It’s not the amount of pocket money that matters, but the way it’s used. A few pocket money rules now will teach kids money lessons they will benefit from forever. Financial knowledge is the true value of pocket money. We followed these rules for own children and now we implement them for our grandchildren. Thankfully their parents… Read more »
Each year your superannuation statement is one of the most important bits of paper you’ll receive. Here’s our jargon-free guide to help you read your super statement to ensure your fund is delivering what you need. The average Australian is among the richest in the world. Why? Because of the value of their home and… Read more »
If you think you can cheat the tax office, don’t even think about it. You can’t, and it will be just a matter of time before you’re caught. The tactics and resources the ATO has at its disposal are quite extraordinary. Each year, the ATO contacts around two million taxpayers about their individual returns. This… Read more »
Private health insurance premiums rose an average of 2.74 per cent this April year. Ouch. Here’s how to make sure you’re getting a good deal. It was the lowest increase by the sector in years, but still well above inflation (which in the month following the health insurance hike sat at less than one per… Read more »
There’s really no strict definition of financial maturity to benchmark ourselves against, but there are certain things we should be able to check off. How many times are we told to “act like an adult”, “grow up” or “get a bit of maturity”… whatever that means. Whether it’s behaviour, humour, manners or lifestyle, there’s a level of… Read more »
Rolling lockdowns, slow wage growth and falling employment means interest rates are going to stay low for the foreseeable future. Very slow wages growth will keep interest rates low This week’s Wage Price Index, which measures our pay packets, grew a modest 0.4 per cent in the June quarter. This was below economists’ expectations for… Read more »
Research group SuperRatings have completed a fascinating, and important, lesson into the cost of panicking in a crash. I know sharemarket crashes are stressful, but history tells us that those that keep their nerve come out winners. SuperRatings has proved the point. They looked at the impact of switching out of a balanced or growth… Read more »
Job security? What job security? It’s almost as though the concept has completely disappeared in this COVID age of lockdowns, stand downs and failing companies. It’s not just COVID putting people out of work either. Modern business practices mean companies continue to “resize”, “downsize”, “re-engineer”, or whatever the latest management buzz word is. In the… Read more »
Australians are in a credit card rut. We’re currently paying interest on $20 billion worth of outstanding credit card balances every month. That figure seems to be stuck at that level, despite the number of actual credit card accounts dropping by 751,916 in the last year. The lowest number since February 2007. It seems higher debt… Read more »
Australians are divorcing later in life more than ever before, with many struggling to get back on their feet financially after a split. It’s not just Bill and Melinda Gates. Grey divorce rates are soaring, with the ABS recording big jumps in the number of men and women divorcing aged 50 and above. Apart from… Read more »
