Rental expenses to claim

Rental expense categories There are 3 rental expense categories, those for which you: can claim a deduction now (in the income year you incur the expense) – for example, interest on loans, council rates, repairs and maintenance and depreciating assets costing $300 or less can claim a deduction over several years – for example, capital works, borrowing expenses … Read more

Binary options

Binary options promise quick, high returns. But the reality is you will lose your entire investment most of the time. Binary options are financial products that bet on the outcome of an event. If you pick correctly, you get a fixed cash payout. If you get it wrong you lose your entire investment. An ASIC … Read more

Seven tips on paying off your home loan faster

Why pay down your home loan faster You might wish to boost your repayments now, so that you can enjoy the freedom of being mortgage-free. This could help bring forward the overseas holiday you’ve been promising yourself, or help your children complete their education. Perhaps you’re planning on renovating your home to add value to your … Read more

Disposing of shares

How to dispose of shares You can dispose of your shares in the following ways: selling them giving them away (gifting shares) transferring them to a spouse as the result of a breakdown in your marriage or relationship through share buy-backs through mergers, takeovers and demergers because the company goes into liquidation. It’s important you … Read more

What is an aged care assessment and how does it work

Key points: Getting an assessment is the first step towards getting access to Government funded services Assessments are undertaken by the Aged Care Assessment Team across Australia, or the Aged Care Assessment Service in Victoria You can have your assessment reviewed if you don’t agree with the outcome From there, you can organise an assessment … Read more

How do retirement income options compare?

Retirement is filled with opportunities and choices. There’s the time to travel more, work on long-delayed personal projects or volunteer your help to worthwhile causes. You also have a host of choices to make when it comes to funding your new life away from paid work. Here are four different options to consider.i Account-Based Pension … Read more

When passion is the purpose of investing

Investing is often considered best undertaken with a cool head and heart. But for some investors, passion is the whole purpose of the investment. Passion investing is what it sounds like – investing in things you love, non-traditional assets that generally allow you to enjoy ownership while hopefully watching them appreciate in value at the … Read more

Releasing the value in your home

Rising property prices have led many people to look for ways to unlock the increased equity in their homes so they enjoy a comfortable lifestyle in their golden years. For most of us, our homes represent the biggest or most significant portion of our wealth. But it’s an asset that can’t necessarily be realised quickly. … Read more

Investing cycles – Lessons from the Magnificent 7

When it comes to investing in shares, it’s often said that time is your friend. The data shows that investing small amounts consistently over time and riding out the ups and downs of the market by holding onto your investments for the long term, can produce a healthy return. Over the past two decades, the … Read more

When DIY does not pay off

“If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself” Not necessarily! The appeal of doing it yourself is understandable. There is a great feeling that comes with doing something that challenges you and with being resourceful and learning a new skill. However, there can be pitfalls to DIY and there are benefits … Read more