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Travel or tinned beans? The choice is yours. And believe it or not, with time on your side, getting ahead financially is easier than you think. If you choose travel over tinned beans, here’s three simple financial steps you can take now to set yourself up with financial choices in the future – and skip the beans. TIP 1: Set Financial Goals Start with a bucket list, what are all the things you’d like to do throughout your life? Now sort them into timeframes. Pick one core goal per timeframe and each pay cheque you receive, allocate money toward that

  This week is Financial Planning Week! If you have any burning questions about your retirement finances, head to the Ask an Expert forum and ask a qualified expert for free. It’s a well known fact that Australia has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. That means your retirement may last 20-30 years. That’s a lot of time without an income. So what more can you do to maximise your retirement income? In this stage of your life, your focus should be on protecting your accumulated capital from inflation, longevity and investment risk where possible. Here are

  This week is Financial Planning Week! If you have any burning questions about setting yourself up for a comfortable retirement, head to the Ask an Expert forum and ask a qualified expert for free. Life has a funny habit of passing us by. In the blink of an eye, we’re in our fifties and retirement doesn’t seem that far off anymore. Do you know how much you’ll need to retire comfortably? To play golf, visit the family and do all the things you love? If the very thought of it gives you knots in your stomach, it might be

You’re travelling along nicely, two healthy incomes and an expanding family unit. You’ve turned 40 and you suddenly realise things aren’t looking as rosey as you thought. We hear time and time again how important it is to focus on the now – and not worry so much about the future. Of course this has merit. But, when it comes to your family’s financial future, it’s critical that you seek high quality advice from a professional financial planner. So, what can you do to secure your family’s financial future? Save more? Get more aggressive with super? Increase your gearing? Pay

This week is Financial Planning Week! If you have any burning questions about your finances, head to the Ask an Expert forum and ask a qualified expert for free. It’s not uncommon for people in their mid 20s to find themselves unsure of what to do with their hard-earned cash. For early school leavers especially, years of full-time employment and perhaps even an unexpected lump sum inheritance, can even result in some spare cash lying around. But what should you do with it? When faced with endless options, it can be overwhelming to wonder what to do. While those around

Any investment and wealth management strategy requires careful planning, but there are a number of myths that must be dispelled before that process begins. To ensure that you are doing justice to your many years of hard work, it is crucial that you critically evaluate the conventional wisdom around managing your personal finances. Myth #1: All senior executives and business owners are good at personal investing. There is an unspoken expectation placed upon professionals that they all understand and should be good at personal investing. This conventional wisdom (and pressure) comes from friends, family and, perhaps surprisingly, from these professionals

Downsizing your home is a big decision for retirees in Australia and one that requires much thought and planning. A large home and garden is great when raising a family but cleaning and maintenance can become labourious when the chickens fly the coop. Throw in some health and mobility issues and downsizing your home to a smaller home or unit, or even a retirement village, can become an attractive proposition. There are a number of financial implications to consider regarding social security and estate planning, so here are some ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ to ponder before making that important decision. DOs

One of the most common questions I am asked by clients is: ‘should I pay off my debt or invest my surplus cash?’ It is a fair question and there is no right or wrong answer, like so many other questions related to organising your own personal finances. However, there are some key points which are worth considering. 1. What kind of debt are we talking about? Generally, there are two types of debt – deductible and non deductible. As the name suggests, deductible is debt where we are able to claim a tax deduction for part or all of

  What was the $1.8 billion irony they deliberately didn’t tell you about in the movie, The Wolf of Wall Street? Spoiler alert: This piece contains spoilers, both for the film, and for people aiming to make a quick buck. Mark Hanna: “The name of the game, moving the money from the client’s pocket to your pocket” Jordan Belfort: “But if you can make your clients money at the same time it’s advantageous to everyone, right?” Mark Hanna: “No” That’s one of the first insider lessons shared in the recent Martin Scorsese film, Wolf of Wall Street. The subsequent ‘lessons’

Is a Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) right for me? Have you ever thought about setting up a Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) but weren’t sure whether it was the right thing to do?  Unfortunately, there is no one answer to this question as everybody’s individual situation is different.  However, there are three key questions you need to ask yourself before making any decisions. Why do you need a SMSF? Don’t ask yourself ‘why don’t I have a SMSF’, ask yourself ‘why do I need a SMSF’.  What can a SMSF do for you that a retail or public offer superannuation fund