How Much Superannuation is enough?

How Much Superannuation is enough? When you plan for retirement you will probably develop a financial plan intended to increase the amount you have for retirement. If you are on an average wage of about $85,000 p.a. before tax, you’ll need to save about 15 to 20 times that amount for retirement – about $1.3 to $1.7 million at today’s prices. You’re probably nowhere near that. There are other ways of estimating what you may …

Spending money in a cashless world

Spending money in a cashless world How the move to electronic payments could be making it easier to spend…and what to do about it. It’s Thursday morning and almost the end of the working week. You’re walking to the train station and you realise you’ve forgotten to top up your public transport card. No matter…a few clicks later and you’ve transferred $50 over. At the station you grab a takeaway flat white before the train …

How to retire early

How to retire early Whether you choose or need early retirement, having a plan can give your money the best chance of lasting the distance. Whether lifestyle preferences or circumstances beyond your control are behind your decision to retire early, you’ll need to make a plan to help your retirement savings last, while still enjoying a few of your favourite comforts in life. Here are some retirement planning tips to consider when thinking about retiring …

Helping grown-up children with their finances

Helping grown-up children with their finances It’s only natural to want to help your kids with big ticket items to give them a good start in life—particularly in an era when tuition fees and house prices make higher education and owning a home less affordable than in previous generations. But it can be difficult to know when to start turning off the tap. If you have an adult child who isn’t very good with money, …

Be aware of your money biases

Be aware of your money biases Knowledge is power. The more you’re aware of how your mind works the more you can adjust your attitude towards money. Six cognitive biases that influence how we save, spend and invest money We like to think we’re rational beings. But the reality is that a lot of our daily behaviour is influenced by our subconscious. Behavioural scientists have looked at the way human beings are wired and discovered …

Take control of your finances now for the new financial year.

Take control of your finances now for the new financial year. If you set yourself money goals at the start of 2019, the upcoming new financial year is a great time to check if you’re on track. And if you didn’t set any goals – or if you have strayed off track – this is the perfect time to get organised, write a checklist and stick with it! Don’t wait until 1 July to start. …

How to save money

How to save money Saving money doesn’t just happen, but these steps could help you to reach your saving goals sooner. How Australians save Research has found that almost three quarters of Australians surveyed save by putting spare money into a savings account, whether they do this themselves or via an automatic transfer. Other popular savings methods include keeping savings money in an account they can’t touch, building up extra savings in their transaction account …

What kind of money parent are you?

What kind of money parent are you? Many parents approach the topic of money differently, but could your way of doing things influence your kids’ success? The majority of Aussie mums and dads recognise that they’re accountable when it comes to shaping their children’s perspective around money matters. A recent report published by the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA), revealed parents listed themselves (95%), followed by grandparents (63%) and teachers or coaches (59%) as …

Ways to invest your money

Ways to invest your money If you’re interested in seeing what your options are outside of investment property and super this article explores some of the different investment options available. Cash investments If you put your money into cash investments (including savings accounts and term deposits), the returns will often be lower in comparison to other investment products. However, these types of investment options typically provide stable, low-risk income in the form of a regular …

6 steps to get your money stuff together

6 steps to get your money stuff together If you’re like three out of four Australians, you may have started the year without a proper budget.i Research indicates that over a third of us believe budgeting is too much effort and almost one in five Aussies say budgeting takes too much time.i Here are some easy wins to keep you on the right track for 2019 1. Work out your goals If you don’t know …