Blog – Maddern Financial Advisers
Be ahead of the news in accounting, private wealth and finance
Benefits of a super long engagement
26/Nov/2018
Superannuation is a long-term financial relationship. It begins with our first job, grows during our working life and hopefully supports us through our old age.
How to avoid common SMSF mistakes
09/Jul/2018
Running your own self-managed super fund can be time-consuming, but it’s about to get a little easier thanks to a change announced in the May 2018 Budget. From 1 July 2019 SMSFs will be able to move to three-yearly audits if they have three consecutive clear audit reports and lodged their annual returns on time. […]
Home and away with super
16/Apr/2018
Australians buying their first home or downsizing in retirement are about to receive a helping hand thanks to new superannuation rules which come into effect on July 1. From that date, first home buyers will be able to contribute up to $30,000 into their super fund towards a home deposit while downsizers can put up […]
It’s time to talk about debt
09/Apr/2018
Debt in Australian households are among the highest in the world and rising, thanks largely to worsening housing affordability and plentiful consumer credit. So how do we measure up and should we be worried? Most global comparisons measure total household debt as a percentage of net income. At last count, Australia’s household debt to income […]
Franking credits facing the chop
03/Apr/2018
Here we go again. Superannuation could be about to undergo more change with the federal opposition announcing it will end cash refunds of franking credits on share dividends if it wins the next election. The change would have a significant impact on people paying little or no tax, especially self-funded retirees in pension phase. Seniors […]
Transition to retirement still a smart move
05/Feb/2018
They say 60 is the new 40. And while it’s true that today’s over-50s are healthy and active for longer than previous generations, many in this position begin to dream about scaling back their work commitments so they can start ticking off their bucket list. You may want the flexibility to travel more, volunteer or […]
Retirement and the impact of home ownership
13/Nov/2017
Owning your own home has long been the Australian dream but after years of strong house price growth it’s becoming less of a reality for many. This has major implications for retirement planning. The major factor behind the shifting approach to home ownership is the prohibitive price of property, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. As […]
Life insurance inside or outside super?
07/Sep/2017
If you’ve got super, chances are you’ll have some default insurance included and the option to buy more at an attractive price. It’s a cost effective way to get a basic level of cover, but holding insurance inside super does have some downsides. Forms of superannuation insurance There are three types of insurance you can […]
Living longer, living better
31/Aug/2017
There’s nothing quite like a tabloid story about a centenarian partying hard for their birthday to make you feel the creaks in every joint. It doesn’t matter whether they’re on a golf course in the Kangaroo Valley, carving up the slopes in the Rockies or hitting the gym for regular yoga and Pilates classes (and […]
Time to review transition to retirement pensions
25/Aug/2017
Amid the major reforms to superannuation that took effect on July 1, some significant changes to the tax treatment of your Transition to Retirement Pension (TRIP) may have flown under the radar. Some individuals will be affected more than others, so if you have a TRIP or are thinking about starting one, now is the […]