Life after COVID-19

Markets rally on positive vaccine news

Super boost in 2021?

Making your home loan fit you

Time in the market or timing the market?

Drop in pension payments

Beware Covid-19 scams

It is time to prioritise your health and wellbeing

MARKET VOLATILITY
The trouble with short term trading - act with discipline

THE TAP & GO ECONOMY
Personal finance in the age of technology and "Tap-and-Go"

BE AWARE OF BIASES
Is doing what others are doing safer than trusting your own judgement?

MARKETS REBOUND
Markets rebound off the back of COVID-19 curves flattening

CORONAVIRUS SHUTS DOWN GLOBAL ECONOMY
What this means for you

SOCIAL DISTANCING
How to look after your mental and physical health while self isolating

GOVERNMENT STIMULUS
How the government is assisting during this crisis.

BUY NOW PAY LATER
Credit, Cash or Afterpay? How to spend wisely this festive season

ASIC's LATEST ON SMSF
ASIC’s recent comments on SMSF needs to be better measured

PERSONAL COMPLIANCE
Can your email, online and social media presence pass the test.

INVESTMENT MARKETS
Equity Markets in Slow Rise

CLIENT EXPERIENCE
What Australians really think about financial advice

FINDING BALANCE
6 simple steps to a more balanced life

INVESTMENT MARKETS
Trade Weighs on Markets

TRIPLE WIN
Lifespan winner of 3 awards in this years IFA Excellence Awards

LEGISLATED CHANGES
Changes and legislation you should discuss with your adviser

STATUS QUO
With the coalition winning the election , it's business as usual.

EOFY TIPS AND TRICKS
The EOFY year fast approaches, here’s a few tips to help you focus

INVESTMENT MARKETS
Bond Yields plummet as Trade disappoints

EARLY ACCESS TO SUPER
More Australians explore early access to their superannuation

REPRIEVE FOR BROKERS
The Government steps back from removing broker commissions

ASIC - DIRECT INSURANCE
ASIC takes a closer look at Direct Insurance products

INVESTMENT MARKETS
First the fall and then the bounce; volatility is the new norm

MARKET VOLATILITY CROWD FUNDING
What can investors learn from the past...

US MID-TERM ELECTIONS
Where to now for the House on the Hill...

CROWD FUNDING
Supporting a project can be rewarding; but mind the details

INVESTMENT MARKETS
Rocky Road ahead or is this just part of a normal cycle ?

MARKET VOLATILITY IS NOTHING NEW - So what have we learnt from past experience ?
Sudden financial market movements can be unnerving for even the most hardened investor, and it’s difficult not to panic when trends in the market take a downturn.

Traps to avoid when setting up an SMSF
Investment Markets
How Aussies spend their tax return
Real Estate Values continue to Fall

Traps to avoid when setting up an SMSF
The number of Australian’s setting up Self Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) continues to rise. But do financia l advisers need to save clients from themselves?

What’s inside… 

Federal Budget Report 2018-19
Investment Market

Federal Budget Report 2018-19: What it means for you
On Tuesday 8 May 2018, the Treasurer, Scott Morrison, released the Government's 2018-19 Budget.

This year's Budget has an emphasis on retirement planning and contains several important considerations which may affect both retirees and pre-retirees, explored further below.

What’s inside…
Virtual Currencies/Interest Only Loan Renewals/Investment Markets

Virtual Currencies
Many virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin have emerged over the last 10 years but just how safe are they? We explain how virtual currencies work and the risks you take buying, trading or investing in them. What are they? Virtual currencies are digital currency or electronic money. They do not physically exist as coins or notes. Many digital currencies (also called crypto currencies) started in online gaming communities or on social media. Although they can be used as a form of payment if another person is willing to accept them, they are not legal tender. The value of virtual currency can fluctuate significantly, they may not be accepted in many places and they are not guaranteed by any bank or government. How do they work? The Users can 'earn' or create virtual currency. For example, in the Bitcoin network, users (known as Bitcoin Miners) can participate by using computer-intensive software to validate transactions that have been made through the network and earn new bitcoins as a reward.

What’s inside…

Investment Markets/Protecting What Matters Most

Investment Markets

Recent Events Global equities continue to trade near record highs while volatility in most markets is very low. As an example, the US S&P 500 has not had more than a 3% pullback since the start of 2017. This is despite two major hurricanes and uncertainty around the passage of the Trump tax cuts. The US Federal Reserve finally announced that it is starting the process of shrinking its $US4.5 trillion balance sheet. The European Central Bank announced a reduced pace of QE from April next year. Bond purchases will be cut to 60 billion euros a month from 80 billion euros currently. Another major development was the German election which did not produce a clear winner but markets have surprisingly so far taken it in their stride.

