The prospect of picking up a handy tax refund is a good reason to knuckle down and get your tax return sorted in the next few weeks… And with an average refund for Australian tax payers of $3,630 up for grabs, it’s worth thinking about how you’ll use the money. Tax Office figures show almost […]
I am now getting very wary about going on holidays because invariably markets hit a rough patch whenever I do. That has certainly been the case over the past week with both a sharp pull back in Chinese shares and an intensification of uncertainty regarding Greece. Two weeks ago it looked like Greece was heading […]
Consider these investment alternatives and you may just end up being better off. Buying a home has been hailed for generations as an essential part of the Australian dream. But with house prices increasing faster than earnings, getting into the property market seems more like an impossible dream for first home buyers. You may even […]
With an up to date will you can make sure your money goes where you choose… A recent news story reminded me of the importance of having an up to date will. Like me, you may have read that the Sydney Swans club is arranging a memorial plaque for one of its long term supporters—a […]
It’s now coming up to six years since Greece first revealed that it had understated its true level of public debt. And this is the fourth year in which it has seemingly held global financial markets to ransom as a result of its excessive public debt level. To be honest it’s becoming a bit of […]
Tax reform is a hot topic in Australia with lots of strongly-held views. There are three main reasons. First, despite the tax reforms of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s the Australian tax system is still far from ideal. This is highlighted by the Government’s Tax Discussion Paper. Second, some see tax reform as a way […]
Ever since the mining boom ended around 2011/2012 there have been constant predictions of doom for Australia. Foreign commentators and investors seem to have been particularly bearish on this front. I seem to constantly come across an ad on the internet titled “Australian Recession 2015 – Why it’s coming, what to do and how you […]
The past few weeks have seen banks tighten up lending conditions for property investors – either charging higher interest rates or imposing lower loan to valuation ratios or both. There is even talk of lenders managing their exposure by focussing on postcodes. This is all in response to increasing pressure from the banking regulator APRA […]
When it comes to arranging insurance it’s important to decide what types of insurance are available to you and what you’ll need for your particular life circumstances. From here you’ll need to consider whether you should keep it inside your super fund or set it up separately. What are the benefits of insurance through super? […]
Way back in the early 1980s it was pretty obvious that the medium term (five year) return potential from investing was pretty solid. The RBA’s “cash rate” was averaging around 14%, 3 year bank term deposit rates were around 12%, 10 year bond yields were around 13.5%, property yields were running around 8-9% (both commercial […]
Tailored Lifetime Solutions has been awarded the Firm of the Year at the 2025 Count.ed Conference on Hamilton Island. Chosen from a strong field of finalists, Tailored Lifetime Solutions was acknowledged for our professional excellence, commitment to clients and contribution to the advice community. The awards shine a spotlight on the Count network’s most outstanding […]
We look at how much money you might need each year and ways you can still budget for your social life. Australian retirees generally need a certain budget each year to live a modest or comfortable lifestyle, and industry figures recently revealed the highest annual increase in those budgets since 20101. The Association of Superannuation […]