Watch out for tax scams The end of the financial year will likely bring the usual wave of scams. Here’s what to watch for. The Federal Budget is behind us, and amid the celebrations over tax cuts (around $500 annually for low to middle income earners), now is the time to be mindful of scammers pretending to be from government bodies – especially the Tax Office. In some cases, scam victims have lost close to …
When to charge your kids board It’s not just those aged 20 to 24 living at home – about 5% of people 40 and over are also sharing a roof with mum and dad. I recently came across a news story about a hapless New York couple, who have taken their 30-year old son to court in a last-ditch effort to get him to move out of home. My first thought was “only in America”. …
Watch out for tax scams The end of the financial year will likely bring the usual wave of scams. Here’s what to look for. The Federal Budget is behind us, and amid the celebrations over tax cuts (around $500 annually for low to middle income earners if proposals are legislated), now is the time to be mindful of scammers pretending to be from government bodies – especially the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). In some cases, scam victims …
Is your home underinsured? Cold weather and faulty appliances can be a dangerous combination in winter – especially if your home is underinsured. As we head into winter, now is the time to check your home heating appliances – and your home and contents cover. The cooler months typically see an uptick in home insurance claims with a rise of up to 47% in colder states like New South Wales though Victoria leads the country …
Self-employed? There’s still time to grow your super While approximately 1.3 million Aussies run their own show, one in five has no superannuation at all. Many Australians see self-employment as a goal worth aiming for. But running your own show can mean retiring with very little in super savings – one in five self-employed people have no super at all compared to just 8% of employees. Self-employed women are especially hard hit. Among women aged …
Now’s the time for tax planning With less than ten weeks remaining to the end of the financial year, now is the time to start some serious tax planning. Getting ready for tax time should go well beyond bundling receipts into a shoe box for your accountant. The run up to 30 June is a critical time for investors to take a good look at their investment portfolio. Your goals and needs may have shifted …
Planning for a (much) longer life We generally need to make earnings from 40 to 50 years in the workforce extend across what could be 80 to 90 years of living. Australians today need to do something our parents and grandparents didn’t even think about – plan for a long life, and a new report shows the benefits of planning for longevity go beyond money matters. The gift of an extra decade Australians enjoy one of …
Life cover – do you even have it? If you have family, dependents or debt, life insurance might be important, but one in four Aussies don’t know whether they have it. If you die and your life is insured, your beneficiaries receive a lump sum pay-out. This money can be the difference between the people who matter most to you enjoying a decent lifestyle or facing a financial struggle, yet one in four Australians aren’t …
Personal debt – maybe the mortgage isn’t so bad Household debt in Australia is high but more of us are taking a sensible approach to debt management. Nationally, our household debt ratio is nudging 200%. On paper it means we owe twice as much in debt as we bring home in our pay packets each year. It sounds like an alarming figure but as 74% of all households have some level of debt, the reality …
The inconvenient cost of convenience apps In today’s digital world, there’s a mobile phone app for just about everything. It can make life easier, but convenience can come at a cost. Smartphones have wrought remarkable changes to our way of life in just a few short years. Need a ride somewhere? There’s an app for that. Too tired to cook dinner? There’s an app to supply takeaways direct to your door. Need cash in a …
