According to the recent Household Financial Wellbeing Index by banking giant ING, two out of every three households report that they don’t have enough funds to live comfortably between paydays. One out of three of those households charges necessities on credit cards between paydays, while nearly half estimate that they would still need to take…
Many Australians purchase income protection insurance and think they are fully covered, only to find out that their policy only provided partial protection and that they don’t have enough to cover all of their expenses. While it’s great to compare policies, a lot of people look for the wrong things and end up making bad…
All Australians are currently required to have a superannuation policy. Many of those compulsory policies include death and disability cover, but some don’t. You may, however, purchase death and disability insurance through your super fund if you don’t have it yet. When Can You Collect? Nobody likes to think of death or disability, but they…
Trauma cover is a relatively new product in the insurance industry. One of its more endearing qualities for many is that it provides a lump sum payment that can help those who suffer traumatic illnesses pay expenses if they are unable to work. But many ask whether it is necessary if they already have income…
In response to the many questions we routinely field about trauma cover, we would like to provide some of the basic facts. What is It? Trauma cover provides you with a lump sum payment if you sustain an injury or illness that is specifically covered in your policy. After suffering a traumatic illness or injury,…
Many Australians think that they can find a mortgage with the best rates and terms for their situation by going to their bank or preferred lender. On occasion, your lender will actually have the best mortgage for your situation. But the odds are that they won’t. Look at the situation mathematically. If a mortgage broker…
30 June is a date with which financial planners and their clients are equally familiar: the date on which paperwork must be filed with the Australian Tax Office (ATO). For the financial planner, this date produces two main challenges: keeping their clients’ affairs in order while constantly monitoring the government for any last-minute changes to…
Retirement is a lot tougher than it once was. Gone are the days when a family could pay off the family home, put away some savings and maybe a small investment or two and live happily ever after. In this era, it takes careful planning to have enough money to retire. At this point, we…
One of the oldest adages in the financial planning industry is “pay yourself first” by depositing a percentage of your income in a savings account. However, many of us are already so “maxed out” that we don’t have any money to put aside. The mere thought “I should save money” is more an affirmation of…
In an environment where business, finance and real estate are becoming increasingly competitive, it is crucial to find a great financial adviser. With an investment market that is becoming even more complicated, we think that it will be even more important to have a great financial adviser who can steer you through a maze of…
