Many grandparents want to give their grandchildren a head start in life, and a common way to do so is to help by paying some (or all) of their school fees. This can, of course, simply be done by making a contribution at the time the fees are payable. However, it’s not unusual for grandparents […]
Archive for the ‘Budgeting’ Category
A different way to help the grandkids
By admin • July 1st, 2020Salary sacrifice vs personal contributions to super
By admin • April 28th, 2020If you are an employee, there are two ways in which you can optimise the taxeffectiveness of your additional super contributions: • opt for a salary sacrifice arrangement, whereby your employer makes additional superannuation contributions beyond the compulsory superannuation guarantee (SG) amount from your pre-tax earnings and reduces your salary accordingly; or • make a […]
Financial literacy for our children
By admin • April 28th, 2020Financial literacy is a fundamental life tool. Teaching our kids about financial management from a young age should be a high priority as this is now recognised as an important stepping stone to financial success. Fortunately, secondary school teachers now have access to free teaching resources through not-for-profit organisations such as the Financial Basics Foundation. […]
Four financial resolutions to kick start the new year
By admin • January 24th, 2020The dawn of a new year sees many people setting new year’s resolutions such as losing some weight or giving up smoking. Similarly, the beginning of a new year is the ideal time for setting financial goals, and here are four practical ways you can kick your year off to a great start. 1. Decide […]
Is paying your mortgage off quicker really the best option?
By admin • January 8th, 2020Not so long ago one of the most effective, low risk wealth creation strategies was to use spare savings to pay down a mortgage, either directly or via the well disciplined use of an offset account. If your mortgage interest rate was 8% per annum, that’s the effective, after tax investment return this strategy delivered, […]
Work, life, travel – you can do it all!
By admin • January 6th, 2020Travelling the world and seeing the sites is an expensive endeavour, particularly when young. This article explains how working abroad can help you live the work-life-travel dream. Michael was twenty-something and eager for adventure when he spotted the advertisement. It read, “Japanese schools seeking English teachers. No experience necessary – we train you.” What followed […]
Joined up finances
By admin • October 28th, 2019If things are getting serious with your partner, is merging your finances a natural next step? Learn about different ways to manage money as a couple so you can decide on the right approach for your relationship. Being open about money is pretty important in a successful relationship. Secret spending and other forms of financial […]
If you think you’d never fall for a scam, read this…
By admin • September 18th, 2019If you are aged over 50, male, highly educated, financially literate and manage your own super, beware. You’re at a higher risk of being the target (and victim) of organised investment fraud. This isn’t necessarily because your demographic is particularly gullible. Rather, it’s because you’re more likely to control higher levels of wealth, perhaps as […]
8 handy tips for travelling overseas
By admin • September 9th, 2019Even for seasoned travellers there’s a little bit of magic involved in hopping on a plane in Australia today and disembarking in a far-off destination like Istanbul or London tomorrow. For most people their travels will be a safe and wonderful experience, but things can go wrong. While you can’t control everything, a little bit […]
Traps to avoid in retirement – Going too hard too fast
By admin • September 2nd, 2019Retirement: you’ve made it! And one of the rewards for all your hard work is that you can now access your superannuation. Suddenly a world of opportunities opens up – a Caribbean cruise, major home renovations or maybe helping your kids reduce some of their debt. Of course, you deserve to celebrate your retirement, but […]