Of course, no-one can answer that question. We don’t have a crystal ball, but one thing is pretty clear – the returns of the last 30 years have been exceptional and we are likely to experience significantly lower returns moving forward. This is a big problem, not only for retirees and those about to retire, but…
When choosing between a home loan with a fixed rate of interest and a home loan with a variable rate of interest, it is important to take both your personal and financial circumstances into consideration. While both options offer certain advantages and disadvantages, individuals should consider what they will gain and lose through either option.…
Taking out a chattel mortgage to finance the purchase of a business vehicle is an attractive option for small business owners from a tax-saving perspective. A chattel mortgage is a mortgage on a movable item of property i.e. motor vehicles. A finance company lends money to a business to purchase a car, which the business…
Online insurance options often look like they ‘do the job’ and they appear cheaper… but are they really? And could they end up costing you a lot more than you expect in the long run? We’ve all hit submit at sometime or other and wished we hadn’t (usually in a hot-headed response to an email)……
The Federal Treasurer’s announcement on Thursday 15 September 2016 regarding further superannuation reform measures re-opens the door for non-concessional superannuation contributions (NCCs), after more than four months of uncertainty on the issue. Prior to this announcement, the May 2016 Federal Budget proposal of a $500,000 lifetime cap (taking into account all NCCs made from 1…
In less than a month, we will know if Donald Trump’s push to reside in the White House has been successful. Many would see Trump’s divisive and demeaning comments about certain groups of people, short fuse and erratic nature as rendering him as unqualified to be US president. This note looks at the main issues…
When you are self-employed or run a home-based business, it is vital that you have a business plan that outlines your goals and financial information. Unfortunately, statistics show that many home-based businesses often fail due to poor financial planning. Therefore, for small business owners should not only develop a financial plan, but also consider developing…
Maintaining healthy cash flow can be challenging; between ongoing expenses and bills, poor cash flow can severely impact your customers, staff and bottom line. Business owners need to understand the differences between short and long-term financing when developing a cash flow strategy. There are various sources of finance available and each source of finance is…
Managing debtors is often a cause of frustration for many small business owners. Unpaid invoices can seriously disrupt cash flow. Between chasing late payments and keeping track of invoices, debt collection can be a headache. Fortunately, there are ways to speed up your payments with a few simple adjustments to your invoicing system you can…
Businesses starting out will often be challenged by the need to generate brand awareness but with a limited marketing budget. Minimising costs will often be at the forefront of business owners minds with uncertain revenue and copious amounts of capital expenditure; marketing is unlikely to be a top priority. However, new businesses need brand exposure…
