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Market Update & Commentary – August 2019
Category: Investment
Can you just put a caveat on someone’s house?
If you are owed a substantial sum of money by someone, whether because you have loaned them funds or if you have a bill that hasn’t been paid, you would generally like to secure those funds. This way, if the borrower or debtor ends up being a bankrupt or insolvent, you may be...
The difference between joint tenants and tenants in common
Consider this not uncommon scenario… You own property with another person and you are in the process of making a Will. Of course, you want your interest in the property to go to your intended beneficiaries. Your solicitor asks you if you own the property as “joint tenants” or as “tenants...
Investment decision-making: avoid shortcuts
How do you go about choosing a restaurant, a new car or, or even a dishwasher? Chances are you begin by looking online at consumer ratings and asking friends for their opinions. Understandably, we look for shortcuts when making decisions and a common shortcut is to assume that past performance...
The power of financial role models
Role models are important in many stages of life. Be it school years, on the sporting field or in your career, having a positive role model, someone to compare yourself to and measure your progress against, can be a powerful and positive influence. But what about your financial position? Do...
Granny flat rights
A “granny flat right” or a “granny flat interest” is where you pay for the right to live in a specific home for life. It must be a private residence and your principal home. You can have a granny flat interest in any kind of dwelling, not just those typically...
2017-2018 financial year in review
A good year for investors despite rising trade tensions The year to 30 June 2018 was generally a good one for investors. Global economic conditions strengthened as the year unfolded. This underpinned corporate earnings, especially in the US where the economy was resilient and substantial corporate tax cuts became law....
Budgeting 101 – working out your income and expenditure
Working out a realistic budget is a great way to take control of your finances. Although it may seem like a chore, it’s the crux of sound – and sustainable – financial management. In this article we look at how to ‘do the numbers. A budget shows you how much...
June 2018 Economic Update
Which key events have been driving markets? Watch this video of Senior Economist Bob Cunneen in discussion with Portfolio Specialist, Sinead Rafferty. Market update Inflation continues to creep higher and is close to or at 2% in major developed markets, although core measures of inflation remain below target. Despite slower-than-expected...
More super – less tax
The end of the financial year is fast approaching – and this year, there’s a new way to help you save on tax while boosting your super. By making an after-tax contribution to your superannuation before the end of the financial year, you could boost your retirement savings for the...
McKillopFP Newsletter – May 2018
Click here to see our May 2018 Newsletter...
2018 Federal Budget Summary
Download McKillop FP’s 2018 Federal Budget Summary Federal Budget video Federal Budget Infographic ...
McKillopFP Newsletter – April 2018
Click here to view our April 2018 Newsletter...
Waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment to invest
If you’ve got even the slightest interest in the world at large, you can’t have missed the news about the stock market during the last few weeks and months. It was up. Quite a lot, actually. Then it fell. Then it recovered. At the moment I’m writing this, some of...
Smart super strategies for this EOFY
Want to help boost your retirement savings while potentially saving on tax? Here are five smart super strategies to consider before the end of the financial year. 1. Add to your super – and claim a tax deduction This financial year, there are new rules about who can claim a...
Reserve Bank keeps interest rates on hold
The Reserve Bank has today kept the official cash rate on hold at 1.5% for the 19th consecutive month since August 2016....
Your super and tax: what’s new in 2018?
Super and tax rules are always changing – providing fresh opportunities to help maximise your retirement savings. Here are two new ways you may be able to help boost your super, as well as your tax return. Good news for employees Before 1 July 2017, you could only claim a...
March Economic Update
What was driving the markets in February? Video of MLC’s Senior Economist Bob Cunneen in discussion with Head of Investment Communications Jason Hazel ...
McKillop FP newsletter – February 2018
McKillop Financial Planning‘s February 2018 newsletter – CLICK HERE Articles on: ThreeSixty Research Market Update – February 2018 How to add thousands to your super in just 10 minutes Superannuation and moving overseas Do you have a Shareholders Agreement?...
February Economic Update
DISCLAIMER Content contained in this document is general information only and is not advice, financial planning, legal or otherwise. This document was sourced from MLC Limited by Integrated Planning Systems Pty Limited ABN 21 051 429 184 trading as McKillop Financial Planning, an Authorised Representative of GWM Adviser Services Limited...
McKillop FP newsletter – January 2018
McKillop Financial Planning’s January 2018 newsletter – CLICK HERE Articles on: Setting up for retirement success ThreeSixty Research Market Update: January 2018 Your rights when it comes to direct debits Technology: an adversary in the fight for 2% inflation ...
If only I had a second chance
No matter our age, most of us would probably look back on some aspects of our lives and say to ourselves: “If only I could do that again; if only I had a second chance“. This, of course, tends to occur quite frequently in regards to our investing and saving....
McKillopFP newsletter – December 2017
McKillop Financial Planning’s December 2017 newsletter – CLICK HERE. Articles on: – If only I had a second chance – How to develop a “dynamic” approach to retirement spending – How to make better investment decisions – The power of extra salary sacrificed contributions to superannuation – With our heads firmly in the “The Cloud”...
