Every retirement is unique. Maybe dining out isn’t your thing, but you couldn’t bear to give up your weekly exercise classes. Figuring out how much you can spend in retirement requires planning. And knowing what you can afford to safely spend, based on the savings you have, will also help you to identify any gaps…
Preparing to retire is emotional and practical. Making a retirement plan can help you manage your finances, and cope better as your life and priorities change. Make a retirement plan Your retirement plan can be simple or detailed. Include: Think about when you want to retire There’s no set age you need to be to…
Taking control of your finances starts with your super. As we battle rising interest rates, cost of living pressures and a general COVID-related economic hangover, it’s fair to say that financial stress is affecting most Australians, regardless of age, background or gender. But the reality is that Australian women are feeling the pinch more than…
Did you know from age 55, you may be eligible to make a super contribution of up to $300,000 using the proceeds from the sale of your home? Downsizing your home in retirement could have several upsides – some money in your pocket, less maintenance, and depending on your new location, greater convenience. If it’s…
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…
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 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…
If you’re over 55 and looking to boost your retirement savings, you may be eligible to make a super contribution of up to $300,000 from the sale proceeds of your primary residence. On 1 January 2023, the age when eligible Australians qualify to make downsizer contributions was reduced from 60 to 55. For those who…