I was in the baby goods store with Lily when I notice a pregnant mum struggling to understand the differences between the myriad variety of baby bottles. I asked if I could offer her my opinion and we engaged in a brief conversation about the relative benefits of one type or brand over another.

Her trolley was full of stuff for the new baby and I offered one last piece of free advice: "don't overbuy before the baby comes, you won't know what you really need until it arrives." Good advice that ...

Continue reading ...

 

With the end of the financial year fast approaching, now is a good time to review your finances to ensure you have taken advantage of the opportunities available to you.

 

Below we have outlined some tips and strategies you may consider to help minimise tax and maximise your savings.

 

Are you self-employed?

You may be able to claim a tax deduction for up to $30,000 of personal super contributions.

If you are eligible, claiming a tax deduction for your personal superannuation contrib...

Continue reading ...

Continue reading ...

Continue reading ...

Continue reading ...

A few people I talk to say to me "I'm not planning to live that long" when considering the average life expectancy.

Most people tend to underestimate just how long they'll live. The average life expectancy has increased substantially in recent years and if you're 65 today, it's likely you'll be alive well in your 90s.

The problem is, it's just an average.

To have confidence your money will last the distance you will need a substantial amount of savings.  Retirement can be more expensive th...

Continue reading ...

I recently had a case study published in The Australian Journal of Financial Planning. You can read it here.
Are you like Katie?
Good financial planning can get you on the road to riches. Contact us today for an obligation free initial consultation.
Continue reading ...

Mid last year, Naomi purchased the business from Michael and the succession plan, which has been in the making for the last 8 years, has finally come to fruition! Michael is still very much involved in the business and continues to advise his clients as an Authorised Representative. We’re pleased to have him stay on as his years...

Continue reading ...

Did you pay any attention to the Federal Budget the other week? If not, here's a great run down on some of the changes and what it means for you from our friends at OnePath.
READ HERE: Federal Budget 2013
Continue reading ...

We’re in the last quarter of the financial year for 2012/13. Here are our top 5 tips to get your finances squared away before the end of the financial year.
 
Private Health Insurance Rebate
The government changed the rules on private health insurance rebate from 01 July 2012. You are now income tested on private health insurance premiums and payments to private health insurance are tested against three new income thresholds to determine if you are entitled to a rebate from the government.
This...
Continue reading ...

Continue reading ...

Jim Rohn once said, "Don't start the year until it is finished on paper. It's not a bad idea, toward the end of the year, to sit down with your family for the family structure plans, sit down in your business for the business plans, sit down with your financial advisor for your investments and map out the year."
I’m constantly planning. I write To Do lists, set my goals, map out tasks and activities required to achieve them and then slowly, slowly work my way through. Sometimes, it feels lik...

Continue reading ...

As I sat at the Gordon versus Parramatta rugby game on the weekend, I began to muse on what rugby could teach me about finance. Here are my 5 lessons from the rugby field.
1. You need good defence.
The Fullback stands several metres behind the back line, fielding any opposition kicks and is the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. He needs to have dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Life risk insurance is your Fullback. It is there as the last lin...
Continue reading ...

A colleague of mine recently told me that he’d given up on his business and was moving back into the corporate arena in a “safe” job with a set salary (plus bonuses!). Our conversation came at a time when things in my world were spinning like crazy.
I thought if he can jump ship, then surely I can do the same! I went online to the job ads and found in an instant the most perfect job for me. It satisfied all my criteria for the kind of work I want to be doing and the base salary was prett...

Continue reading ...

Unless we’re rubbing shoulders with A-listers or running a multi-million dollar fashion business, we need to invest time and effort if we want a successful financial future.
It seems that today’s woman can be easily distracted by the comforts that short term material wealth can provide and these ineffective money management habits are best described as Seven Deadly Financial Sins.
Sin one – Damsel in distress
Ladies (or fellas) in-waiting on the lookout for a knight in shining armour to r...
Continue reading ...

To discuss your end of financial year planning with us, contact us on 02 9417 6011 today.

Here's a great checklist for your end of year financial plans. Deadline: 30 June 2012!

Superannuation

• Firstly, check how much you've contributed to super so far this financial year. Don't get stung with excess contributions tax by putting in more than the caps.
  Concessional Contributions
  If you're under age 50, you can contribute up to $25,000 and if you're over age 50, you can contribute up to $50,000 i...

Continue reading ...

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content.  An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant,"and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present."  But the Ant went ...
Continue reading ...

A balanced view on today’s global markets and your investments

Click here to access Russell Investments' VolatilityToolkit

With recent reports on falling markets, it’s not hard to imagine you’d be concerned about your investments.
I’ve had a number of clients contact me, some asking whether this volatility is a precursor to another global financial crisis; some wondering how long we can expect market uncertainty to last. Interestingly, a select few have asked if it’s a good time to buy...

Continue reading ...

In the most recent budget, the government changed the taxation laws such that minors receiving non-working income WILL NOT be entitled to the low income tax offset of $1,500 from 01 July 2011.

 

This means that if you have kids with investment monies (such as a bank balance that has accrued from all that birthday money), they might find they have a tax liability at the end of the financial year.

 

It also has an impact on your more complex affairs such as paying distributions from a famil...

Continue reading ...

From what I've so far read, there's not much to excite in this year's Federal Budget. In a way, that's quite nice - steady as she goes. But do Julia and Wayne have something up their sleeve to rock the boat (or dig the knife in)?
Two items of important note for our clients:
Contribution caps for over 50’s
There will be a change to the previously announced concessional contribution cap for those over 50 with a superannuation account balance of less than $500,000 (with effect from 1 July 2012, w...
Continue reading ...

I was walking through my local park the other day. It has a number of areas for fitness training and most of them were being used by people receiving guidance from a personal trainer. The trainer was instructing them on how to do the exercise for maximum results and giving them encouragement to keep going.

When you first go to a personal trainer, they ask you all sorts of questions. How fit are you? What do you eat? How often do you currently exercise? What kinds of exercise do you do? What ...

Continue reading ...

 (Click on picture to enlarge)
At the annual conference I attended recently in Hobart, I had the pleasure of seeing Peter Thornhill deliver a no-nonsense, emphatic and impassioned talk on his favourite topic – the boring world of the sharemarket. He says, “I prefer the safety and security of the sharemarket to risky assets like term deposits.” What the…?

He believes the share markets are guided by forces beyond reason. Their ups and downs can be linked to collective human behaviour, n...

Continue reading ...

Your time is valuable. So how do you decide whether it's worth doing something yourself or outsourcing to an expert?
I was chatting with my partner's brother about making decisions during our recent holiday. He said, "my dad always said, 'ask yourself - what information do you need to make the right decision?', then go and get all the information and make your decision."
Wise advice from the old man, indeed.
But in this hectic world, not all of us have the time to research all of the options and...

Continue reading ...