FASEA is a new government body established under the Corporations Act in 2017 to set the education, training and ethical standards of licensed financial advisers in Australia.

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A new superannuation contributions opportunity has been opened from 1 July 2019 for individuals aged between 65 and 67 in their first financial year after retirement.

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2020 is now well underway. In the first 6 weeks of the year we have seen investment markets assess the assassination of the Iranian General Qassem Soleimani by the US military, Iran firing ballistic missiles at two US military bases in Iraq following the assassination, and the onset of the Coronavirus, where the severity of the virus and impacts on trade will likely determine the market’s reaction.

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Investing requires optimism. Those who invest do so because they believe that the price of their assets will grow and be worth more in the future than they are now.

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Income protection insurance is a core financial product used in the development of many financial plans.

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Australians delight in their nation punching above its weight. But there’s little to celebrate in being the world’s silver medallists – we’re a nose behind the Swiss – when it comes to household debt.

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If five golden rings and a whole menagerie of birds sounds like it might blow the budget this year, then perhaps the classic carol needs a rewrite.

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December is here which marks the official start to summer. Unfortunately, the bush fire season is already underway.

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You could be forgiven for thinking Australia’s superannuation system is a mess. Depending who you talk to, fees are too high, super funds lack transparency and Governments of all political persuasions should stop tinkering.

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Like it or not, we live in interesting times. More than a decade after the Global Financial Crisis, the global economy is facing fresh headwinds creating uncertainty for policy makers and investors alike.

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Towards the end of 2018, shares were in the doldrums and while experts agreed the Aussie dollar would go lower most tipped the next move in interest rates would be up.

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As children, we are surrounded by stories. The books our parents read to us, the cartoons we watch, the imaginary games we play. As adults we might like to think that story time is over. But it isn’t.

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It’s been a long time coming, but up to 630,000 retirees could soon enjoy a small but welcome increase in their Age Pension payments following a cut in deeming rates used for the pension income test.

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It’s September and spring is in the air. It’s time to shake off the winter cobwebs, get out into the garden or the great outdoors. It’s also a good time to plan your summer break.

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For most people, life insurance provides a safety net against unexpected events. This is particularly the case if you have a mortgage, debts or family who are dependent on you earning an income.

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As the end of the financial year draws closer, thoughts turn to tax. No doubt you can think of more enjoyable ways to spend your time than preparing for your annual tax return. So how can you streamline the process while ensuring you take advantage of all the claims that are possible?

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These days, the phenomenon of keeping up with the Joneses is more pervasive than ever. The constant bombardment of images from advertisers, as well as our friends and family via social media is making Australians feel pressured to maintain a certain lifestyle, often to the detriment of their long-term financial goals. In fact, new research reveals that over a third of Australians feel burdened by the pressure to keep up appearances.

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The end of the election uncertainty and the investor-friendly policies of the Coalition produced a relief rally on financial markets. The Australian dollar bounced back above US69c on Monday after falling to three-year lows the day before the election, while local shares surged to an 11-year high on Monday before losing some of their gains the following day.

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A vote for continuity in an uncertain world The Liberal/National Party Coalition has been returned to government, as Australians chose continuity over change and cautious economic management over Labor’s ambitious reform agenda. T

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Money makes the world go around. But when it comes to relationships, it can sometimes stop them in their tracks.

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US Interest rates have been making headlines in recent months, but do they really matter to Australian investors? The short answer is they do, a lot.

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After one of the hottest summers on record, many Australians will welcome Autumn and the opportunity to be more active outdoors and perhaps get busy in the garden. There will be no let-up in the heat on the political and economic front though, with the Budget and a Federal election looming.

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Who among us hasn’t daydreamed about receiving a windfall? In reality, people receive large sums of money in the form of inheritances, redundancy payouts and lottery wins all the time. Yet many soon find themselves back in their pre-windfall financial position.

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When it comes to setting financial priorities, medium-term goals often suffer from middle child syndrome, not taken as seriously as the oldest or indulged as much as the youngest.

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We’re coming up to the festive season and for all its fun and frivolity, it’s also a time when we loosen the purse strings to accommodate the excess.

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Planning your dream retirement can be an exciting time. The chance to travel overseas or around Australia without having to rush back to work, time to pursue new hobbies, learn a language or spend time with the grandkids. The possibilities are endless, but what will it cost?

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December is upon us and summer has arrived with bushfires in Queensland and flooding rains in NSW. Our best wishes go out to all those affected as well as our brave emergency services workers. And to all our clients, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

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The holidays are traditionally a time to relax and reflect on the importance of family. They are also an opportune moment to think about how you can care for and protect your family all year round.

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In Leo Tolstoy’s great novel ‘War and Peace’, a Russian general charged with defeating Napoleon and expelling the French from Russian soil argued against rushing into battle, saying the strongest of all warriors were “time and patience”.

