LIFE CHANGES. HAS YOUR STRUCTURE KEPT UP? Investment structures are often established for good reasons. A trust may offer flexibility. A company may suit a growing business. Superannuation may support a retirement plan. The challenge is that structures can remain unchanged long after the reasons behind them have shifted. A review does not assume something…
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR FINANCES CAN ABSORB BEFORE CHANGING CONDITIONS TEST THEM FOR YOU No one enjoys imagining that interest rates may rise again, household expenses may increase or a property could be worth less than expected. However, testing those possibilities before they happen can help you make calmer and more informed decisions later. A financial…
HERE’S WHAT BUYERS, INVESTORS AND HOMEOWNERS NEED TO CONSIDER. Earlier this year, many buyers were worried that property prices would keep moving beyond their reach. Since then, interest rates have risen again, the Federal Budget has changed the outlook for some investors and property conditions have become softer and more uneven. Prices have fallen in…
What is an offset account? An offset account is a transaction account that’s linked to your home loan. You can deposit into it and withdraw from it just as you would with a regular everyday bank account. The key difference is that the balance in your offset account is used to reduce the amount of…
July often feels like an avalanche of deadlines and updates, and it is easy to respond by either ignoring everything or trying to do it all at once. A simple triage approach helps you focus on the obligations that genuinely matter in July, while scheduling the rest for when your year end information is complete…
You can lodge your tax return from 1 July. However, for most Australians, doing it too early is one of the quickest ways to end up with the wrong refund, delays and avoidable ATO attention. Tax time is not a race Once 1 July rolls around, it can feel like a race to be first…
Cross collateralisation is when a lender uses more than one of your properties as security for a single loan, or links multiple loans across several properties under one security pool. In other words, your properties are tied together and the bank has a claim over more than one asset for the debt you owe. In…
Picture this… An individual receives a $50,000 windfall – this could come from an inheritance, a tax refund or a work bonus. They choose to place these funds into an offset account linked to a $500,000 home loan. As an illustrative example, this could reduce the amount of interest charged on the loan, potentially resulting…
Recent industry and consumer studies show: A growing share of property investors are using brokers as part of their advice team, alongside accountants and financial planners. Across the broader market, brokers now facilitate around 80% of new home loans and a similar share of refinances, according to broking industry and media reports. Australians are increasingly…
Your everyday spending patterns can play a part in how lenders assess a loan application. While every lender has its own policy, understanding the way income, expenses and commitments are reviewed may help you prepare more confidently. How location can influence HEM benchmarks Lenders use the Household Expenditure Measure (HEM) to estimate living costs. HEM…