Is there more to investing than property?

Many Australians like to invest in property. However, property is not the only investment option out there. It is important to think about diversification – spreading your investments across a range of assets, markets and industries. There’s no question that property can be a great investment, it can provide good returns via capital growth and rental income and depending on your circumstances can allow for negative gearing. Although, as with all investments it does have its risks and disadvantages, so what other investment options are available?

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How to set financial goals

Whenever the term financial advice is mentioned it is commonly associated with an individual’s financial goals. Whether you have a type of ‘Christmas list’ as long as your arm of things that you’d like to buy, or perhaps you’ve never really thought about it and just buy what you want when you want – financial goals are almost always at the forefront of your mind, you just might not know it yet.

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Fraud: How to spot a scam and how to keep yourself protected

Unfortunately, fraud is a prevalent part of today’s society. For a scam to work it is almost always necessary that the targeted individual, although unwittingly, will be asked to provide or do something to help the scam progress.

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A new break for first home buyers

Looking to buy your first family home or get into the housing market? As a result of recent legislation, the Government’s First Home Super Savers Scheme (FHSSS) will allow individuals to save for their first home using their superannuation. Applying this policy will allow potential home owners to reap the benefits of the concessional tax treatment of super, so now you can save even faster than a traditional savings account would allow.

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How’s your budget - surplus or deficit?

Each year in early May, the Treasurer delivers the Federal Budget and many people across Australia listen intently. The Budget tells us how the government plans to spend its revenue in the coming year, whether it can afford to give us tax cuts, and whether it expects to spend more (creating a deficit) or less (creating a surplus) than it receives.

Budgets are also important on a personal level, especially when living costs are rising and uncertainty abounds. So it’s worth having a look at how you can manage your finances in the current economy.

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