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The Australian housing market appears to have reached a turning point, with prices falling 2.2 per cent since peaking in September 2017. This is welcome news for first home buyers; not so much for sellers and investors.

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Superannuation is a long-term financial relationship. It begins with our first job, grows during our working life and hopefully supports us through our old age.

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Most people who are intent on building their personal and business finances know there is no quick road to wealth. While some people dream about their lucky numbers finally being called, others are making every day count. 


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On August 2, Apple became the world’s first company to reach US$1 trillion in market value. It took 42 years to get there from humble beginnings in an LA garage, but a handful of younger technology companies collectively known as the FANGs – Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google - are already nipping at its heels.

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September is upon us and spring is in the air. Our farmers and firefighters will be hoping for some soaking rain to ease the drought and ward off bushfires.

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When you are young, healthy and just starting your working life the last thing on your mind is life insurance. In your 20s and 30s your financial focus is more likely to be on saving for a car, holidays, a home or the birth of a child. But failing to protect the lifestyle you are creating could have a devastating financial effect. 



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Any capital gains made on the disposal of a cryptocurrency (including using the cryptocurrency or converting it to Australian dollars) may be taxed, although certain capital gains or losses from disposing of a cryptocurrency that is a 'personal use asset' are disregarded

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The ATO has become aware of people in some suburban areas of major cities attempting to encourage others to illegally access their super early (generally for a fee) to help them to purchase a car, to pay debts, to take a holiday, or to provide money to family overseas in need.

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The Commissioner of Taxation has determined that the rate at which work-related car expense deductions may be calculated using the cents per kilometre method is 68 cents per kilometre for the income year commencing 1 July 2018 (up from 66 cents per kilometre).

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The Australian Taxation Office is closely examining work-related clothing and laundry expense claims of taxpayers submitting their 2017-18 tax returns.

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In the same month that desperate farmers made headlines preparing to destroy starving flocks and pleading with the public to pay a few cents more for their dairy products, Dick Smith’s nationalistic brand announced its closure. The question is, will Australians pay more for a cause?

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The Government has decided not to put the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enterprise Tax Plan No. 2) Bill 2017 to a vote in the Senate ... for the present point in time (it had already passed the House of Representatives without amendment).

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As Tax Time 2018 has 'kicked off', the ATO has profiled the five most common mistakes they see, including taxpayers who are:

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The ATO is writing to employers who started reporting through STP before 1 July 2018, providing them with information about how their employees' payment summary for 2017/18 may change with STP, including the following:

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Overcoming the biggest problems in business often comes down to the simple things. Here are a few simple things you can do to capitalise on your opportunities and reduce your risks.

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Australia’s national economic agenda in May was dominated by the Federal Budget and the promise of tax cuts. Consumers rode a wave of optimism until the final week of May when the ANZ/Roy Morgan consumer confidence index fell for the first time in 7 weeks, down 3.2 percent to 117.7. Confidence is up 4.3 per cent this year, with the late pull-back attributed to a cooler sharemarket, rising fuel prices and on-again off-again US-North Korea peace talks.

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When it comes to personal finances and ways to build your wealth it seems that everyone has an opinion - and a preferred pathway for wealth accrual. From your mate down the pub who likes to share his stock market tips to your friend at work who has a constant stream of 'get rich quick' schemes, to your mother-in-law who exposes a more prudent 'slow and steady and sock it in super' approach.

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With tax cuts grabbing most of the attention in the May 2018 Budget, some quiet tweaks to superannuation and retirement income were drowned out in all the noise. But these small changes could have a big effect on the amount of money that ends up in your nest egg when you retire.

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Australia’s household debt is among the highest in the world and rising, thanks largely to worsening housing affordability and plentiful consumer credit. So how do we measure up and should we be worried? 

Most global comparisons measure total household debt as a percentage of net income. At last count, Australia’s household debt to income was 213 per cent, the fifth highest in the developed world according to the OECD

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Australians buying their first home or downsizing in retirement are about to receive a helping hand thanks to new superannuation rules which come into effect on July 1. From that date, first home buyers will be able to contribute up to $30,000 into their super fund towards a home deposit while downsizers can put up to $300,000 of the proceeds of selling the family home into super.

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Although we are only at the tip of the iceberg of blockchain’s immense potential, industry leaders like Bob Greifeld, CEO of Nasdaq, have already pegged the emerging technology as “the biggest opportunity set we can think of over the next decade”. i From the humble origins of Bitcoin, blockchain has since captured the imagination of everyone from Richard Branson to Bill Gates and virtually every large financial institution on the planet.

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It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that there is a significant underinsurance gap between what we would need to maintain our standard of living should the unthinkable happen, and what we are actually covered for in the way of insurance.`

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Autumn is here, and not a moment too soon after a prolonged heatwave over summer. The Winter Olympics provided some welcome relief from the heat at home, and even though we failed to score gold at Pyeongchang we came away with two silver medals, one bronze and some promising young athletes to celebrate.

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