Latest News

Entering the property market is no easy feat for a first homebuyer, but even parents who aren’t prepared to hand over cash for a deposit may help by being a guarantor on a loan. Before taking the plunge however, it’s crucial to be aware of the implications involved.  Here are three questions to ask yourself...Read More

Any renovation project, large or small, can be all-consuming in terms of your energy and money. Here are six loan types that can help you with the latter. Considering transforming your home from ‘blah’ to ‘brilliant’, but lacking the funds to support your major makeover? Never fear, we’ve rounded up a few different home renovation...Read More

By Flying Solo contributor Kathryn Williams Over-servicing clients is a common problem for small business owners; we feel it’s what sets us apart from our competitors. All it’s doing, however, is creating unreasonable expectations, and costing us money to boot. We know we can deliver what our clients need. And because we do this for...Read More

Having a family can create a ‘super baby debt’ for mothers of up to $50,000 by the time they reach retirement age. Taking time off work means you may not have any employer contributions being paid into your super account. And if you are taking a few years off, this can have quite an impact...Read More

New SMSF trustees face something of a double challenge in 2017-2018: Coming to terms with the long-standing fundamentals of having your own fund together with the biggest changes to super in a decade. It is critical for new trustees not to neglect any of the fundamentals of self-managed super in their efforts to understand the...Read More

If you thought you’d have the house to yourself once the kids reached adulthood, statistics paint a different picture, with more adult children remaining in the family home today than in years gone by. Not only are children living with their parents for longer, a high portion of those who move out end up coming...Read More

While the implications of housing affordability is often acknowledged when it comes to younger Australians, the repercussions it’s having on pre and post-retirees also requires attention. According to figures published last month, couples living in rental accommodation in Australian capital cities need over $1 million in super to live a comfortable lifestyle in retirement. And,...Read More

There are plenty of upsides to buying an investment property that already has a tenant, as well as a raft of risks. Here’s how to minimise them. Purchasing an investment property that already has a tenant means you collect rent from day one, with no vacant period and no lease fees to find a new...Read More

The marriage and divorce statistics for 2015 sadly suggest that 43 per cent of Australian marriages may end in divorce. Significantly, this number-crunching does not include separations of de facto couples. Unfortunately, the breakdown of a relationship is a reality for many couples and it is a reality with typically damaging financial and emotional consequences....Read More

Two quick questions. How long did you take to plan your last Christmas holidays? And how long did you take to plan your investment portfolio? “It’s often said that many people spend more time planning a two-week vacation than they do on their investment plan,” say US-based Vanguard investment analysts Donald Bennyhoff and Colleen Jaconetti...Read More