Becoming a parent is an exciting and life-changing step. Be well-prepared for the costs and budget for them. Cost of having a baby Having a baby costs money. It’s possible to plan and save for most of these costs, but some can be unexpected. The earlier you start, the better.
You’re ready to start investing, but there’s a few things holding you back. Firstly, while you have a bit of money set aside, you don’t have a lot and you’re thinking it’s probably not enough to start off with. You also don’t know a lot about financial markets and different
Ah, the holiday season: a time for festive gatherings, endless cheer, and, let’s face it, a bit of financial chaos if you found yourself swept up in the whirlwind of gift-giving, travel, and all those delicious holiday treats. Now the holidays are behind us, you might be feeling the aftershocks
When to declare investment income You must declare income you earn from investments and assets in your tax return. Investment income may include amounts from interest, dividends, rental income, managed investment trust credits, crypto assets and capital gains. You need to declare investment income whether you receive payments directly or
As parents, the instinct to support our children never truly fades, even when they become adults but when you are looking at giving them a financial helping hand there is a bit to consider. It’s important to ensure any support you provide is not at the expense of your financial
What is an emergency fund? An emergency fund is a financial safety net, offering you instant access to money when you need to cover the cost of unplanned expenses, like losing a job, unexpected travel or a medical emergency. This involves putting funds aside periodically so you can dip into
Most people intend to retire between ages 65 and 66, according to the latest data and, surprisingly, despite growing superannuation balances, the Age Pension is the main source of income for many retirees.i The intended retirement age has increased significantly in the last two decades, from just over 62 years
Australian share prices have seen record highs in 2024 after a sluggish couple of years. The S&P ASX200 index added just under 7 per cent in the 10 months to October 31 closing at 8160.i It reached its previous all-time high of 8355 just two weeks before. So, if you
Which records to keep for your property so you can work out CGT when you sell it. Property records you should keep For your property, you should keep records of: your acquisition of the property and related expenses, such as purchase contract stamp duty legal fees settlement statement survey and
Deductions you can claim for the costs of earning interest, share dividends, or income from other investments. Interest income expenses You can claim a deduction for account-keeping fees you incur on an account held for investment purposes, such as bank accounts or income bonds. You will find these fees on
Key points – 2024 was another strong year for investors with shares up strongly on the back of better than feared growth & profits and global central banks cutting rates. Volatility was low and balanced growth super funds returned around 11%. – 2025 is likely to see positive returns but
Six ways to get more money into your superannuation fund. The start of the 2024-25 financial year on 1 July saw some significant changes come through designed to help working Australians get more money into their superannuation. Fundamentally they involved increases to the statutory amounts individuals can contribute into their
