Category Archives: Financial Tips

What would you do if a family member asked to borrow money – besides the less painful option of beating yourself over the head with a fence paling? You want to help, but you’re right to be wary.

Self-Managed Super Funds are among the fastest growing superannuation vehicles in Australia and they’re not just for older investors – investment-savvy Millennials are catching on. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) reports that significant numbers of people below the age of 45 are investing through Self-managed Super Funds (SMSFs). The proportion of SMSF members in that […]

A popular choice for managing superannuation is to take personal control via a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF).Although membership is limited to a maximum of four people per fund, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) reports there are almost 600,000 SMSFs, representing more than 1.1 million members. It estimates the value of assets held within SMSFs is more than $681 billion!

Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) have become a popular way for Australians to control their superannuation. The basic requirements are that the fund must have between one and four members and these people are normally family or business related. All members need to be trustees (guardians of the money) and even if the fund is only […]

Paul Taylor was a fit and active 45-year-old who drowned while swimming in surf on a family holiday. Witnessing this tragic event unfold from the beach were Paul’s wife, Sue, their 15-year-old daughter Sophie and 12-year-old son Zac. Relatives and friends were a great support during the following days, but soon after the funeral, and […]

Australians love to invest in property. And what’s not to love? It’s tangible, offers diversification and tax benefits, and can provide you with a good income and strong capital growth. The benefits of investing in property can be amplified when held within super and with changes to borrowing within Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) over the […]

Many of us would like to think that ‘older’ means ‘wiser’, but when it comes to money that isn’t always the case. The complexity of Australia’s superannuation and pension systems doesn’t help. The upshot is that there are a number of common mistakes that retiring and retired Australians make.   What are those mistakes and […]

Your estate refers to the sum of your assets, which include cash in the bank, real estate properties, business equities, vehicles, family heirloom, jewellery, artwork, and other things of value that are in your name. Planning your estate is essentially the process of establishing your plan and formally organise how you want your assets distributed […]

Before you go into the details of retirement planning (how much you need to save, where to invest, etc.) it is crucial to understand first why you need to take control of your retirement. While this may seem like a trivial question, research reveals that nearly half of Australians retiring within the next four decades […]

Sydneysiders enjoy exceptionally high quality standard of living, so it is not surprising that the city is one of the most expensive in the world. In a 2010 survey published by Sydney Business Chamber, about half of the respondents believe they need to earn $100,000 or more per year in order to live comfortably. While […]