A good estate plan will help make sure your wishes are carried out when you die. It can also help if you become unable to make your own decisions. Estate plans An estate plan records what you want done with your assets after your death. It can include documents such as: It also covers how...

Making a will is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your wishes are respected and your loved ones are cared for after you’re gone. Yet, around 60% of Australians don’t have a will in place—a surprising figure given how straightforward the process can be. A will is a legal document...

The number of Australians aged over 65 is expected to more than double in the next 40 years while the number of people aged over 85 is predicted to triple in that time.i Aged care funding and services have seen major changes in the years since the 2021 report of the Royal Commission into Aged...

Share market investors often etch significant trading events into their memory. Take last month, for example. Many investors will remember that it marked the five-year anniversary since the 2020 COVID crash, when global share markets fell more than 35% over the space of just a few weeks. For many other investors though, the COVID crash,...

Treasurer aims to “rebuild living standards” Much of the 2025 Federal Budget was already known, after a volley of pre-election spruiking for votes. But Treasurer Jim Chalmers had one surprise up his sleeve – $17 billion in tax cuts. The first round of cuts will kick in on 1 July 2026 and second round on...

We’ve all heard the old saying ‘an elephant never forgets’- but unlike elephants, we humans certainly don’t have flawless recall. Forgetting where you left your keys or the name of the person you met last week, is all too familiar. Memory lapses happen to the best of us, but there are ways to sharpen your...

Moving into residential aged care is a big step, and one of the most important financial decisions you’ll need to make is how to pay for your room. The legislative rules provide clear guidelines on your payment options and the timeframe in which you must decide. With so much happening when you make the move,...

From the economy bending policies of Trump 2.0 to the growing strength of the far right in Europe, the new alliance between Russia and the United States, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the US President’s vow to upturn world trade rules, the markets are certainly navigating tricky times. In recent months...

More than half of us set a new financial goal at the beginning of 2025, according to ASIC’s Moneysmart website. While most financial goals include saving money and paying down debts, the months leading up to 30 June provide an opportunity to review your super balance to look at ways to boost your retirement savings....