Investing lessons from the pandemic

When the coronavirus pandemic hit financial markets in March 2020, almost 40 per cent was wiped off the value of shares in less than a month.i Understandably, many investors hit the panic button and switched to cash or withdrew savings from superannuation. With the benefit of hindsight, some people may be regretting acting in haste. Although […]

Federal Budget Summary 2021

Investing in recovery In his third and possibly last Budget before the next federal election, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is counting on a new wave of spending to ensure Australia’s economic recovery maintains its momentum. As expected, the focus is on jobs and major new spending on support for aged care, women and first-home buyers with […]

Total & Permanent Disablement (TPD) tax in Super

How to minimise or allow for tax if your Total & Permanent Disablement (TPD) insurance policy is owned by your superannuation fund/account?   Taxation of TPD policies owned by Superannuation Many people hold their TPD insurance covers in their superannuation account and don’t realise that a claim payment may be taxed if it is paid […]

Love and money: achieving financial harmony

Love and money: achieving financial harmony The past 12 months have been a challenging time for many of us on a personal level, with the pandemic having a far-reaching impact on so many aspects of our lives. While the Australian economy is proving remarkably resilient, personal finances have been affected in different ways by lockdowns […]

Give your finances a shake out

Give your finances a shake out Like trees losing their leaves in autumn, why not take a leaf out of their book and choose this time of year to shed some of your own financial baggage. In the style of Marie Kondo, the Japanese organising whizz who has inspired millions to clean out their cupboards, […]

There’s more than one way to boost your retirement income

There’s more than one way to boost your retirement income After spending their working life building retirement savings, many retirees are often reluctant to eat into their “nest egg” too quickly. This is understandable, given that we are living longer than previous generations and may need to pay for aged care and health costs later […]

2020 Year in Review

Just as we were recovering from the long drought and the worst bushfires on record, the global coronavirus pandemic took hold and changed everything. Suddenly, simple things we took for granted, like going to the office or celebrating special occasions, were put on hold. While life is still not back to normal, Australia is in […]

Stolen super returned to workers

More than half a billion dollars will be repaid to almost 400,000 Australian workers after 24,000 business admitted to underpaying staff. More than half a billion dollars in unpaid superannuation will be repaid to almost 400,000 Australian workers. Under the Federal Government’s superannuation guarantee amnesty, 24,000 businesses confessed to failing to pay employees their entitlements […]