Managing risk when growing your business
It’s a risky business being in business for yourself, so knowing how to identify and manage risk is an important part of running a thriving business.
Caught in the middle: help for the sandwich generation
If you are feeling a bit like the meat in the sandwich you are not alone. The ‘sandwich generation’ is a growing social phenomenon that impacts people from all walks of life, describing those at a stage of their lives where they are caring for their offspring as well as their elderly parents.
Living your best life in retirement
If you’re nearing retirement age, it’s likely you’re wondering if you will have enough saved to give up work and take it easy, particularly as cost-of-living increases hit some of the basic expenses such as energy, insurance, food and health costs.
More money in your pocket, by paying off your mortgage faster
For most of us, our mortgage is our biggest financial burden - and one that’ll be with us for decades. However, it’s important to remember that the life of a home loan doesn’t need to be as long as the contract suggests; you’re free to pay it off faster and take that financial load off your shoulders sooner.
What type of Home Care funding do you have?
It might sound like alphabet soup, but the CHSP and HCP are two Home Care programs funded by the government. CHSP stands for the Commonwealth Home Support Program and HCP is the Home Care Package Program.
Being informed is the key to avoiding scams
While it seems we all like to think we are clever enough to outwit a scam, Australians collectively lost more than 480 million to scams last year.
Every year scammers get more sophisticated in the methods they use to part us with our money – or our valuable personal information.
Markets love certainty, but what happens next?
Financial markets can be like finely tuned racehorses, poised to gallop ahead under ideal conditions but often highly reactive to unexpected events.
It’s often said that the markets love certainty. Investors feel more confident when economic conditions are stable and predictable.
New increased super contribution caps
As the end of financial year gets closer, some investors are thinking about the most effective ways to boost their super balance, particularly with an increase in the caps on contributions from 1 July.
An easy guide to aged care fees
Confused about aged care fees and what it all means? You are not alone. In this article we simplify the basics of aged care fees for you.
If you, or someone you love, need to make a move into residential aged care, understanding the fees and getting a clear picture of what it will cost is not easy.
Why offset accounts are hitting new highs
Spare cash can be tight right now (cost of living crunch, anyone?). But if you’ve still got some savings plus a home loan, there’s a way you could make your surplus funds work harder.
Ever heard of an offset account?
Understanding the new $3m super tax
The much-debated tax on superannuation balances over $3 million is inching closer and those who may be affected should ensure they have considered the implications.
Insurance is a sound investment
Risk is not just associated with investing though - life can throw a curve ball or two and insurance is one way to manage risk in a broader context.
It’s a matter of weighing up your risks and thinking about what you would do if the worst happened.
Evidence-based ways to hold back the hands of time
You can’t stop the clock, so the saying goes, but humanity has spent a long time trying to slow down or even reverse the effects of aging.
Even today it can be hard to distinguish those measures that work from those that may not work and avoid those that may be downright dangerous!
Superannuation and relationship breakdown
If your relationship with your spouse ends, you should be aware of what can happen to the super entitlements of you both.
The Family Court and super-splitting laws generally enable super interests (accounts in super funds) or super payments (pensions or annuities) to be split by agreement or court order if a relationship breaks down.
Managing your financial health
Financial health is an important part of our lives. When we take care of our financial health we can better manage financial stress and achieve our financial goals.
Life insurance: the basics and things to consider
The most important reason to consider taking out life insurance is to protect your family if you die or become unable to work.
There’s a good case for anyone with dependants or people who plan to have dependants to take out life insurance.
Australians need help on how to manage huge wealth transfer
Most Australians want to share their wealth with the next generation but are unsure how to transfer that wealth and need help to plan for an effective transfer. Financial advisers are well-placed to meet those needs, according to the findings of a new report from Fidelity International and independent research firm, MYMAVINS.
How to increase your IQ for later in life
According to Dr Vincent Candrawinata, a respected food scientist, clinical nutritionist and health researcher, many different factors influence your intelligence quotient or ‘IQ’ as you age, such as diet, genetics, upbringing, lifestyle and education.
Occupational burnout in the workforce
In today’s fast-paced business landscape, the wellbeing of your employees is paramount.
As a business owner or manager, you've likely heard the term “occupational burnout” thrown around, but do you truly understand its implications and how to prevent it in your workforce?
Superannuation scams
If someone offers to withdraw your super or move it to a self-managed super fund (SMSF) so you can get the money, it could be a scam. Learn how to spot the signs of a super scam and what you can do to protect yourself.