Changing of the Goal Posts for Self-Funded Retirees – How to make sense of the Changes to the Age Pension.
For many years, the Age Pension has been available to thousands of self-funded retirees who have sought advice around the generous rules and exemptions available and employed smart strategies to gain access to the Government Benefits, even with substantial superannuation balances. From 1st January 2017 however, the rules are being tightened! If you are currently…
November Update
November is here and as always it opens with the race that stops a nation. But the Melbourne Cup has been eclipsed by an even bigger race this month, and that’s the home stretch to the US Presidential election on November 8, which overshadowed global financial markets in October. Our newsletter gives you a snapshot…
Forget the Smashed Avo on Toast – Are you just too lazy to save money?
Australians are self-confessed penny pinchers, with new research identifying three-quarters of Australians as tightwads who limit their spending and hunt for the best deals. But with all this self-confession, are we really saving as much as what we could? With more than half of Australians dumping their current service providers for a cheaper deal, research…
$500,000 lifetime superannuation cap scrapped
The Government has today announced improvements to the superannuation changes announced in the 2016-17 Budget that make Australia’s superannuation system even fairer, more flexible and more sustainable. Following extensive consultation, the Government will amend the package to improve the measures that seek to restrict superannuation being used as an estate planning vehicle, while providing greater…
Top Tips for lodging your tax return and getting a fast refund
An estimated 12 million people will lodge a tax return this year with almost half a million Australians lodging a tax return for the first time. For some, lodging a tax return can be a bit intimidating so here are some easy tips to help lodge and get a fast refund. Check if you need…
Aspire Retire Update – New Head Office Premises
Aspire Retire Financial Services is delighted to announce its new Head Office premises. Commencing 11 July 2016 Aspire Retire will be located on Level 6, 345 Ann St, Brisbane City, in the Cathedral Square precinct. The building is the second building towards Anzac Square from the intersection of Ann and Wharf Streets. With this location…
End of Financial Year Update and Strategies
After a long spell of milder weather, winter is finally here, but the upcoming federal election will be providing plenty of heat for the next few weeks at least. With significant changes to superannuation, business tax and negative gearing in the offing, the outcome of this election could also have a material impact on the…
Federal Budget Summary 2016
Budget 2016: Blueprint for an election Treasurer Scott Morrison promised it would be no ordinary budget but instead an ‘economic plan for jobs and growth’. With the federal election to be called as early as this week, the focus has shifted from an earlier emphasis on debt and deficit under Prime Minister Tony Abbott to…
RBA Interest Rate Announcement
At its meeting today, the Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 1.75 per cent, effective 4 May 2016. This follows information showing inflationary pressures are lower than expected. The full statement from Glenn Stevens, Governor:Monetary Policy Decision below: The global economy is continuing to grow, though at a slightly lower pace than…
How to minimise the Health Insurance Hike
How to minimise the Health Insurance Hike The dreaded 1 April increase is coming and this year, Australians can expect a hit to the hip pocket with an average increase to health insurance premiums by 5.59%, adding approximately $200 a year to the cost of the average family policy. For those who aren’t watching closely…
Loyal or Lazy? How you could be missing out on thousands
Australians are wasting more than $500 million each year by not switching to a better deal on items such as banking, groceries, internet, mobile phone and utility providers just to name a few, according to research released from the Queensland University of Technology. The national research found more than half of Australians had seriously considered…
Lost super statistics for Western Austalia
The Australian Taxation Office reveals that as of the end of 2014, over 14 million Australians had a super fund account. Approximately 45% of these people have more than one super account. WA’s highest average balance is in the postcode 6907 – being the University of Western Australian Area – near Curtin having an average…