The Star Wars epic may be one of the greatest movie series ever created, but it can also offer us some lessons on how to manage our investment behaviour when the market is volatile. Yoda said it best when he told a young Anakin, “patience you must have.”             For […]

Given the financial demands of everyday life, planning your retirement may be a relatively low priority. You may also think that you have plenty of time to plan. But before you put off planning for your retirement any longer, here are some key facts you should consider. Your retirement could last 30 years or more […]

While as a nation we collectively face a large retirement savings gap, there are a number of smart things you could consider doing to help make sure your future financial security isn’t at risk. The savings gap Most Australians are financially unprepared for retirement, partly because we are living longer than ever before and we […]

Here’s a confronting question: what would you do if the main breadwinner in your household could no longer bring in an income? Do you have a Plan B? Most people don’t. That’s where insurance comes in. Curve balls. They’re unexpected, often deceptive and it’s impossible to predict their trajectory. That’s why they’re so devastating – […]

“Don’t sail out farther than you can row back.” This Danish saying is sound advice for anyone thinking of borrowing to buy a home, particularly now that interest rates are low and house prices are generally rising. According to a paper1 for the Centre of Policy Development and University of Canberra, Australians have a tendency […]

Easter baskets should always be filled with white chocolate treats! White Chocolate just feels like it is best suited for during the Easter Season. Easter Oreo Bark is delicious and the recipe could not be simpler. You can make a small or large batch depending on the pan you are using.   Ingredients 1 package […]

The short answer: Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. The long answer is REALLY long and literally covers thousands of years of history, arcane astronomical calculations and a little political wrangling. For a well-documented discussion of the matter see: http://www.assa.org.au/edm.html. This site details everything you ever wanted […]

The Reserve Bank of Australia may have kept the official cash rate on hold in February, but this didn’t stop the big four banks increasing their home loan interest rates. If you’re one of the two million Australians who have a variable rate mortgage with a major bank, you won’t be happy. But with a […]

With speculation rife in the media as to what’s to come in the Budget and with tax reform, we attempt to prepare you for what you can expect and look at the rumors. Prime Minister Turnbull’s conditions for tax reform are that they:     The government, in its response to the Murray Financial System Inquiry, […]

How did markets perform in February? After a disappointing start to the new calendar year when share markets recorded large falls in January, the investment landscape in February was another challenging one for investors. Most market returns were in negative territory (in local currency terms) though they were nowhere near as severe as those in […]