Prepare for any changes that may be occurring in 2026 and beyond. Looking ahead: What’s changing in 2026? At this time of year, many of us start thinking about what’s next – new goals, fresh opportunities and trying to understand what’s ahead. Over the next year, a number of changes to superannuation, tax and even aged care may affect you...

If 2025 was the year that Australia’s property market roared back to life, 2026 looms as the year it taps the brakes. Price growth is expected to slow, there’s a risk of interest rate hikes and rising borrowing costs could fuel negative growth across some sectors. Still, government backed first home buyers, a return of investors and demand for budget...

Thinking about using your super to invest in property? You’re not alone. Australians are increasingly seeking alternatives to traditional investments such as shares and managed funds to build their retirement wealth. Find out if buying property with superannuation is right for you. Buying property with SMSFs: how does it work? Investing in property through a self managed super fund (SMSF)...

Shares or stocks are a popular investment for many investors but can be intimidating when you are starting out. Here’s a short guide to help start your journey into investing. What are shares? Shares, also called stocks, are a part ownership of a company and, if the company is publicly listed on a stock exchange, can be purchased or sold....

Ransomware is a common and dangerous type of malware. It works by locking up or encrypting your files so that you can no longer access them. A ransom, usually in the form of cryptocurrency, is demanded to restore access to the files, or to prevent data and intellectual property from being leaked or sold online. A ransomware attack could block...

What goes up, must come down. Market highs and lows are a normal part of the investment world but they can be hard to handle when it’s your money at stake. Market volatility Investment markets tend to move in cycles, from boom periods when assets rise in value and deliver strong gains, to events like the global financial crisis when...

Market developments during January 2026 included: Key Points The domestic equity market took the lead from European and US markets, finishing higher in January, while Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) moved lower. US equity markets rose in January in the face of rising geopolitical tension and the start of another US earnings season. Fixed interest performance was generally mixed over...

Even with interest rates easing, the cost of living remains tough. In some cases, super can offer relief – especially under compassionate grounds or severe financial hardship. Mortgage stress is hitting many Australians hard – and if you're feeling the pressure, you're not alone. Even though interest rates have started to ease, the cost of living is still putting pressure...

The following outlines your obligations as a trustee or director of a corporate trustee of a Self Managed Super Fund (SMSF) and what happens when they are not met. Understand your obligations All trustees of your SMSF are responsible for running the fund and making decisions that are in the best financial interests of all members. This means you are...

Working out how much your business is worth can be an important part of getting finance, attracting investors or selling your business. Here are some suggested steps to help you through the process. Prepare your business information You’ll need a range of business information to value your business properly. If you need help with preparing your documents and can’t afford...

Superannuation is one of the important pillars of savings in retirement for most Australians. After years of working and contributing to your super fund, retirement is when you are finally able to access it. Whether retirement is just around the corner or still a few years away, it’s worth understanding your options. In this article, we’ll walk you through your...

Receiving an inheritance may be a once in a lifetime financial opportunity that also coincides with a very difficult, emotional time in your life. Whether you inherit $10,000 or $100,000, your age, life stage, risk appetite and financial preparedness are likely to play a key role in decisions about how and where to invest. Many Australians are likely to be...

Your super and investment savings represent years of hard work for a secure future. Unfortunately, they can be a prime target for scammers, causing significant financial loss and emotional distress. Financial scams are on the rise and becoming more sophisticated, making them harder to detect. This article will help you recognise common types of super and investment scams, how to identify...

Deeming rates changed for the first time in five years in September, which will affect the income the government estimates retirees earn from their investments. At the same time, Age Pension payments and part Age Pension cut off limits have also increased. Deeming rates used to estimate the income Age Pension recipients receive from their financial investments increased from 20...

Global Trade tensions re-escalated in October, with the US responding to increased rare earth export controls from China with an additional 100% tariff alongside export controls on critical software. This led to the S&P500 experiencing its largest one day decline since Liberation Day in April, falling by -2.71% on October 10. Gold prices accelerated to fresh record highs amid global...