What's Inside

Investment Markets / Understanding Diversification / The importance of planning for aged care

Investment Markets

Recent Events Hurricanes in the US and the belligerence of North Korea initially lead to some volatility in markets but that did not last long. Most Global equities markets are well up in 2017 while the major US equities indices are still hovering around record highs. Global equities are in fact performing much better than Australian equities in local currency terms.

The rise of the Australian dollar from 72 US cents to around 80 cents has somewhat masked the underperformance of domestic equities in 2017. The (Bloomberg) US dollar index, which measures the US dollar against a basket of currencies is down about 10% in 2017, this is almost a 3 year low.

What’s inside…
Federal Budget / Investment Markets

Introduction

On the evening of May 9, the eyes of the financial planning industry turned to Canberra as Treasurer Scott Morrison delivered his second Federal Budget. While it did not include the jaw-dropping changes of his first Budget, there was still plenty to interest financial planners and their clients.

Superannuation

First Home Super Saver Scheme Effective date – July 1, 2017

What’s inside…
Superannuation changes for 2017 and beyond / Investment Markets

Superannuation changes for 2017 and beyond

Introducing the transfer balance cap What is it? From 1 July 2017, there will be a $1.6 million transfer balance cap on the total amount of accumulated superannuation an individual can transfer into the tax–free retirement phase. Subsequent earnings on balances in the retirement phase will not be capped or restricted.

Savings beyond this can remain in an accumulation account (where earnings are taxed at 15 per cent) or outside the superannuation system.

Transitional arrangements will apply. People already retired with balances below $1.7 million on 30 June 2017 will have 6 months from 1 July 2017 to bring their retirement phase balances under $1.6 million.

What’s inside…
The People Have Spoken / Investment Markets

What it could mean for investment markets

This last year has seen a populist, anti-establishment political trend emerge through the Brexit vote in June and now the election of Donald Trump as the most powerful person in the world.

We also saw this trend continue when the Italian people voted No on Sunday 4 December, in a referendum to change the Italian Constitution of the 3rd largest economy in the Eurozone to effectively give the government more power to make changes and pass laws.

The “No” vote is the third big antiestablishment revolt this year and could cause much instability throughout the Eurozone. Firstly the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has resigned. Secondly, the “No” campaign was backed by parties that support Italy leaving the euro zone, and with Mr Renzi dethroned, it is quite conceivable for one of those parties to come to power.

What’s inside…

Investment Markets. - US Fed Weighs on Markets / Life insurance - Be prepared for life's emergencies

US FED WEIGHS ON MARKETS

Recent History The last few months has seen some sharp swings in sentiment that has contributed to significant movements in investment markets. Late June 2016 saw a sharp pullback in equity markets as they focused on the negative effects of the Brexit vote. However calm had returned by July with most markets rallying strongly as concerns over Brexit largely dissipated.

The Australian market was one of the best performing developed markets in July with Australian equities (ASX 200) rising by 6.3%. Equity markets struggled in August as market expectations increased that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) would raise rates again before the end of 2016. These worries have persisted in September with equities pulling back and bond yields rising off historical lows. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cut the official cash rate from 1.75% to 1.50% in August, a new all-time low on lowered inflation expectations.

What’s inside…
/ 2016 -17 Federal Budget report highlights. On Tuesday 3 May the Treasurer, Scott Morrison, released the Government's 2016/17 Budget / Investment Markets. Brexit RattlesMarkets / Recent History / Economy / Markets and Outlook / In The Community / Lifespan Advisers pitch in to lend a hand

2016-17 FEDERAL BUDGET REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU On Tuesday 3 May the Treasurer, Scott Morrison, released the Government's 2016/17 Budget .

The budget contained a number of important changes to the superannuation system, including retirement income streams and tax changes.

Note: These measures are proposals only and will need passage of legislation to become law. The key superannuation changes announced include:

What’s inside…

New standards for SMSFs investing in collectables and personal use assets. / Investment Markets / Recent History / Economy / Markets and Outlook

New standards for SMSFs investing in collectables and personal use assets.

Only a few months remain before the grandfathering expires and the new rules apply to SMSFs with art, collectables and personal use assets purchased prior to June 2011.

Since July 2011 new SMSF investments in art, collectables and personal use assets have had to comply with the new rules. However these regulations didn’t apply to art and collectables held by SMSFs at 30 June 2011, which were grandfathered under the old rules until 1 July 2016. This is now lonely a few months away.