Life & Money

What is the issue?

With an upcoming Federal Budget on 2 April 2019 and Federal Election that must be held before 19 May 2019, we are entering a “perfect storm” situation where various …

Most Australian homeowners are quite familiar with the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) exemption that is generally available to individuals on the sale of their main residence. However, for Australians (both …

Negative gearing will again be a political issue during the lead-up to the next Federal election.

What is Financial Gearing

A combination of debt and equity is commonly used to fund investment in …

He had it all in front of him. At 27, he was a management accountant in a successful company, happily married with a two-year-old and another on the way. But his interest in American sports – and …

The EU finds itself at a critical juncture as the last-man standing

defending the globalist post-war liberal economic order, abandoned by US

leadership.

While the often- …

Australia’s Superannuation laws have created a ‘Use It or Lose It’

landscape for retirees

The creation and implementation of Superannuation was one of the most …

A new venture is always exciting and premised with good intentions, but care should be taken to appropriately address risks associated with establishing a new business in the market.

On the back of …

How lessons from the frontline can be applied to everyday business leadership

What makes for an effective leader? This is a question that is asked again and again, across the spectrum of society …

Since its launch date, the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) program has been building momentum, attracting strong interest from a variety of businesses ranging from small-medium enterprises (SMEs) …

A considered view for agribusinesses

The recent federal budget once again highlighted the fundamental importance of agriculture to the Australian economy, particularly during the current economic …

Your Guide to the end of the Financial Year

With 30 June quickly approaching, now is a good time to assess your current position and ensure your year-end strategies are in place.

These fact …

What does the future hold? Predicting outcomes in global trade is often more an imprecise art than a science, as interwoven as they are with geo-political events. Current media attention on the …

Important Notice - Airbag recall

We would like to draw your attention to the mandatory recall of certain motor vehicles, issued by the Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, the Hon Michael Sukkar …

Who is an employee and why does it matter?

Contracting is becoming more popular as an alternative to the traditional employment relationship. As contracting and employee mobility become more …

There are only two certainties in life; death and taxes.

While we all do (or should do) our taxes every year, we rarely spend any time planning how we would like our assets distributed upon our …

This month, Australia and New Zealand, along with nine other Asia-Pacific nations signed one of the largest and most progressive free trade agreements in history. The agreement opens up new trade …

The concessional contributions cap for 2017-18 is $25,000 per individual per financial year. From 1 July 2017 there is only one cap that applies to individuals of any age.

A concessional …

While regulated entities have been legally obligated to take reasonable steps to maintain the security of personal information held, there was previously no obligation to notify individuals if their …

If you, your business partner or a key employee suffers one of these events then you may be at risk.

Every business owner, partner or company director should review their insurance position with a …

A travel allowance is a payment made to an employee to cover expenses when he or she travels for work.

When you receive a travel allowance there are two things you need to consider; whether the …

We would all prefer not to think about illness, injury or death. However, putting in place the appropriate insurance can provide you and your family with peace of mind and help protect against the ' …

In Norse mythology, the story of Idunn stands out as a tale of really bad asset-management by the gods. According to the myth, the mischievous god Loki was captured by a giant eagle (who turned out …

First home buyers can feel discouraged by media articles and news of properties selling well above reach.

We can arguably say that following the 2017/18 Federal Budget there was speculation that …

Only individuals, and not companies or trusts, can have a hobby or a private recreational pursuit.

The pursuit of a hobby by an individual may be to supplement wages, create income after having …

There was a time when cyber security was a term familiar only to technology professionals. That time has long gone. Today, cyber security is a real issue for everyone, regardless of whether you are …

The demand for mortgage broker services has continued to rise over the last couple of years with now well over 50% of residential mortgages being written through the third-party channel. That number …

With fire season upon us, it is important to make sure your insurance cover is up to date and that you are not underinsured.

