How Financial Advice can pay good dividends during tough times In a period of market instability due to COVID and low interest rates, many investors are struggling to know where to invest.  For those at or nearing retirement, the struggle is even greater.  Cash and term deposits used to be considered a safe haven, but with interest rates at historical lows, more investors are being pushed to consider alternative investments. It may be tempting to jump on the latest trending in...

Granny flats: Tax tips and traps The idea of adding a granny flat to your property sounds like a great idea. A property to rent out to generate some welcome extra income, or a home for adult children or mum and dad in their later years. But there are important tax and personal considerations to consider before taking the plunge and digging up the backyard. Although the Federal Budget proposed significant reform in this area (which we cover later in this article), important tax questio...

Getting Retirement Plans Back on Track After a year when even the best laid plans have been put on hold due to COVID-19, people who were planning to retire soon may be having second thoughts. You may be concerned about a drop in your super balance, insecure work, or an uncertain investment outlook. Whatever your circumstances, a financial tune-up may be required to get your retirement plans back on track. You may even find you're in better financial shape than you feared, but you wo...

Building a bridge to recovery In what has been billed as one of the most important budgets since the Great Depression, and the first since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic dragged Australia into its first recession in almost 30 years, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the next phase of the journey is to secure Australia's future. As expected, the focus is on job creation, tax cuts and targeted spending to get the economy over the COVID-19 hump. The Treasurer said this Budget, which...

Just when you thought you had a grip on the superannuation rules, they change again. This time though, the changes are mostly positive, especially for older super members keen to top up their savings. From 1 July 2020, changes came into effect with the potential to help retirees as well as members suffering financial hardship due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. If you are not working you may be able to contribute to super for longer, while couples can take advantage of spouse contr...