Australian personal finance news, tips and advices.
The start of Autumn every year is a good reminder to make sure you’re on the right private health insurance plan. Why Autumn though?
On 1 April, premiums for health insurance rise by an average of 4.84%. So if you don’t take the time review your policy, not only could you be worse off financially but you could end up with the wrong level of cover – something that could cost you much more in the long run. ... (read more)
Being young and in love is pretty much the closest we’ll ever come to feeling bulletproof. There’s an undeniable confidence that rises to the surface when you’ve got age on your side and a heart bursting with emotion. Colours seem brighter, food tastes better and risk is relegated to the back of your mind as you carry on with reckless abandon. Live in the moment, right? Wrong. Eventually the pitfalls will catch up with you and suddenly you’re partnered up but penniless. Rather than forget about your finances completely, a little bit of future proofing can be the perfect foundation for your happily ever after. Read on to find out the most common mistakes young people make – and you can avoid them. ... (read more)
by George
Compensation for this post was provided by Upskilled. Opinions expressed here are my own.
The need for greater financial literacy among Australians is undeniable. Negotiating the financial landscape is an essential 21st Century life-skill, with everyone required to manage money effectively in order to achieve financial and lifestyle goals. The importance of financial literacy hasn’t gone unnoticed by governments either. Initiatives including the National Financial Literacy Strategy 2014-2017 and ASIC’s MoneySmart Teaching program are specifically designed to assist Australians overcome financial hurdles after completing their education. ... (read more)
Debt is an essential driver for growth in many businesses, and maintaining a sustainable level of debt as you grow can be a healthy way to finance your expanding business. However, having an unsustainable level of debt is all too common especially among small businesses. Every business should have a debt strategy that outlines how much debt is sustainable and how to manage or reduce debt.
Identify causes of debt ... (read more)
If you are considering a move overseas, then there are numerous financial and tax implications you will need to consider. However most of these implications are linked to one question you need to answer : Are you a resident or non-resident for Australian tax purposes?
Many people incorrectly believe that just because they move overseas, that they are automatically non-residents for Australian tax purposes. The Australian Tax Office takes a different point of view, and requires you to satisfy a number of tests before it will consider you to be a non-resident for Australian tax purposes. ... (read more)
by George
It used to be that people bought their phone under contract from their phone company. By signing an agreement with their telco which covered a couple of years, people secured themselves the latest iPhone and enough minutes and data to keep them going. When the contract was up, they upgraded to a new phone and the whole thing began again.
At the time, this sort of deal made sense. The phone companies, keen to grow their business, heavily subsidised the cost of the phone. Since a new device often cost hundreds of dollars, this prevented new customers from being deterred by a high up front cost. The 24 month term allowed the price of the phone + plan to be an affordable monthly payment. ... (read more)
Check out this investing video series on www.kroijer.com by Lars Kroijer, who used to run a hedge fund in London. Basically it says you can’t beat the market, and explain why that is important.
For investors from Australia the message is – “don’t invest in Australia. You already have plenty of domestic exposure”. As an example, if you buy Australian stocks for your investment portfolio, you are adding concentration risk as you are already exposed to the economy via your job, house, insurance, etc. Instead you should try to decrease the correlation and concentration risk in a portfolio by investing globally. That way you lower the risk of losing money on your domestic investments at the same time and for the same reason (decline in local economy) that you lose your job, job prospects, your house is worth less, potentially your education worth less, etc. ... (read more)
Climate change, overpopulation, pollution, and deforestation – these are just a few of the many challenges we’re currently facing as a planet. While our consumption choices can help make a difference, ethical investing offers a win-win option for the planet as well as your finances. With responsible investing consistently outperforming multi sector and mainstream managed funds, growing numbers of people are already looking to ethical options to support sustainability and build their wealth. ... (read more)
The Bank of Japan has caught the attention for all stock markets. Their decision on monetary policy will have a lot of influence on global markets and economy as a whole. The Bank of Japan recently moved assets by the millions, causing changes in sovereign debt and trading funds. Seeing as this did not realise their goal of annihilating deflation, this bank went ahead to target the yield curve.
While working to maintain 10-year bond yields at zero, the bank also hopes to keep flattening rates at a minimum. This is a big decision that will most likely affect the bank’s profits, but what exactly does this mean for financial markets, and more specifically, for CFD traders? In case the plan drafted by the bank fails, is there a way that these traders can rise above the losses and find their ground again? ... (read more)
Compensation for this post was provided by ProfessionalIndemnityInsurance.com.au. Opinions expressed here are my own.
When you’re running a small business, there’s so much to think about. Professional Indemnity Insurance may not be high on your priority list. But it should be.
From the moment you start providing advice or performing a service, you could be at risk from a negligence claim – and the consequences could be devastating. Between legal costs and the settlement, you could face a five- or even six-figure sum, not to mention the damage to your business and personal reputation. ... (read more)