News & Blogs

The great Australian dream of owning property has become a tall order for first-time home buyers. And with the soaring cost of living, saving for a deposit isn’t getting any easier.

As a parent, you may be thinking about tapping into your savings or home equity or going Guarantor to help your children secure a home loan. You’re not alone. Parental contribution is on the up, with parents contributing around $90,000 per child on average^*, a 20% increase on the previous year. The ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ has become Australia’s 9th biggest mortgage lender.

Like all financial decisions, there can be some risks and important considerations to weigh up before stepping in to help. And making sure you understand the impact on your finances and your future is key.

The destructive nature of 'Sequencing Risk'

In this short video, Sam Stillone (Senior Financial Consultant) explains 'Sequencing Risk', how it can impact your portfolio and how it can destroy your retirement lifestyle plans.  Sam also discusses how you can avoid its destructive nature to secure your wealth leading up to and in retirement.

Treasurer Frydenberg delivered the 2021-22 Budget on 11 May 2021. Notably, within the Budget papers were key proposed super measures, relevant to wealth accumulators and retirees alike.

Of these measures, several encompassed changes to the Super Guarantee, the First Home Super Saver Scheme, the Downsizing measure, and the work test for super contributions.

These measures were recently introduced into parliament on 27 October 2021—within the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Superannuation Outcomes For Australians And Helping Australian Businesses Invest) Bill 2021—and are now making their way through the legislative process.

Below is an overview of these measures, due to start from 1 July 2022, if legislated (without changes).

We are pleased to share with you a special piece from renowned Australian money educator Vanessa Stoykov.

Below, Vanessa discusses why it’s key to set investment goals and follow through with a plan to achieve them.

The Business World is Becoming a Smaller Place

There is no doubt that the internet, advances in technology and the use of platforms such as eBay and Amazon have allowed even small business to expand and access customers in previously inaccessible international regions. 

With the globalisation of business earnings, some investors may conclude that they only need to hold Australian shares and property assets to achieve an adequate level of diversification when constructing an investment portfolio.

While record low interest rates around the world have thus far managed to stave off a world wide, they are now fuelling higher prices for regular day-to-day goods and services.  This increase in prices can have both positive and negative effects for the economy, investment markets and your investment approach. 

When it comes to building and maintaining wealth, super is widely considered to be one of the most tax-effective investment structures available. This is particularly evident when considering the tax treatment of income and capital gains from assets held inside super, both in the accumulation and retirement phases.

When it comes to maintaining your financial wellbeing in retirement, it’s important to understand that as you enter this phase of your financial lifecycle a certain shift in economic resources often occurs.

In our article, ‘Australia's three-pillar retirement income system’, we discussed in detail Australia’s retirement income system—a three-pillar approach, which has been pursued by the Government for the last few decades.