Salary sacrifice super contributions
As the year draws to a close, it’s worth checking whether you are making the most of your ability to make regular salary-sacrificed super contributions. If your salary-sacrificing contributions are lagging, think about stepping up your contributions for the remaining nine months of the financial year. Your ability to step...
RBA keeps rates on hold
The Reserve Bank has today left the official cash rate on hold at its historic low of 1.5%, where it has remained for the 14th month in a row....
McKillop FP newsletter – September 2017
McKillop Financial Planning‘s September newsletter CLICK HERE Articles on: superannuation for young people, global shares as part of your investment portfolio, the $1 million #retirement myth and an MLC August economic update ...
RBA leaves rates on hold (again)
The Reserve Bank board has this afternoon decided to leave the official cash rate unchanged at the historic low of 1.5%, where is has been since August 2016. ...
Claiming tax deductions for super contributions
Do you make personal superannuation contributions and want to claim them as a tax deduction? Following the close of the 2017 financial year, it is important to ensure that if you wish to claim a tax deduction for personal superannuation contributions made in the 2017 financial year, you lodge a Notice...
RBA Snapshot – July 2017
The Reserve Bank has released its latest snapshot of the Australian Economy (July 2017)....
ASIC holds $1.1 billion in unclaimed super money
‘Unclaimed money’ is money from dormant bank accounts, unclaimed life insurance policy payouts and money from shares and other investments that people have not been collected from companies. Unclaimed money is transferred to the Commonwealth after it’s been unclaimed usually for 7 years. People may find they have unclaimed money...
Make the most of this financial year’s super caps
Building your retirement nest egg? Make your contributions before the end of the financial year and you could potentially save more. Changes to super laws mean that from 1 July 2017, the amount of money you can contribute to your super is being reduced. So it makes sense to take...
May 2017 Economic & Market Update
May 2017 Economic & Market Update In this update, Bob Cunneen, MLC Senior Economist talks to Jason Hazell, MLC Head of Investment Communications, about key events driving markets during April 2017. They discuss: Australian shares delivering a solid monthly performance US and European share markets making strong gains in April...
2017 Federal Budget Summary
Click here to view our budget summary as at 9 May 2017 Key measures from last night’s budget include: Individuals aged 65 or older will be able to make non-concessional (after-tax) super contributions of up to $300,000 from 1 July 2018, using proceeds from the sale of the family home....
May 2017 Reserve Bank Decision – rates on hold (again)
At today’s Monetary Policy Meeting of the Reserve Bank Board, the RBA decided to leave the cash rate steady at 1.5%. The cash rate target has been at an historic low of 1.5% since 3 August 2016. Read the Governor’s statement here and the Board’s minutes here (minutes available from 16 May...
RBA Snapshot- April 2017
The Reserve Bank has released its latest snapshot of the Australian Economy (April 2017)....
Recent changes to Superannuation laws
The Federal Government has been making significant changes to the way in which superannuation is dealt with. Many of the changes come into effect on 1 July 2017 and significant advantages may be available for those to take advantage of the current rules. This is a complex area and one in...
RBA leaves rates on hold
BREAKING: The Reserve Bank has left interest rates on hold at the historic low of 1.5%, where it has remained since August 2016....
RBA Snapshot – Australian Economy February 2017
The Reserve Bank of Australia has released its latest snapshot of the Australian economy Growth 1.8% Inflation 1.5% Cash rate 1.5% AUD/USD 0.7671 Average Residential Dwelling Price $631,000 Unemployment 5.8%...
RBA SNAPSHOT: Australian Economy December 2016
The Reserve Bank has released its December snapshot of the Australian economy: Household Saving Ratio 6.3% Average Weekly Earnings $1,161 Average Price of Residential Dwellings $623,000 Population 24.1M (1.4% annual growth) Unemployment Rate 5.6% AUD/USD A$1US$0.7459 Cash Rate 1.5% Inflation 1.3% Economic Growth 1.8%...
Women and super: the facts
Did you know that around 90% of women end up with not enough superannuation savings to fund the lifestyle they want in retirement? In fact, the average superannuation account balance for women when they retire is around $90,000 less than the average for men.* There’s no doubt women have a...
Proposed reforms to superannuation
Proposed reforms to superannuation Here is a useful infographic summarizing the key proposals for super reform – changes to before-tax contribution caps, changes to concessional contributions tax and concessional contribution caps and pension limits… Note that the proposals are not law yet and they vary from those proposed in the...
Pre-retirees are topping up their superannuation
PRE-RETIREES ARE TOPPING UP THEIR SUPERANNUATION Almost one-third of Australians topped up their super in the last 12 months, contributing additional funds over and above employer contributions, according to MLC’s Australia Today report (August 2016). It’s a positive sign that Australians are taking proactive steps to plan for a comfortable retirement lifestyle,...