Buying our own home is a key aim of most Australians. We have a focus on it. It’s the Australian dream. Owning our home provides security, we can’t be kicked out. We can also modify and personalise the home to suit our preferences. The home also helps build our wealth...

How much money will I need to be able to retire? Can I afford to retire? July is a popular time of year to finish work due to receiving unused leave payments in a new financial year. In most cases tax deducted at source will be refunded when the tax return for that...

Working people often take little interest in their superannuation, yet they should. It offers many opportunities and is relevant to adults at all stages of their lives. Super offers younger people tax savings from deductible contributions. They can put money in before...

Share markets have had a particularly strong run since last October, ever since investors became convinced that interest rates were at their peaks in many countries. The biggest winners have been the big US technology companies. Many major companies worldwide have...

For the ten years to 29th February 2024 the All Ordinaries Accumulation Index of Australian shares, which includes dividends paid, returned 8.2 per cent per annum. Over the same period the MSCI Index of Global Shares (ex Australia) earned 12.7 per cent per annum. One...

With only three months remaining until the end of the financial year it’s a good time to start planning strategies to reduce tax for this year. The Tax Office allows people to prepay expenses that relate to next year’s income and claim the deduction in this financial...

Share markets in the US, Britain, France, Germany, Japan and Australia have all recorded new all-time highs this year. They have since eased back slightly but are still close to record levels. Is this a time to be wary about a possible coming market slump? A slump...

Superannuation is a tax-sheltered investment option that allows people to build savings faster. There are tax concessions when they contribute, on the earnings in their account, and when they retire. Super is especially attractive to people in the later stages of...

On 1st March the All Ordinaries Index of Australian share prices closed at a record high, above 8,000 points for the first time. That was a gain of around fourteen per cent over the last three months, though only eight per cent over the last year. Should we go...