Finance
Top 7 signs you are ready to retire
16 July
Retirement is one of life’s biggest financial and personal transitions. While many people focus on reaching a particular age, being ready to retire involves much more than simply qualifying to access superannuation or receiving the Age Pension. A...[Read More]
Oliver’s insights – Why have Australian living standards “fallen” and how do we fix it?
16 July
Key points Falling real wages and a surge in tax and interest payments over the last five years have led to a slump in Australians’ living standards. But a broader driver of the malaise in living standards has been a slump in productivity...[Read More]
Trump threatens to shoot down signs of economic rebound
16 July
Just as businesses and consumers were beginning to grow more confident, a return to arms in the Middle East risks sending sentiment back to the doldrums. Business confidence climbed nine points in June, despite warnings the federal budget would...[Read More]
How first-time homebuyers can save $8,500 in taxes
16 July
First-time homebuyers are missing out on thousands of dollars by not using a little-known scheme that helps save them money for the deposit. The First Home Super Saver Scheme lets them take advantage of their superannuation account’s favourable...[Read More]
Tax push renders budget surplus forecasts ‘unrealistic’
16 July
More tax cuts for workers would keep the budget in deficit beyond the next decade, the agency that assesses the nation’s finances warns. The outlook for the federal budget has improved over the past year, despite economic headwinds from the Middle...[Read More]
The new financial year has begun: What are your numbers really telling you?
9 July
Once tax time has passed, many small business owners breathe a sigh of relief and move on. But the start of a new financial year is actually one of the best times to pause, review your numbers, and ask: what did last year really show us? Your...[Read More]
Oliver’s insights – 2025-26 saw lots of noise but strong returns (again) – can it continue?
9 July
Key points While we saw a long list of worries over the last year, 2025-26 saw another financial year of strong returns. Risks around Iran and oil, various other geopolitical issues, sticky inflation and possible further rate hikes and AI related...[Read More]
Oliver’s insights – Was life really better in the good old days?
9 July
Key points Angst about economic conditions has been running high in recent times. This is evident in chronically low consumer confidence readings and a downtrend in measures of happiness. It’s also arguably evident in the rise of populist...[Read More]
Inflation-fuelling supply shocks under RBA microscope
9 July
Expect to hear more from the Reserve Bank as it grapples with how to navigate a world punctuated by more frequent supply shocks due to heightened geopolitical tensions and climate change. With shocks like the Middle East oil crisis and Donald...[Read More]
Family affair: investor tax changes spawn new tactics
9 July
A 1950s red brick walk-up in southwest Brisbane is a window into how the federal budget is reshaping the property market. Marketed as “the ultimate set-up for multi-generational living”, the three-unit apartment block in Oxley has bucked the...[Read More]
Longest stretch of weak growth since 1990s forecast
9 July
Australia’s economy is set to grow below two per cent for the longest period since the early 1990s, exposing a malaise long masked by population growth, a report has warned. Rarely has the economics advisory group adopted such a downbeat...[Read More]
Why people avoid financial advice—and three reasons they shouldn’t
2 July
Most people want to feel financially secure. They want to manage their household expenses, build savings, make the most of their superannuation and eventually enjoy a lifestyle of choice. Yet many Australians delay speaking with a Financial Adviser,...[Read More]
The first money conversations every couple should have
2 July
Getting married or moving in together is an exciting step. It is about love, commitment, shared plans and building a life together. But it is also a time when two financial worlds often come together. Different spending habits, savings goals, debts,...[Read More]
Understanding your legal obligations when selling or winding down a business
2 July
Selling a business or bringing it to an end can be a major financial and emotional decision. Whether you operate as a sole trader, partnership or company, closing the doors is only one part of the process. Contracts, employees, debts, registrations,...[Read More]
Weak housing market could imperil Australia’s economy
2 July
The Reserve Bank is worried Australia’s economy could be weakened by a housing market slowdown accelerated by the federal budget, a readout of its last interest rates meeting shows. The central bank’s monetary policy board voted unanimously to...[Read More]