With the life expectancy of Australians increasing over the years, most of us can assume we’re going to live longer than previous generations. But are our expectations on the money, or way off the mark? We bring you five important facts everyone needs to know about life expectancy. Back when compulsory super started in 1992,…
Giving Australians better access to high-quality and more affordable financial advice is imperative. One of the fundamental principles for achieving long-term investment success is planning. In fact, the importance of having a clear financial plan, whether it’s formal or informal, can’t be overstated. As is the importance of sticking to it. Without a well-documented, detailed…
Ensuring you’ve structured your finances tax-effectively is always a concern, but with new tax rules for super on the horizon, many people with large balances are considering alternative vehicles to save for retirement. Unsurprisingly, this has sparked a renewed interest in an old favourite – trusts. Trusts have always been popular in Australia, with the…
No-one wants to be living with dementia. Keeping an active brain may reduce your risks and promote good cognitive health for longer. With an increasing number of people living with dementia in Australia and around the world, research activities aim to understand how the brain works and look for ways to reduce or slow the…
1. Shop around We often shop around to get the best deal when it comes to consumer items but the same should always apply to services we get. It’s a highly competitive world out there and service companies want to get and keep your business. So when getting a new service – whether it be…
If you’re lucky enough to have received a windfall, perhaps an inheritance or a retrenchment payout, your first decision will be what to do with it. Assuming you have decided against a shopping splurge, finding the best place to invest a lump sum is all about the effect on your tax bill and how soon…
Preparing for loss of capacity or death is vital for SMSF members. It’s important to ensure your trust deed is watertight. There are more than 600,000 self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) in Australia, managing close to $900 billion of assets on behalf of over a million Australians. Each SMSF’s trust deed is legally required to set…
How you choose to pay for your room in aged care is an important decision, and with large dollars involved, it is one that should not be rushed. Know your rights and take time to get advice. When moving into residential care, your first financial challenge is likely to be deciding how to pay for…
Most Australian work hard to build up their nest egg but many are hesitant to spend it when they retire. You’ve worked hard to build your retirement nest egg and now the time has come or is approaching for you to begin the “decumulation phase”—taking withdrawals in retirement to live off your accumulated assets. This…
How much tax you pay on your super contributions and withdrawals depends on: If you inherit someone’s super after they die, the person’s super fund pays you a super death benefit. You may have to pay tax on some of this benefit. Because everyone’s situation is different, it’s always best to get advice about tax…