Market Update
How the Aussie dollar moves your investments
It has been a wild ride for the Australian dollar since the Covid-19 pandemic struck and that could mean good news or bad news for your investment portfolio. In March 2020 the Aussie dipped below US58 cents for the first time in a decade. Since then, a high of just over US77 cents in 2021…
Read MoreHow to manage rising interest rates
Rising interest rates are almost always portrayed as bad news, by the media and by politicians of all persuasions. But a rise in rates cuts both ways. Higher interest rates are a worry for people with home loans and borrowers generally. But they are good news for older Australians who depend on income from bank…
Read MoreHow to calm those market jitters
It’s been a rocky start to the year on world markets but that doesn’t mean you should hit the panic button. Staying the course is generally the best course, but that’s easier said than done when there’s a big market fall. In January markets plunged some 10 per cent but then staged a recovery. That…
Read MoreUS Election: A House Divided
After a tense few days of vote counting, Joe Biden has been elected the 46th President of the US. The larger story, however, is that the US remains a house divided. Polarisation has been on the march over recent decades, but the Trump-Biden contest has underscored social and political divisions that are arguably worse than…
Read MoreTiming the economic reboot
After successfully navigating our initial response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) health crisis, backed up by $285 billion in government support to individuals and businesses to keep the economy ticking over, our thoughts are turning to how to get the economy back on its feet. It’s a huge task, but Australia is better placed than most…
Read MoreHold on … bumpy markets ahead
After period of optimism, global investment markets have hit the panic button on fears about the possible economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19). At times like these, it’s good to get some perspective. Australian shares rose 24 per cent last year, touching record highs, and 10 per cent a year over the past seven years.…
Read More2020 vision for financial fitness
What better year to have your financial health in tip top shape than the one requiring 20/20 vision! The start of any year is always a good time to assess your financial situation and make sure you are on track to achieving your dreams, but the start of a decade is even more significant. So,…
Read MoreDeeming rates changes
It has been four years since the deeming rates changed, but the government has responded announcing a rate cut from July 1, 2019. The lower rate reduces by 0.75 per cent and the upper rate by 0.25 per cent. The new rates announced are: The rates are announced to change effective from July 1, 2019,…
Read MoreProperty owners: What the 2017 Federal Budget means to you
Although this year’s Federal Budget was a far cry from the wide-ranging super and tax reforms proposed in 2016, there were still some inclusions that could affect your financial position. Several of these initiatives apply to current and future homeowners and also property investors. So if you think you might be impacted, it’s a good…
Read MoreChanges to super contribution rules on July 1, 2017
Savvy investors are rushing to make voluntary contributions to their superannuation before the new rules come into effect on July 1. Voluntary contributions to some advised funds have risen sharply in November 2016, up 25 per cent on contributions made in October, and almost 20 per cent higher than the previous November. This surge has…
Read MoreMarket Update – December 2015
What have been the major economic events of the past few months? 1. United States News out of the United States in October was dominated by negotiations over a new funding deal for the government and the debt ceiling and the Federal Reserve leaving interest rates on hold. The final deal included the suspension of…
Read MoreLegislative Threshold Update – 1 January 2016
Post 1 July 2014 rules Fees and charges for residents who: first enter a residential aged care facility on or after 1 July 2014, or first entered residential aged care before 1 July 2014 and subsequently cease to be provided with care for more than 28 days, or first entered residential aged care before 1…
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