With financial year end not far off, it’s a good time to start thinking about preparing your tax. There are a few things you can do ahead of June 30 to help you get ready for tax time 2021. Things like organizing your paperwork, prepaying any expenses in this financial year, and setting a budget for the new financial year.

For many of us, 2020 is the year we’d rather forget! But with the festive season fast approaching, it seems fitting to celebrate the end of a particularly tough year in a meaningful way. If the thought of dusting off the decorations or hosting a lavish feast is something you’d rather not think too much about, take heart and check out these 3 simple ways to make this festive season more meaningful.

With the end of year in sight and a number of lenders offering cashback, rebates and special deals, there’s never been a better time to review your home loan or apply for a first home loan. To help you make an informed decision about your future finances, here are some of the offers currently in market.

Despite a lengthy lockdown in Victoria and the ongoing battle against COVID, all signs are pointing towards a more positive economic outcome than previously anticipated. Mortgage deferrals are down as more homeowners return to repaying their mortgage, unemployment in certain regions appears to be recovering to pre-COVID levels, and a new report has highlighted opportunities that some industries could capitalise on in the years to come.

Most people don’t like to think about making a Will or what will happen when they pass. But an effective Will is an important legal document that needs serious consideration. Without a Will, your assets will be distributed according to state law, which may not be in line with your wishes. So that you understand the importance of a Will and how to write one, take a look at these 5 things to consider when preparing a Will.

Earlier this month, the Federal Government handed down the 2020/2021 budget, which outlined a range of measures designed to get the economy moving again post-COVID-19. Amongst those measures announced were new write-offs for businesses and an additional 10,000 places in the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, good news for many Australians. Below are some of the key measures of the 20-21 budget and what these might mean for you.

A surge in cyber-attacks, particularly in the financial sector, has been attributed to the recent shift to remote working and digital banking in response to the COVID-19 crisis. While most financial institutions have developed “good cyber risk awareness and mitigation measures”, it’s a timely reminder for anyone accessing online services just how important it is to be aware of cyber-safety. Here’s how you can protect yourself from cyber-attacks.

Every time you apply for credit, spend using credit, or make (or miss) a repayment on a loan or a utility bill, you influence your credit score. In turn, your credit score is used by lenders to determine whether or not to give you more credit. That’s why keeping a good credit score is so important. It can mean the difference between an approval or a decline next time you apply for a loan. So, when did you last check your credit score? And do you know how creditworthy you are?

In the wake of COVID-19, banks have changed the way they interact with customers, including how they do lending. A number of key innovations include things like online mortgage applications, video calls instead of face to face meetings, and electronic documentation rather than the usual paper-based option. Find out here how obtaining a mortgage has changed in recent months and what you can expect when you apply for your next home loan.

Thousands of Australian mortgage holders took up the offer of a mortgage repayment deferral when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. Since then, banks have deferred approx. 780,000 Home Loans, totaling a massive $236Bn. The big question now is what happens to those mortgages when the six-month deferral was meant to run out in September this year?