If you’ve ever hosted a visitor from overseas at during the festive season you may have seen them a little bemused by the way we celebrate. It’s quite understandable as we do things a little bit differently down under. Christmas in Australia – while fundamentally a religious festival celebrating the birth of Jesus – is…
Many parents and grandparents worry about how to help the children in their lives achieve financial independence. But the value of long-term investment can seem like a dry and complicated idea for kids to get their heads around. In fact, many young people would like to know more about money, according to a Young People and…
We’re serving up the truth about some common scam myths that you might have heard, especially around tax time. Myth 1: Only older people get scammed Busted! Last year people aged 25 to 34 lost the most to tax scams, followed by those aged 18 to 24. Tax scams target everyone. If you get a…
A good estate plan will help make sure your wishes are carried out when you die. It can also help if you become unable to make your own decisions. Estate plans An estate plan records what you want done with your assets after your death. It can include documents such as: your will a testamentary…
Staying the course, and not being distracted by short-term market events, is just as important in retirement as it is at any other time. Retiring from work shouldn’t necessarily equate to retiring from managing your investment portfolio. In fact, taking an active role in your investments during retirement will ensure you have the best chance…
With interest rates on the rise and investment returns increasingly volatile, Australians with cash to spare may be wondering how to make the most of it. If you have a mortgage, should you make extra repayments or would you be better off in the long run boosting your super? The answer is, it depends. Your…
We all approach decision-making in our own way, making a multitude of decisions every day: ‘Should I hit snooze again on the alarm?,’ ‘Do I take the train to work, or do I drive,’ ‘What should we have for dinner?’ In fact, researchers estimate that the average adult makes 35,000 decisions every day.i While most…
Working out how much you need to save for retirement is a question that keeps many pre-retirees awake at night. Recent market volatility and fluctuating superannuation balances have only added to the uncertainty. So it’s timely that new research shows you may need less than you fear. For most people, it will certainly be less…
Setting goals for yourself and your business is sometimes easier said than done. Productivity coach, Chelsea Pottenger, shares some handy tips to set effective goals – and achieve them! A new financial year is a great time to pause, review and evaluate your goals. Asking yourself and your team if you are on the right track?…
Knowing how your mind works can help you avoid the more obvious traps many investors fall into. Cognitive bias has become a bit of an investing buzz phrase in recent years. The theory is that the human brain predictably makes errors of judgment that can lead us to be emotional, short term and come to…
