Do you have any idea what a home loan really ends up costing over the life of a mortgage? Thanks to the interest paid over an average 30-year loan term, the figures are eye-watering. Our lead article closely inspects the figures and delves into the simple yet incredibly effective strategies that can carve thousands of dollars off the life of a loan. If you’re in the market to sell a property, we look at the …
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 …
Blue collar, white collar – how the job you do can affect your financial stress It’s fair to say that COVID took a toll on the working habits of Australians. Deep into lockdown and we were all getting slightly frayed around the edges. We knew we were all in this together. But we couldn’t help looking around and comparing our situation with those of friends and family in other walks of life. In the white-collar …
Diversified funds’ performance – how did they do that? 12 July 2017 Comparing managed funds can be confusing because, contrary to current practices, evaluating performance is not all about returns – it’s also about how much risk you as the end investor took to get there. So how can you measure your fund’s level of risk? Below are four broad indicators to watch for: Exposure to growth assets – this is the most common method of …
Do parents make good employees? Research reveals surprising correlations between productivity and parenthood. It’s official: Australia is the most expensive country to live ini. So it’s no wonder that more and more parents are working while raising a family. In fact, recent media reports say Aussie parents work more than parents in other countriesii and 90% of Australian mothers always or often feel rushed or pressed for timeiii. But what’s the impact on the work …
Do you have a key person in your business? If your business is like millions of other small or medium businesses in Australia, it’s likely that you’ll have one or more individuals whose involvement is critical to its success. This ‘key person’ might be important because of their investment or experience, their technical expertise or their business connections. And while we don’t like to think about it, no longer having this key person involved …
Do You Know the Difference between Needs and Wants? What’s one reason why people aren’t able to save money? They don’t know the difference between their needs and wants, resulting in too many unwanted things spilling out of your cupboards, closets, and drawers. In order to prevent their desires from controlling their thoughts, they need to differentiate between what they need and what they can do without. Here’s how to start: 1. Make a List …
Family matters: Becoming a parent You often hear new parents say that having a baby is an amazing, life changing experience. Nothing is ever the same again! At a time when every aspect of your life is changing, the last thing you want to think about is money. But while there may not be ways to reduce the financial commitments, there are things you can do to plan and manage them more effectively. Common questions …
Family matters: Educating the kids A good education is one of the best gifts you can give your child, but although it doesn’t have to, it can cost a lot of money. A little research and planning now could save you some financial worries in the long run. The earlier you start to save the better. Common questions to consider Some questions you may wish to consider include: How much will my children’s education cost? …
