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Are your investments well diversified? Do they align with your personal risk profile? Do they cleverly optimise risk and return? Are you a believer that time in the market beats timing the market?
Humans are naturally overconfident. We overestimate our own ability compared to others. One of the most often quoted studies showed that 93% of drivers rated themselves better than the median. We also know that men usually rate themselves as better drivers than women. However, the data shows the opposite. Men are four times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident. Men also pay more for car insurance.
Do you have a partner in life? Are they on the same page as you financially? Do you like having a separate bank account just for you, or does everything go into a big melting pot? Great financial planning should consider the nuance of how money works within different relationships. Many couples have separate finances but still want to plan for a successful financial future together.
Division 293 tax is an additional tax on super contributions for higher-income earners. For first-time recipients of a Div. 293 notice from the ATO, it can come as a surprise. Super contributions such as employer contributions and salary sacrifice are taxed within your super fund at 15%. Introduced in July 2012, Div. 293 tax is an additional 15% tax for individuals with income greater than $250,000 a year. The tax is payable in addition to the standard 15% contributions tax and rather than being paid automatically by your super fund, most people learn of their Div 293 tax liability after receiving a bill from the ATO.
As we enter a new financial year, people may find that they have inadvertently exceeded their concessional super contribution limits. We discuss what to consider if you find yourself in this situation. Excess concessional contributions occur when an individual exceeds their contributions cap for the year. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) assesses two key sources of information to determine if this limit has been surpassed: super contributions reported by your super fund and deduction for personal contributions stated in your tax return.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has proposed that from 1 July 2025, taxation on earnings from superannuation balances above $3 million will double to 30%. The new policy is expected to raise about $2 billion a year. As always, the devil is in the detail. Initially framed as a simple increase to the existing 15% tax on super fund earnings, the Treasury Consultation Paper makes it clear that this is unequivocally a new tax and will be levied against individuals in a similar way to Div. 293 tax levied on super contributions for higher income earners.
Houses are expensive. For younger people purchasing their first home, raising a deposit can seem like an ever-growing mountain to climb. On the other hand, parents that have been in the housing market for years know the benefits of homeownership for financial security and family stability. This leads many parents to explore options for assisting their adult children to buy their first home (or even upgrade).

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A significant update on the horizon is the transformation of the Home Care Packages Program in Australia, set to take effect from 1 July 2025.
In 2023 after 8 years in the industry I embarked on the journey to become a registered Financial Adviser. Completing my professional year in early 2024 was a significant milestone, since then I've had the privilege of directly helping people from all walks of life in navigate the complexities of personal finance. The journey so far has been rewarding but not entirely what I expected it might be.
Superannuation is something most Australians are familiar with. It’s mandatory for employers to contribute a portion of your wages into a complying super fund, which is then invested to grow over time, ensuring you have a nest egg for retirement. Typically, we rely on external super funds to manage these investments, and there’s a wide range of options available—from low-cost funds to more tailored solutions.