Downsizing with confidence

Deciding to downsize is a big life step. It is not just about moving to a smaller house. It can be about leaving behind a home full of memories, familiar streets, and routines you have built over many years.

For many, the idea of simplifying life, reducing maintenance, and freeing up finances can be very appealing. But for some, the reality of downsizing does not always match the rosy picture.

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Selling the family home and navigating aged care costs

The transition of a parent or relative into residential aged care can be one of the most emotionally and financially challenging moments a family will face.

Beyond the personal upheaval, a number of issues need to be dealt with quickly including how to fund the Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD), how to cover daily care fees and what to do with the family home.

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The Iran war and markets: Keeping perspective amid uncertainty

There’s a particular kind of unease that creeps in when market headlines start mixing geopolitics with talk of oil prices and recessions. That feeling has been hard to avoid, as the escalating war in the Middle East spooked global markets and brought fresh uncertainty to an already fragile economic landscape.

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Age Pension increase offers relief as deeming rates rise gradually

The Federal Government increased the Age Pension from 20 March 2026, alongside a gradual rise in deeming rates. Advocacy group COTA Australia says the pension boost will offer relief, but warns updated deeming assumptions may not reflect the realities facing all older Australians.

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Work out how much you need to retire

How much retirement costs depends on what you want out of retirement, and your individual needs and circumstances. The lifestyle you want may look different to another person's, so your living costs will be different. For example, you might prioritise travel, whilst your friends want to stay close to the grandchildren at home.

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Salary sacrificing super

How a salary sacrifice arrangement can be used to make voluntary super contributions.

You and your employer can agree on a salary sacrifice arrangement (also known as salary packaging or total remuneration packaging) to exchange part of your salary or wages for benefits of a similar value.

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What exactly is inflation, and are interest rates the only option for dealing with it?

Just when we thought it was safe to return to the supermarket aisle, it seems inflation has come back to bite us again. Worse, the Reserve Bank of Australia predicts it will linger for longer than previously expected, adding to cost-of-living concerns.

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Does free shipping really exist? An expert shares the marketing tricks you need to know

You’re scrolling through an online retailer, like Amazon, Shein or eBay, and spot a shirt on sale for $40. You add it to your cart, but at checkout, a $10 shipping fee suddenly appears. Frustrated, you close the tab.

But what if that same shirt was priced at $50 with “free” shipping? The likelihood that you would have bought it without a second thought is much higher.

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How to go from renter to home buyer

Renting may feel like a flexible and often necessary solution, offering more freedom to move around and avoiding the responsibilities of property maintenance. However, in the long-term, home buying could prove financially advantageous. We’re supporting you to go from renting to home buying by simplifying the process with manageable steps. Let’s start by looking at some of the advantages of buying a house.

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About Payday Super

Preparing for Payday Super is important for your business because it shifts superannuation payments from quarterly to matching your payroll frequency and requires payments to be made within 7 business days. This transition can impact your business, so getting a head start is critical.

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Higher geopolitical risk premiums support commodities

Commodities delivered strong headline returns in 2025. Yet, beneath the surface, this rally was quite uneven—precious metals rose by roughly 80%, while the remainder of the Bloomberg Commodity Index underperformed cash by more than 3%.

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Private credit’s third act: reconnecting support commodities

Private credit has moved from the edge of finance to an established component of the below-investment-grade credit markets. What began in the mid‑2000s as a relatively small and specialised form of nonbank lending has grown into a significant source of financing for small and medium‑sized companies, operating alongside the leveraged loan and high‑yield bond markets. 

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SMSF portfolios signal steady conviction in growth assets

The Australian Taxation Office’s September 2025 quarterly SMSF statistics reinforce a clear message for investors: while the SMSF sector is maturing in terms of fund growth, capital allocation remains decisively growth‑oriented.

As at the end of the September quarter, SMSFs collectively held an estimated $1.07 trillion in assets, up from around $1.02 trillion a year earlier. 

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Interest Rates in the Headlines Again - How to Prepare

Over the past few weeks, I've really noticed a familiar theme in conversations with our clients, a big concern that interest rates in Australia are on the rise again.

For many people, that means they might feel like they have been through those tough times a few years ago and "are we headed back there again?"

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ASIC warns investors on pump and dump scammers

In late December the Australian Securities & Investments Commission issued a warning to investors on so-called ‘pump and dump’ operators – unscrupulous actors who start rumours about small cap securities to inflate the share price in the hope of making a quick profit.

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How cutting the capital gains tax discount could help rebalance the housing market

Capital gains tax is once again the subject of parliamentary debate, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers declining to rule out options for reform.

Along with negative gearing, the capital gains tax discount has long been suggested as one cause of Australia’s housing affordability crisis.

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Scam alerts: Scammers impersonating banks in text messages, phone calls and emails

There's a rise in criminals calling, emailing or messaging people and pretending to be from the bank so that they can steal your money.

The scammers ask you for personal or financial information or to transfer funds or to give them a one-time security code over the phone.

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