The 5 big bills you need to save for (Video)

The 5 big bills you need to save for (Video)  Some major expenses just can’t be avoided. If you can build up a savings buffer for these 5 big bills, you’re less likely to suffer from financial shockwaves, a big credit card balance and hardship when it’s time to pay up. If you’d like to get in the habit of saving more for those big bills, get some tips with our savings and budget checklist or team …

New rules to benefit those downsizing for retirement

New rules to benefit those downsizing for retirement Downsizers can now make an after-tax contribution to their super of up to $300,000, using the proceeds from the sale of their main residence. Australians aged 65 and over who are downsizing for retirement can now contribute the proceeds from the sale of their main residence (up to $300,000) into super1. We take a look at what this could mean for you, bearing in mind that like with …

Five good reasons for seeking financial advice

Five good reasons for seeking financial advice Financial advice isn’t just for people with wealth. Whether you’ve set your sights on owning a home or retiring early, advice from a financial planner can help you make it happen. Buying a home Managing your budget and cash flow to save for a deposit are key to getting you into your first home. A financial planner can help you simplify and prioritise your finances and manage existing …

What to consider when making a sea change 

What to consider when making a sea change Retirement is a major life change, as is moving to a new place when you retire. Even though you might have previously visited the area you plan to go to, it may have been during a holiday, which is not a realistic test of what living in the area permanently will be like. Lacey Filipich is a Perth-based independent financial educator. Through her business, Money School, she …

Financial planning for business owners

Financial planning for business owners With the freedom you get from running your own business comes the responsibility for generating your own income and building your enterprise into something you can retire on. We talked to CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Steven Monaco, Associate Director at Hood Sweeney, about how financial advice can help you look forward to a better future for you and your business. Why is good financial advice particularly important when you run …

A financial planner’s guide to preparing for retirement

A financial planner’s guide to preparing for retirement Planning for retirement can start at any time, the earlier the better, but often it gets left until people are in their fifties and actually approaching retirement age. We asked James McFall of Yield Financial Planning for some tips on making the most of your final years as a wage earner. What does pre-retirement look like? Pre-retirement is widely recognised as being around 50 to 65 years of age, …

Environmental and financial costs of fast fashion

Environmental and financial costs of fast fashion Avoid becoming a fashion victim by understanding the real cost of fast fashion. You might have a friend who wouldn’t be caught dead in the same outfit twice. But what’s the real cost of fast fashion –  the buy it, wear it once, throw it away culture of cheap clothing that has hit the mainstream? What is fast fashion? Not dissimilar to the fast-food movement, fast fashion is …

Get your new financial year game on

Get your new financial year game on We’re about three quarters of the way through this financial year, but don’t worry, you’ll be wearing a confident grin by June 30 with this list of eight things to do now to get new financial year ready. Download our checklist and tick them off as you go. 1. Check in on your goals There’s no point doing anything until you know what you’re doing it for.  Write down your …

What it means to retire and live the dream

What it means to retire and live the dream When you’re no longer working and chasing dollars, you may have a different perspective on what you value most about your life.  Take a look at how our current generation of retirees measure their success and what “living the dream” means to them. “Living the dream” in retirement? How likely are retirees to be “living the dream” Just 22% of boomers are living the dream compared with 27% of …