Will you be able to afford to retire?

FORO – the fear of running out – is a very real issue in Australia. AMP’s Financial Wellness research indicates that almost 50% of Australians are worrying that they don’t have enough money for retirement. The realisation that you may someday soon be living off your retirement savings can be hard to confront. FORO often … Read more

Tips to reduce your debts before you retire

While many Aussies will carry some debt into retirement, the good news is, there are a number of things you could do now while you’ve still got time on your side and earning an income. Get serious about having a budget A good starting point when it comes to setting up a workable budget (so … Read more

Tax deductible donations: Get the most out of giving back

Donating to a charity or cause you care about is a win-win for both you and the charity. Charities rely on the generosity of donors to help them do their work, while you get the satisfaction of supporting a worthy cause. Even better, many donations are tax deductible, meaning they reduce your assessable income. Here’s … Read more

Building an investment portfolio with pocket change

The concept of investing in shares or other investment products can put a lot of people off. It can be difficult to understand, the share market is intimidating, and investment brokers generally only deal with people who have a lot of money to invest. Micro-investing came about as a way to help more people get … Read more

What is financial planning?

If you could achieve your financial goals by simply putting money away in the bank, you wouldn’t need a financial plan. Unfortunately, life is a little more complex – it’s hard to understand the intricacies of investment, taxation and ever-changing rules and regulations, so you need professional help. Yet many of us resist seeking advice, … Read more

Teaching your kids to spend wisely

There are many reasons we fall into the trap of overspending. One reason is we get bombarded with very effective advertising on social media where data scientists and algorithms seem to know what we will be tempted by before we do. Perhaps we are emotional spenders and buy things because it feels good. Maybe we’re … Read more

Do I need insurance cover?

“Do I really need this insurance?” It’s probably a question you’ve asked at some point when deciding whether to part with your money. But maybe the real question should be “What if I became ill, how would we cope?” Your health and wellbeing is the most important asset you have, so it pays to put … Read more

8 indicators you may not be ready to retire

Retirement is a period of life that many people spend years dreaming about: the chance to finally leave work behind and enjoy much-needed time with family and friends. While it’s natural to be excited about retirement, it’s worth getting all your ducks in a row before you say goodbye to work – and a regular … Read more

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