Embracing change can be hard, which is certainly true when it comes to downsizing your home. One of the best things you can do to support your parents who are facing this situtation, is to provide relevant information so your parents can make an informed choices about appropriate housing decisions. Most importantly, you need to be empathetic and really listen to their conerns.

For older Australians looking to make the most of their finances in retirement, deeming rates can be an important factor in their income situation.

Does investing in a financial planner really pay off? According to the latest research from Sunsuper you could be thousands of dollars better off when you make choices based on professional financial advice.

Have you ever wondered how Australia ranks against other countries in terms of retirement wellbeing and security?

When you leave work for good and retire, where will your money come from? 

So what is the differences between 'general' and 'personal' advice? There is confusion in the marketplace according to a recent ASIC research report.

Just as having a Will ensures assets are managed properly when you die, a Power of Attorney allows someone else to look after your finances when you’re unable to.

It's impossible to know for sure exactly how much money you need for retirement. There are simply too many variables that we either can’t control or can’t predict with any certainty. Such variables might include your health, your family situation, and legislative changes.

In a nutshell, the financial lifecycle is a model that provides a simplistic framework upon which to better understand the path you travel during your life. Namely, your progression from financial dependence to independence with regards to wealth accumulation and cashflow generation.

In this article we look at the concept of financial success and the fact that it will hold a different meaning for each and every one of us. For example: For some, financial success might mean having $1 million in investment assets and retired at age 65. Whereas, for others, it’s owning their own home and having enough behind them to live year on year.

We might think that having more money will solve our problems. But by spending less time and energy sizing up our situation against how others live, we can get clear on the goals that matter to us individually and take steps towards a better financial future.

Did you know that 45% of people are passing away intestate - this means that they failed to make a valid Will. One of the significant consequences of passing away intestate is that you don't get to decide how your assets are distributed.

"Mindfulness. If you’ve read anything to do with wellbeing recently, there’s no doubt you’ve already come across this term several times. But what exactly is mindfulness – and what does it have to do with our finances?" 

According to the latest statistics, a 65 year old Australian could on average expect to live until 84.6 (Male) or 87.3 (Female)! In retirement terms, that is about 16.9 years for a male and 22.3 years for a female that needs to be carefully planned for.

From 1 July 2018, those aged 65 or over will be able to use the proceeds from the sale of their home to make a downsizer contribution of up to $300,000 each into superannuation (subject to complying with some finer details).