Miscalculating the cost to replace buildings and equipment when taking …

It can seem like a daunting task when you begin the process of putting a proper insurance protection strategy in place for your family. With information coming from so many different sources about …

By Andrew McDougall – Adviser Risk Insurance

I met with Steve and Tracey in 2010 to review their personal insurance policies. They were existing Business Services clients at the time. They operated …

There have been numerous destructive weather events around the country this year, and this has once again put the spotlight on the insurance industry. While the media has criticised some insurers for …

In a surprise announcement earlier this year, the Federal Government extended Australia’s foreign resident capital gains tax (CGT) regime by denying foreign and temporary tax residents access …

What is the ‘vesting date’?

The vesting date is defined in the trust deed as the date on which the trust will conclude, and the entitlements to trust capital and the income therefrom …

The lack of transparency in the current home loan market, complicated pricing arrangements and the ever changing policies around investment lending, makes deciding on the right home loan more …

For a household’s main income earner, having children is likely the number one catalyst for purchasing a life insurance policy. The reasons are clear; without their main income stream, how would …

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has recently released Taxation Ruling 2017/D6, setting out the ATO’s updated guidelines regarding when an employee can claim a tax deduction for their travel …

As Tax Advisors we are often asked to provide advice to business owners who are wanting to incentivise key staff. Whilst this is most likely a clear reward and recognition strategy, it is important …

In 1952, Harry Markowitz wrote an essay titled “Portfolio Selection” that became the basis for Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). The concept behind MPT is that the assets in an investment portfolio …

As we move forward into the technological revolution and continue to receive services and products in dynamic and innovative ways, it’s important to also realise that technology is extending our …

Every time you go to the bank to borrow money, the bank takes out an insurance policy on you.

By taking out what is known as a “Loan to Value” margin on what the property is worth versus what …

The following piece was written by Nathan Bell, Head of Research at Peters MacGregor Capital Management.

Being contrarian is not a simple mathematical formula. Nor does it guarantee success, …

With tax time here once more, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has taken the opportunity to issue a fresh ‘health warning’ on how to best avoid incorrect claims for work-related expenses. …

Providing personal risk insurance advice can sometimes be a dry topic. However, in doing so we really have two choices; discomfort now for certainty in the future, or comfort now for certain pain in …

It’s incredible to think that 2017 is halfway gone.

Has there been enough time to ask how those New Year’s resolutions are looking?

Have you had a chance to make some serious inroads and …

The following piece was written by Anvij Saxena, Chief Risk Officer at Colonial First State

As our financial lives move gradually more online, cybercrime is becoming more widespread. As simple …

Budgets have always been a platform for governments to announce major policy shifts. However, in the modern day such shifts are typically responses to a rising wave of populism surrounding a …

With 30 June quickly approaching, now is a good time to assess your current position and ensure your year-end strategies are in place.

This article highlights some of the key tax law changes that …

In last month’s edition, we reviewed several key superannuation amendments which will come into effect on 1 July 2017.

This month, our experienced superannuation team takes the opportunity …

Unfortunately and all too often, individuals will fail to consider the importance of life insurance until it’s simply too late - and we can understand why. Life insurance typically isn’t a topic of …

The journey towards retirement requires careful planning and consideration. It’s an arduous one, full of obstacles and challenges that will ultimately shape your future.

Unfortunately, …

A number of significant superannuation reforms come into effect on 1 July 2017. As such, our experienced team of expert SMSF advisers have provided the following recap:

Reviewing the …

Life isn’t without its challenges. Typically, it’s human nature to face these head on, evaluating and assessing each obstacle as it surfaces, but one thing is for sure, no one can predict what the …

Over the past three years, FIWA's parent company, Findex, has executed a major initiative to implement the infrastructure required to effectively support the rollout of Family Office. This is an …

As of January 1, 2017, significant amendments to the Age Pension asset test threshold came into effect. It’s expected that the changes will continue to impact hundreds of thousands of Australians …

Author, poet and novelist C.S. Lewis said: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

For many, the new year provides a unique opportunity for a new start, a new …

Whether you are an employer who provides benefits to employees, or a tax professional attempting to help out a client, we have taken the time to compile a helpful list of new rules, old regulations …

As accountants and taxation advisers, we are continually assisting those clients looking to buy, sell or restructure their businesses. As a result, we are often presented with opportunities to …

Most of us have good intentions of starting the new year with a resolution to improve our lives in one way or another. One of the most common resolutions centres around the setting and achieving of …

Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners will no doubt be familiar with Goods and Services Tax (GST). This broad-based levy is charged on the

majority of products and services that …

Many small business owners often begin looking at ways to invest their savings as a means of protecting their assets and growing their wealth. However,

finding the right investment …

Australian business owners generally have a raft of expenses they have to account for. Along with the company tax, employers also have to pay 9.5 per cent

of an employee's pay cheque into …

There are many possible tips that a startup might do well to take on board: For instance, devising a business plan and trading structure, having sufficient reserves of cash on hand during the …

It's good to check in with your accountant from time to time to see if they have any insights they can impart to you about your finances. Of course,

getting the right answers is often …

It's all well and good to have a broad understanding of what an accountant is and does. But this doesn't necessarily mean you'll know when it's time to get

in touch with one and seek their …

You might think you know what an accountant is. They're an individual who goes through your records and tells you about your financial situation and where

it's going, right?

In a …

When it comes to subjects people tend to know little about, accounting ranks right around the same level as quantum physics or the deepest depths of the

ocean. Due to its seeming …

No one ever said running a self managed superannuation fund (SMSF) was cheap. There's a reason why,

according to a 2013 Rice Warner report, the majority of funds tended to have $200,000 …

Hiring an accountant is a bit like getting into a romantic relationship: You need to be completely open and honest if you want the thing to go the

distance. In some cases, it might even be …

Being frustrated with your tax burden is one of those things that's such a given, there's almost no point in talking about it - almost.

In fact, it's crucial to have discussions about it, …

Those who like to take a little bit more charge in their own affairs often opt for a self managed superannuation fund (SMSF). Rather than passively sitting around and watching

your …

When was the last time you looked at your superannuation statement? If we were being honest, most people would likely say they couldn't remember. Every

year, these reports informing you …

Generally, if you want to see how you can reduce your taxation burden in order to have more

money coming in, you know who to call: Your Accountant.

However, accountants aren't …

No one who's ever been audited looks back on it fondly. Unfortunately, it's one of those experiences that many Australians have to go through at some point

in their lives. It's useful to …

An accountant can be many things: A trusted adviser, confidant or even your partner in tax planning.

They're key to ensuring that you get the most out of any financial decisions you make. …

Employer contributions are an important - and mandatory - piece of every worker's superannuation strategy. However, if you happen to be a business owner yourself, this also

has an impact on …

Financial planning is essential, but it's just as important to prepare for the unexpected life events that fall outside your carefully crafted retirement

strategy.

Even if you …

One of the key aspects of Australians' financial planning is deciding how

to take care of a family business. This issue affects more Australians than might be though at first glance. …

While the birth of a grandchild is certainly a time to celebrate, it also means it's time to look at your will and factor your new family members into your estate planning.

Here are a …

Consolidating and refinancing debts is always popular when interest rates are low, but interest isn't the end all-be all when it comes to making financial

planning decisions.

The …

When it comes to your finances, estate planning is one of the most important tasks you'll ever carry out. You want to make sure your family will be well-taken care of when you're gone, and …

As anyone who's ever given up on their New Year's resolutions a month into their new calendar can attest, sticking to the goals we set isn't easy. But

often the reason we aren't able to …

Building wealth up over the years can be satisfying, but you should also want to ensure your assets are secure. This is especially important if you're

planning on leaving assets to your …

Financial Strategy isn't just about following investment advice and increasing your cash flow, it

also concerns handling your economic obligations in a smart, measured manner.

For …

The end of June is just around the corner, and along with it the end of the financial year.

With strategic tax planning a key part of wealth management, particularly for high-net worth …

Sixty-five is no longer the magic number for Australians.

Treasurer Joe Hockey spoke about upping the retirement age in April, although the exact details were not fully formed. …

You might consider yourself fairly knowledgeable when it comes to health and life insurance, but income protection insurance is a lesser known form of

coverage.

Essentially, …

Saving for retirement is something that should be high on everyone's agenda, so when the time comes for you to think about your post-work years, chances

are your attention will turn to …

Wealth management is a primary concern for any investor, but those with a high net worth are likely to be particularly cautious about where they invest

large amounts of money. …