Aussie homeowners facing yet another cash rate hike in June 2023 are understandably concerned about the impact that rising interest rates will have on their mortgage repayments. Going from a low .1 per cent little more than a year ago to a new high of 4.1 per cent, the latest cash rate hike has seen a number of banks push up mortgage rates. But, not all lenders and there are still interest rate deals to be found. If you are considering refinancing, non-bank lenders may be a suitable option.

The rising cost of living has hit Aussies hard, with higher prices at the supermarket, petrol pump and utility bills stretching already tight budgets to breaking point. Keeping up with price rises is challenging when your income doesn’t move in the same direction, and thousands of Aussies are potentially at risk of financial hardship. While you can’t control changing global economies, there are some ways you can help to cut back and save money. Here are 4 tips to help you manage the rising cost of living.

Transform your family home into a showroom for prospective buyers, with a few small improvements that go a long way to ensuring your home stands out in the crowd. Create an immaculate canvas that invites prospective buyers in and allows them to see the potential in your property. From decluttering and de-personalising to updating and refreshing, here are 8 tips from real estate experts on getting your home ready to sell.

Tax time provides the ideal opportunity to review your financial situation and check in on your private health insurance. It’s helpful to know how your private health insurance can potentially impact you at the end of a financial year. Two key things to be aware of at tax time are Medicare Levy Surcharge and Lifetime Health Cover Loading. Here’s how these could impact you and what you can do about it.

Navigating the world of finance and mortgages can be intimidating, filled with jargon, terms and acronyms that seem like a foreign language. But in today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, understanding financial and mortgage jargon is more important than ever. Whether you're a seasoned investor, a first home buyer, or someone looking to make sense of personal finance, here’s some help demystifying the terminology that can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

Over the last few years, Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) in Australia have become more popular, as more people are choosing to have greater control and more flexibility over their retirement savings. By establishing an SMSF, investors are able to manage their own super portfolio instead of it being managed by a fund manager. And while there are certainly benefits to this type of investment, it’s vital investors are clear on what the pitfalls are to avoid.

One of the most common questions we get asked is whether it’s best to pay off a mortgage first or salary sacrifice and pay extra into a superannuation fund, or to do both. While the answer to this question is never straightforward and will depend on things like lifestyle, financial position, and time of life, salary sacrificing can be a tax-effective strategy when implemented correctly. To help you decide, here’s an explanation of what it means and examples of how both options work.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) recently announced that it would be cracking down on investors, targeting those who are incorrectly reporting rental income and expenses, or failing to declare capital gains. Going forward, banks will be required to share transaction data of 1.7 million property investors and the ATO will be able to obtain residential investment property loan data (RIPL) from financial institutions in Australia. Here’s more on the ATO's crackdown and its potential impact on investors.

First home buyers and existing homeowners understand first-hand the frustration and angst that comes with finding a new home. Attending property inspections and auctions week after week only to miss out on the one that you want is both exhausting and demotivating. Persistence may be a key factor to successfully buying a home, but how do you keep up the motivation when you fail every time? Here are some ways that could help.

How Australians live together is changing, as social and demographic factors have led to many more people living in households with more than one generation of adults. Called “The Sandwich Generation”, this group of people face considerable financial and mental strain, “sandwiched” between the challenges of raising their own children or grandchildren while caring for ageing parents. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some tips that could help.