While the Federal Government’s recent announcement about providing some relief for those with student debt is anticipated to help those with student loans, debt can hold you back financially, so let’s look at some ways to free yourself if debt is becoming a burden. Debt can be a real drag on your financial goals, getting … Read more
Tips for saving money Being a good saver has plenty of advantages beyond your short-term financial goals. It can be the difference between keeping your head above water during difficult financial times and being in financial hardship. Here are our tips to help you become a better saver. 1. Set a savings goal Saving is … Read more
Rental expense categories There are 3 rental expense categories, those for which you: can claim a deduction now (in the income year you incur the expense) – for example, interest on loans, council rates, repairs and maintenance and depreciating assets costing $300 or less can claim a deduction over several years – for example, capital works, borrowing expenses … Read more
Why pay down your home loan faster You might wish to boost your repayments now, so that you can enjoy the freedom of being mortgage-free. This could help bring forward the overseas holiday you’ve been promising yourself, or help your children complete their education. Perhaps you’re planning on renovating your home to add value to your … Read more
This step-by-step guide shows you how to navigate the process of refinancing your home loan. With interest rates increasing materially in the past few years, refinancing your home loan to a lower interest rate with another lender is one way to reduce mortgage stress and cope in the current environment. So to get you started, … Read more
Retiring without a mortgage has a large positive impact on retirement confidence. For decades the “Great Australian Dream” has been the general desire by most Australians just to own a home. But that dream has morphed over time. These days it’s not just about owning a home but having the mortgage paid off either before … Read more
How to dispose of shares You can dispose of your shares in the following ways: selling them giving them away (gifting shares) transferring them to a spouse as the result of a breakdown in your marriage or relationship through share buy-backs through mergers, takeovers and demergers because the company goes into liquidation. It’s important you … Read more
Many Australians expect an inheritance, but their parents may have a different view. Around one in two Australians have received or expect to inherit money or property, either from their parents or others. That’s one of the key findings from Vanguard’s 2024 How Australia Retires research, but it shouldn’t come as a great surprise. Over the coming … Read more
If you earned Australian income between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024, you may need to lodge a tax return. If you’re doing your own tax, you have until 31 October to lodge your return. Lodge online with myTax You can lodge your return using myTax, the ATO’s free online tax return. You need … Read more
It’s lucky Aussie homeowners are a pretty resilient bunch. All the interest rate rises over the past couple of years have delivered a serious reality check, leaving variable rate home loans higher than they’ve been for a generation. So you need to get your home loan working as hard as possible particularly if your fixed … Read more
Key points: Getting an assessment is the first step towards getting access to Government funded services Assessments are undertaken by the Aged Care Assessment Team across Australia, or the Aged Care Assessment Service in Victoria You can have your assessment reviewed if you don’t agree with the outcome From there, you can organise an assessment … Read more
Gold prices have been climbing strongly in 2024 as investors, jittery about the effects of wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, buy up the asset because of its reputation as a safe haven. The spot price has risen more than 18 per cent since mid-February.i Demand for the precious metal is also being driven … Read more
