A growing number of Australians are encountering the challenges of assisting elderly relatives with the move into aged care. One of them is David. Recently, he had to help his formerly active 78-year-old mother, Jan, with the painful decision to move into care when she was struggling to fully recover... read more →
Jan
07
Oct
03
Whether it’s due to over-enthusiastic lenders or desperate borrowers, failure to adhere to robust lending standards can land some borrowers in serious financial distress. In many cases the difficulties experienced by these borrowers could have been avoided if the lenders had complied with their responsible lending obligations. In brief, this... read more →
Sep
04
Many grandparents want to give their grandchildren a head start in life, and a common way to do so is to help by paying some (or all) of their school fees. This can, of course, simply be done by making a contribution at the time the fees are payable. However,... read more →
Aug
07
We all, to a greater or lesser extent, have an idea of our dream lifestyle. So how, as a nation, are we faring? To find out, the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) commissioned a survey of more than 2,600 people from around the country. The resulting Live the Dream... read more →
Feb
06
Margaret was 21 when she married Graham. She was working as a sales assistant in a large department store when they decided to start a family. As her pregnancy advanced Margaret gave up work and Graham, a warehouse fork-lift driver, took a second job to make up the shortfall in... read more →
Feb
06
An important part of the wedding vows is “for richer or poorer” and we’d all prefer the former! But after the euphoria of the wedding day passes, many couples leave their financial management to chance with money often becoming a bone of contention if each has different goals and attitudes.... read more →
Nov
17
Most of us would rather not think about the death of a loved one, although, like paying tax, it is inevitable. But what happens when you are a beneficiary in a deceased estate? Someone will be appointed to gather the assets of the deceased person pay their debts and distribute... read more →
Jun
27
A good financial planner is your best asset and the following information describes why having a good financial planner is important in uncertain economic times - or any time really. Financial planning is about establishing a long-term strategy to secure your financial future with the lifestyle and living standards you... read more →
Jul
01
Here are four key issues to consider when establishing or reviewing a Will, accompanied by tips for making an effective Will. 1. Who should you appoint as your beneficiaries? While you can leave your estate to pretty much anyone you like, you do need to be careful. Challenges against a... read more →
Apr
28
We Are All Part of An Ageing Population According to the United Nations Population Division, we are all living through a period of ageing population that is unparalled in the history of humanity. This process is a result of reduced mortality rates due to better living standards, and declining fertility... read more →