last year. While recession remains very unlikely, the combination of a slowing housing cycle, constraints on consumer spending and still subdued business investment will likely see growth slow going forward to around 2.5-3%. As a result, spare capacity is likely to remain significant, keeping wages growth and inflation low. We don’t expect the …
How to invest for your kids’ education When kids are starting school, will your finances be ready too? You’ll often have many other financial commitments at this time – your mortgage, family holidays, insurance, grocery bills and more. If you think a fee-paying school could be on the cards, how will you cope with another big bill to pay? We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Paul Garner, financial planner and principal at Novo Wealth, …
25 million & growing: What to make of Australia’s pop milestone On 7 August 2018 the Australian population has edged past the 25 million mark. What could this mean for the future financial wellbeing of everyday Australians? Hear from CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional Tony Sandercock of wetalkmoney about the potential impact of a bigger population on finances and retirement outcomes. According to McCrindle Research, the Australian population reached the 25 million mark earlier this month[1]. If you were …
How to buy a home and still have a life With the cost of buying property on the rise, many families and individuals are sacrificing other financial commitments to afford the home they want. So how can you budget for your home without being too frugal in your savings and spending? We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Michael Hayward from Capital Partners about getting the balance right between financing a home and other lifestyle goals. …
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 …
Super – so what? For some people, super may be the most valuable asset they’ll ever have. So it makes sense to know how much they have and how it’s invested. But it’s very often the case that young people, in particular, see super as being something that’s of low concern. So how can the super industry get young people interested in something they won’t benefit from for years to come? With home ownership rates …
