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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
In your interest: a mortgage buffer
April 28, 2017
Homebuyers who make higher repayments than the minimum required are developing a valuable buffer to help cope with future rate rises or unexpected financial setbacks. A mortgage buffer makes much sense. More than three years ago, the Reserve Bank reported that “anecdotal evidence suggests” that about half of households had not reduced their regular monthly...Read More
Don’t let your portfolio end up like a gym membership
April 20, 2017
New Year resolutions and portfolio rebalancing face common challenges. Both spring from the best of intentions. Both can drift into the background as the holiday season draws to a close and the urgency and demands of everyday life return. For self-managed super funds (SMSFs), the more relaxed pace of life earlier in the year often...Read More
Want a great retirement?
April 10, 2017
When the word retirement is mentioned in everyday discourse it’s often associated with numbers. The amount you’ll need to retire. The age at which you’ll stop working. The tax you’ll incur as you draw on your super. But what these numerical references neglect is the psychological dimension. As someone who’s decades away from retirement, I can’t...Read More
Divorcees suffer five-year financial hit
April 3, 2017
The warmth of January doesn’t always extend to our relationships. The New Year can be a peak period for divorce lawyers as couples call it quits after sharing one last Christmas together. No matter whether starting afresh as a newly single person brings heartache or a sense of relief, the fact is, separation and divorce...Read More
7 tips for choosing the right school for your kids
March 31, 2017
If you’re thinking about what school to enrol your children into, it might be a more complicated decision than merely opting for something in the local area. Family values, student facilities, extra-curricular activities and your financial situation could all come into play. We look at some of the things to consider and what you can...Read More
Having an estate plan is more than just having a will
March 24, 2017
There seems to be a common misconception that having an estate plan is for wealthy people. Wrong. Having an estate plan is for everyone. It is about being prepared, minimising risk and making sure your loved ones receive the benefit of your estate. Today, there are many factors which influence an estate plan. Simply having...Read More
7 ways to prepare financially for a baby
March 20, 2017
If you’ve got a baby on the way or are thinking about having one in the future, it’s worth being aware of the upfront and ongoing costs likely to be coming your way, so you can plan ahead accordingly. After all, according to AMP.NATSEM research, it costs an average of $144 a week to raise...Read More
How to set your kids on the road to success
March 13, 2017
Raising children is a rewarding and, often complex, responsibility. We all want to do our best to ensure we give our kids a platform from which to lead a successful life, but there are many different ways to describe success. The Oxford dictionary defines success as the “accomplishment of an aim or purpose, the attainment...Read More