When we get to the end of another year, we often feel the stress and events of the last 12 months weigh on us. As we head into the holiday season, the overwhelming pressure and stress of spending can take a toll. You don’t need to keep up with the Jones’ at Christmas, or any …
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Joined Up Finances
If things are getting serious with your partner, is merging your finances a natural next step? Learn about different ways to manage money as a couple so you can decide on the right approach for your relationship. Being open about money is pretty important in a successful relationship. Secret spending and other forms of financial …
What You Can Claim Working From Home
Setting up a home office? Here’s how to create a comfortable workspace, while offsetting the extra costs of working remotely. If you’re among those who’s decided to say ‘so-long’ to the office, you’ve probably also realised that having the right home-office set up is essential for your productivity – and sanity. As many of us …
The US influence on Australian Shares
There’s an old saying in investment circles: ‘when Wall Street sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold’. That’s not surprising. The New York Stock Exchange is by far the world’s largest, so what happens there is bound to be noticed by stock exchanges everywhere, including Australia.
How does Australia’s pension plan stack up?
One in six people will be over 65 years old by 2050. With the world’s population aging quickly, it is natural to think about how pension systems around the world will cope, particularly in Australia. Fortunately, Australia’s three-component retirement income system means our age pension system is well-equipped to support older Australians now and well …
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Quarterly Economic Update: October – December 2020
COVID-19 Finally some good news on the COVID-19 front: several vaccines, all developed in record time, were being rolled out in a number of countries. While a huge step forward in bringing the pandemic under control, it comes at a time when, globally, more people are being infected with the coronavirus, and more people are …
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Visualizing the Hierarchy of Financial Needs
Behavioral scientist Abraham Maslow wrote “A Theory of Human Motivation” in 1943, arguing that humans worldwide are influenced by a “hierarchy of needs”. This theory organizes human needs across five levels, where needs in the lower end must be satisfied before progressing onto the next level. At one end are physiological needs such as sleep …
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When Your Adult Children Become Long-Term Residents in your Home
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many young adults have been forced out of work and back into the family home. As the pandemic stretches on, how can you manage the added cost of supporting your children – and help them get back on their feet? There’s no question young people have been hit …
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Identifying Your Stage on the Investor Lifecycle
As people age and progress through their careers, their financial goals continuously evolve. Understanding one’s current goals, while also planning for those in the future, are two important elements of financial planning. In this Markets in a Minute chart from New York Life Investments, we outline the investor lifecycle, a three-staged theory designed to help …
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Are you investing or gambling?
The potential financial results of investing can feel limitless, and it can be tempting to think that just one stock pick could make you an overnight millionaire. Yes, stock-picking can have a place in your investment strategy, but if you’re focused on the allure of a “get rich quick” mentality, you may be gambling, not …
Preparing for retirement in uncertain times
As most long-term investors know, investment markets have their ups and downs. The downs are usually associated with periods of uncertainty, perhaps due to political or economic factors, or even natural disasters. Uncertainty leads to volatility – more extreme movements in asset prices – which can have a big impact on portfolio values. This can …
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5 ways to recession-proof your business
Economies tend to face headwinds every ten years as the business cycle moves from periods of growth to contraction. While recessions are challenging for small and medium businesses across Australia, it doesn’t mean there aren’t significant opportunities to strengthen your business and come out of challenging times stronger and more profitable. In this article, we’re …
Don’t Let Overspending Be Your Undoing
Do you struggle to control your spending around your friends and family? If the urge to ‘keep up’ with a certain lifestyle is stretching your finances, it could be time to take action. From splitting the bill at an expensive restaurant, to having the ‘right’ house, car and clothes, many of us fall victim to …
Four strategies to maximise your super
Many of us daydream about the day we finally retire and are able to do the things we’ve longed for, whether that’s travelling the world, campervanning around Australia, improving our golf or gardening skills, or spending more time socialising or with our grandchildren. But if we are just sitting back while our employers make mandated …
Why wellbeing isn’t just for the well-off
Are you guilty of putting your health and wellbeing last? Whether it’s for financial or family reasons, you could be costing yourself more than you think. Whether it’s down to a lack of time or money, we’re all guilty of neglecting our own health from time to time. This can be especially true during challenging …
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5 Tips to Survive a Decline in Income
Since precautionary measures were heightened to slow the spread of COVID19, almost 1 million Australians have lost their jobs. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia lost 7.5% of its jobs between 14 March and 18 April. If you’re one of the many Australians who has lost their job, it’s understandable that you may …