During the month of September, Ben had the pleasure of meeting with Saxo Bank’s Chief Investment Officer, Steen Jakobsen.
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In August, the focus was on US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell’s speech, during which he reinforced the focus on bringing US inflation down, even at the risk of recession. In Australia, economic conditions are less gloomy, with a good results recorded on our trade surplus and annual wages growth. The ASX 200 showed resistance to US and global falls, performing more steadily over the month.
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One of the things many of us have been missing over the past few years is holidays, but now that the world is opening up again for travel and destinations that have been pretty quiet are now eagerly welcoming back tourists, taking a break has never been more appealing.
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With the cost of living on the rise, it’s more important than ever to have a financial safety net that protects you and your family in case the unexpected happens.
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Working out how much you need to save for retirement is a question that keeps many pre-retirees awake at night. Recent market volatility and fluctuating superannuation balances have only added to the uncertainty.
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Rising inflation and interest rates remained the focus of attention in July. Inflation jumped to 6.1% in the year to June and the Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate in July, with similar increases tipped to come. Stocks rallied as investors looked past fears of inflation increases and interest rate hikes.
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As we get older, most of us want to remain independent and in our own home for as long as possible, but this can be challenging without some help with household tasks and personal care.
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First, we had to brush up our understanding of inflation and what it means for our hip pocket and our investments. Now the term stagflation is being thrown into the economic mix.
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Life just seems to get ever busier as the years roll by and our most precious commodity is often our time. We could all do with a few more hours in the day and technology continues to play a vital role in bringing efficiencies into our daily lives.
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June was a big month in an eventful year for the local and global economy, with inflation and interest rates continuing to dominate. With inflation sitting at 5.1% in Australia, cost of living pressure is mounting. The Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate to 0.85% in June, with more rises anticipated. June also saw a global sell-off in shares, with the ASX 200 posting its worst month since March 2020.
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As baby boomers shift into retirement, Australia is on the brink of the nation’s biggest ever intergenerational wealth transfer. Yet estate or inheritance planning is rarely discussed by families.
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As interest rates start to increase after a lengthy period of historical lows, it’s a good time to think about how your money is working for you and whether your investing style and strategy is still in line with your goals.
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New rules coming into force on July 1 will create opportunities for older Australians to boost their retirement savings and younger Australians to build a home deposit, all within the tax-efficient superannuation system.
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Retirement means starting a new chapter of your life, one that gives you the freedom to create your own story, as you decide exactly how you want to spend your time. While retirement may not be part of your immediate plans, there are advantages to giving some thought as to what retirement looks like for you and how to best position yourself, well before you leave the workforce behind.
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As the end of the financial year approaches, now is a good time to check your super and see what you could do to boost your retirement nest egg. What’s more, you could potentially reduce your tax bill at the same time.
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Rising interest rates are almost always portrayed as bad news, by the media and by politicians of all persuasions. But a rise in rates cuts both ways.
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Cost of living pressures, inflation and interest rates were major concerns in the lead-up to the May federal election. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifted the cash rate for the first time in over 11 years from 0.1% to 0.35%, as inflation hit 5.1%. This followed the US Federal Reserve’s decision to lift rates by 50 basis points, the biggest rate hike in 22 years as inflation hit 8.5%.
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A series of reforms and changes will commence on 1 July 2022.
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There are lots of reasons to keep fit but very few of them have to do with how we earn our income. As a result, a tax deduction for a gym membership isn’t available to most people. And yes, the Tax Office has heard all the arguments before about how keeping fit reduces sickness and therefore is important to earning an income, and ‘…the way I look is important to my job’.
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The Government temporarily halved the excise and excise equivalent customs duty rates for petrol, diesel and all other petroleum-based products (except aviation fuels) for 6 months from 30 March 2022 until 28 September 2022. This has caused a reduction in fuel tax credit rates.
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