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Boost your spouse’s super to reduce your tax
If your spouse is on a low income, you may be able to make contributions into their super account and claim a tax offset. This contribution is a non-concessional contribution and will form part of the tax-free component of your spouse’s super account. You may receive an 18% tax offset when you contribute to your spouse’s super fund (see below for conditions).
Get a super top up from the Government
The Government co-contribution is an initiative to help eligible low to middle income earners boost their retirement savings.
If your total income¹ is less than $35,454 p.a. and you make personal (i.e. after-tax) contributions to your super any time this financial year, the Government will match your contributions on a $0.50 per dollar basis up to $500. If your total income1 is less than $50,454 p.a. the Government’s matching rate will be reduced as per the table below.
Purchasing an investment property with borrowed funds (strategies for super)
Investing in residential property can be a good investment. Now with the ability to borrow funds inside super, this strategy is far more achievable for more Australians.
UK Pension Changes 2015
There has been a lot of talk and communications over the past 6 months on the transfer of UK pensions to an Australian superannuation fund. However of late the “QROPS” process has been effectively placed on hold. Another important reform in the UK impacts the...
NEWS FLASH – Equity Market Volatility
What is occurring and why? We are now currently seeing swings in the equity market better than the bowling of James Anderson in the recent Ashes cricket series. Like the…
Health & Fitness: 10 red flag warning signs of cancer
"One in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime". A scary statistic, and a good general interest piece about the warning signs not to ignore....
UK pension reforms: changes ahead
Last year the UK Government announced sweeping reforms to the UK pension rules to commence from April 2015. The intention of the Government is to provide UK retirees with greater flexibility and freedom of choice as to how they take their retirement income. The...
NEWS FLASH: RADICAL OVERHAUL – UK Pension Scheme Changes
The UK Chancellor has flagged a possible restriction or even a ban on individuals with public sector pension funds (including NHS, Police, Teachers, Civil Service) transferring their benefits out to another scheme both in the UK and abroad to Australia from April...
Finance Update for Dinner Conversations
The activity in the world markets does not stop, and processing the recent changes requires a very patient mind. At the present time this will be important for anyone with investment exposure particularly within their superannuation which is the most common. In this...
Education Series: #01 – Inflation. Helping your understanding of financial terms.
INFLATION INFLATION INFLATION! Let's start with a term that we hear every day, and in particular around the first Tuesday of each month when the Reserve Bank of Australia ('RBA') considers what will happen with interest rates. Inflation is an increase (or decrease in...