Overview The total value of Australian residential real estate is now $11.8 trillion. National housing values are gaining momentum, rising 2.2% over the September quarter alone. Darwin markets are setting the pace for capital growth since the first interest rate cut in February, with suburbs like Wanguri and Durack (NT) soaring by 20.1%. Conversely, Sydney and Melbourne accounted for the...

In today's world, we manage a significant part of our lives through emails. We use them to communicate with friends, family and colleagues. We also use email to sign up for online accounts and services. Checking and managing your emails may seem like a mundane and repetitive task. But if you don't stay vigilant, someone else could access and control...

In short: The Reserve Bank cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points in August to 3.6 per cent, after July's shock 'on hold' decision. The average owner-occupier with a $750,000 mortgage as of February will see their minimum monthly repayment fall $111 if their bank passes on the cut, taking the cumulative reduction this year to $340, according to Canstar....

Protecting retirement income from inflation The fall in inflation from multi decade highs is good news for the Australian economy. Many retirees are struggling to manage their cost of living because of the cumulative impact inflation has had on their financial position. Looking forward, retirees need a portfolio that is protected from inflation risks so that they don’t experience another...

The amount of super you need to support your retirement will depend on what kind of lifestyle you’re hoping to enjoy and how much income you’ll be earning in addition to your super savings. Income from the Age Pension, part-time work and other financial investments will affect the amount of super you need to retire comfortably. The Association of Superannuation...

Australian housing values rose another 0.6% in June, marking a fifth straight month of growth since conditions flattened out through the end of last year. Demonstrating the broad based nature of the upswing, monthly gains were recorded across almost every broad region of Australia, with Hobart the only region to see a month on month fall. The first rate cut...

Global Financial markets rallied in July after the US struck trade deals with Japan and the EU, which involved a reduction in the tariff rate in exchange for over $1 trillion in combined investment and purchased commitments, supporting both equities and broader risk sentiment. While gold has been supported year to date (YTD) by safe-haven demand and exchange traded fund...

If you’re looking for ways to potentially increase your retirement savings while reducing tax, carry forward concessional contributions could be a good option. Carry forward concessional contributions If you’ve had time out of work raising kids or for other lifestyle reasons, or you haven’t had the money to boost your super until now, you could take advantage of carry forward...

A strong year for share returns Global shares delivered very strong returns in the past financial year. Optimism on the promise of ‘Artificial Intelligence’ (AI) as well as progress towards lower global inflation and interest rates have been the key positive drivers for rising global share prices. These strong share gains come despite the tragic Russian-Ukraine War as well as...

One of the main reasons an individual would use an SMSF is for estate planning as it can offer greater flexibility to beneficiaries than what is available via a public offer fund. Where a member dies without a binding nomination, the distribution of the death benefits is at the discretion of the remaining trustees. This can result in some planning after...

During the Federal Election campaign, the Government made a number of election promises, which may impact your finances. There were also a number of support measures proposed in the recent Federal Budget. What could this mean for you? These announcements are proposals only and may or may not be made law. The information below, including the policy details and proposed...

Financial markets have been erratic lately, understandably causing some concern for those of us with super and investments. While dips and major market events are a common feature of investing, markets generally trend upwards over time. Most super funds invest in sharemarkets to help your money grow over in the long term. So when markets see-saw, so do super and...

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is when you use two or more different types of actions to verify your identity and you may already be using MFA. For example, when you receive an authentication code by SMS text message after entering your password to log into an online account. MFA is one of the best ways to protect against someone breaking into...

If your partner is earning a low income, working part-time, or currently unemployed, boosting their super could be a smart financial move for both of you. When your partner isn’t earning much, or is out of work, their super might not be growing enough to support them in retirement. By contributing to their super, you may not only help them...

US tariffs are poorly designed, badly implemented and are already damaging both the US and global economies. The economic damage will only get worse as uncertainty further undermines business and consumer confidence and results in dislocation of global supply chains. Determining the extent of economic damage, and financial market implications, is difficult because we don't know what tariffs will actually...