Introduction Share markets have pushed up to record highs this year, but can it continue? For some time now we have been monitoring seven key charts that are critical for the investment outlook. This note provides an update. Chart 1 – global business conditions PMIs A big driver of how shares perform this year will … Read more
It’s challenging buying property. It’s tough scraping together a deposit, it’s not easy dragging yourself to one open-for-inspection after another (especially if you’ve been doing it for a while!), and it can be soul destroying being pipped at the post when you have set your sights on a particular property. Then there is getting the … Read more
Understanding your retirement income options How you organise your retirement income streams can make a huge difference to your quality of life. Here are some options you might want to consider. What will you do with your super when you retire? You have plenty of flexibility as there’s a wide range of options inside and … Read more
Our emotions colour every aspect of our lives including our financial lives. Recognising how emotions can influence your financial decision making puts your rational side back in the driver’s seat and can help you to achieve positive outcomes in business and your personal finances. So where do our feelings about our finances come from? We … Read more
Bonds can provide a stable source of income and can protect the money you invest. They are considered less risky than growth assets like shares and property, and can help to diversify your investment portfolio. What is a bond When you invest in bonds, you’re lending money to a company or government. In return, you … Read more
If you’re lucky enough to have received a windfall, perhaps an inheritance or a retrenchment payout, your first decision will be what to do with it. Assuming you have decided against a shopping splurge, finding the best place to invest a lump sum is all about the effect on your tax bill and how soon … Read more
Here’s what you can do to help you make the right choices and enjoy your retirement. Three common income shrinkers and how you can avoid them with the help of your financial adviser 1. Paying down a mortgage Many people may need to pay down a mortgage in retirement as a result of a combination … Read more
Can you imagine living mortgage-free? For many homeowners, mortgage repayments represent a large part of their salary and many years of hard work, with the end not clearly in sight. Whether your goal is to soon be mortgage-free or to reduce your mortgage to allow you renovate, invest or live more comfortably, there are things … Read more
Overview 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 … Read more
Understanding 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. Financial health is made up of three components: the ability to meet everyday commitments like paying your bills and making loan repayments the resilience … Read more
Give me the main points 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. Life insurance policies can be bought through … Read more
Key takeaways Things to be mindful of with retirement planning such as procrastination, underestimating your financial requirements, and failing to update your plans as your circumstances and needs evolve. How to avoid the common pitfalls to help ensure your retirement plans remain on track. Retirement should be a time when we can kick back, relax, … Read more
