How to prepare for a fixed-rate mortgage cliff
Do you have a fixed-rate mortgage contract that’s coming to an end soon? It can be a stressful time, particularly with rate rise news dominating the headlines. So today we’ve got some tips for a smooth transition.
What’s the DAP from RAD?
Lots of rules and lots of jargon makes understanding aged care even more complicated. This article demystifies one of the more common strategies of DAP from RAD.
Understanding aged care can be complicated enough, without needing to decipher all the jargon and acronyms. An example is the “DAP from RAD” strategy, which can be confusing if you don’t understand what all the letters mean.
8 retirement mistakes and how to avoid them
Retirement is a phase of life most of us look forward to. It’s a chance to pursue other interests, travel and maybe do some part-time work or volunteering.
Thanks to more than 30 years of compulsory superannuation, we are retiring with more savings than previous generations but that also brings its challenges.
Being wary of scams and sharing your personal information
Being wary of scams and sharing your personal information
Key Points:
Never use the same password or variations of the same password, utilise different numbers and letters with a mixture of capital and lower case letters
Money saving tips for travel
Travelling cheaply needn’t mean you miss out. Find out the best ways to save big on your overseas holiday plans, and make the most of every dollar.
Most of us love to travel, but not many can afford to travel as often as we’d like. A trip to Europe or the US might seem like it’s out of reach, but there are ways to rein in your travelling expenses and get to the places you love, more often.
Raising resilient kids
We all want the very best for our kids and as much as we would like to shield them from the difficult aspects of life, sadly we can’t keep them from facing challenges along the way – both big and small.
Stepped vs level premiums: which is best?
These days, most people hold some form of life insurance in their super account. While this is a welcome safety net, the level of cover held this way is often inadequate.
A Rice Warner study back in 2020 found that life cover within superannuation only met about 65-70 per cent of actual need.i
Transitioning into retirement: what you should know
Deciding on your retirement funding options in retirement comes down to what makes the most sense for you.
If you’re close to retirement, chances are you’ve already spent time thinking about how to tap into your superannuation when you retire.
Volatility is here to stay
Volatility is part and parcel of investing so it's important to put it into perspective and look at the full picture when thinking about your wealth, rather than focus on day-to-day market swings.
If there was to be a single investing lesson that emerged from the events of the last two years, it is that we should learn to expect the unexpected.
Recovering from a natural disaster
Recovering from a natural disaster will take time. There are a lot of financial decisions to think about straight away, and over the months ahead.
There's support to help you make a recovery plan and navigate financial decisions to get your life back on track.
Making the most of your super limits
Getting more money into superannuation is a proven way of building wealth to spend in retirement.
Ongoing contributions from your employer over the course of your working life, and potentially extra contributions made by you, can make a huge difference to your super balance over the long term as your account balance continues to grow.
Market volatility: defined and explained
Volatility is an investment term that describes when a market or security experiences periods of unpredictable, and sometimes sharp, price movements. People often think about volatility only when prices fall, however volatility can also refer to sudden price rises too.
Using equity to buy an investment property
When it comes to investing in real estate, equity is a key concept to wrap your head around. The Successful Investor’s Michael Sloan explains what equity is, and how you can use it to your advantage.
Get a financial head start on the school year
Finding the time to delve into your finances can be a struggle. But the school holidays can offer the perfect time, especially for teachers. Get cracking on your financial to-do list these holidays by looking into refinancing your mortgage.
How to plan a gap year for grown ups
It’s not just school leavers who dream of a gap year. Those of us who’ve been working for a decade or two (or more) may also long for a real break from career and commitments.
It does not even need to be a year – just enough of an extended break to reset and to take stock of what’s important to you.
Keeping yourself accountable
It can be both empowering and a little uncomfortable to think that we are responsible for our successes – and failures. Being willing to accept the consequences of our actions, choices or behaviours is not always easy.
2022 Year in Review
The year began optimistically, as we finally began to emerge from Covid restrictions. Russia threw a curve ball that reverberated around the world and suddenly people who hadn’t given a thought to the Reserve Bank were eagerly waiting for its monthly interest rate announcements.
What you should know about buying a tenanted investment property
Buying a rental property is a popular way to invest. But where do you stand if the property you’re eyeing off already has a tenant? We’ll fill you in on what you need to know.
So you’re primed to expand your financial horizons and want to buy an investment property?
4 New Year’s resolutions for financial fitness
As the sun rises on January 1, many Australians will be getting started on their new year’s pacts. The gym will be full of determined resolution keepers; the pavement pounded by brand-new sneakers. But what about shaping up your finances?
Are we there yet? RBA hikes cash rate for eighth straight month to 3.10%
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has driven the cash rate up by another 25 basis points to 3.10%. Find out how much this final cash rate hike of the year has increased your mortgage repayments in 2022, and what you can expect in 2023.