Introducing Align Financial’s inaugural Stock Picking Charity Challenge! All you have to do is pick the top 5 stocks that you think will be the best performing over the next 12 months. Easy right? The entry with the highest portfolio of stocks wins a $500 donation to a charity of their choice. Full contest […]
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10 actions that bring happiness
It’s the beginning of a new year and after the one we’ve just had, I think we can all take time to think about how we can bring more happiness to our lives. Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design into the present. Starting today, try these 10 […]
2020-21 Federal Budget: 3 Key Take-Aways
The impact of COVID-19 on the economy has delayed the release of the Federal Budget this year to October instead of the usual May announcement. On Tuesday (6th Oct 2020), Treasurer Josh Frydenberg proposed a range of measures to get our economy back on it’s feet, albeit a third wave of COVID-19. Financial Life Planner […]
To hedge or not to hedge?
When you invest globally you are not only exposed to the risk of the investment, you are also exposed to exchange rate risk. That is, the risk that the currency you purchase the asset in (e.g. British Pounds) will rise or fall against the Australian Dollar. Such movements in exchange rates can impact your investment […]
Estate Planning with an SMSF
Self Managed Super Funds continue to be a popular choice for those wanting more control over their retirement savings. The focus within SMSFs is often on implementing strategies to boost your account balance or reduce the tax bill. But an equally important stage of the lifecycle is estate planning with an SMSF. Estate planning and […]
6 Daily Habits for Productivity
Becoming productive and staying productive isn’t about hard-to-follow programs or tracking your every move on your smart phone. It’s about self-care. Taking the time to ensure your mind and body are fueled and rejuvenated, and developing these habits so you can focus on getting the most out of your day, is more important now than […]
Does the 4 percent rule still work?
The 4 percent withdrawal rule is a rule of thumb that helps investors easily calculate how much they need to save in order to ‘live off the earnings for the rest of their life’. Without this guideline, it would be very difficult for most people to plan for decades of non-working life without worrying about […]
Understanding Investment Bonds
Investment bonds (sometimes call insurance bonds) were once a popular investment vehicle for high income earners. However, in the mid 1980’s along came superannuation, which soon became the investment of choice for many. Investment bonds are now undergoing a resurgence of sorts. And this is thanks to the restrictions on the amount that can be […]
Investing for Children
I am often asked, “What is the best way to save for my daughter’s university degree?” or “We want to help our son with a deposit on his first home, should we invest in his name or ours?”. Investing for children is fairly simple yet the best way to set up such investments is not […]
What do I need for estate planning?
It’s true – you can’t take it with you. Yet with a carefully planned estate, you can ensure what you have worked hard to create will be left to those closest to you, and not wasted in the form of avoidable tax and legal fees. At a minimum, estate planning requires 3 different documents: a […]