Income protection is a vital part of a client’s financial plan as it protects their most important asset: their ability to earn money.

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Last month Jess fell down the staircase in her apartment resulting in a very serious ankle injury. She is expected to be unable to work for at least two months as a result of the surgery and complications with her recovery.

Jess is a 30 year old who has two jobs: her main job is as a learning support assistant at a primary school, where she works about 30 hours a week, and she also works one night a week as a disability support provider. Jess earns $1,760 a week from her main job, and $600.00 a week from her second job, totalling $2,360 a week.

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Highlights from the 2025-26 Federal Budget delivered by the Treasurer on Tuesday 25 March 2025.

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“To ensure more Australians earn more – and keep more of what they earn.”

That was the core promise from Treasurer Jim Chalmers in this year’s Federal Budget, which focuses squarely on easing cost-of-living pressures and boosting the long-term resilience of the Australian economy.

With many households still feeling the financial squeeze, the 2025–26 Budget delivers a suite of practical measures designed to provide immediate relief, improve access to essential services, and invest in housing, healthcare, and education.

So what does it all mean for everyday Australians?

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In this article, we debunk ten common financial myths to empower you to make informed decisions, achieve financial stability, and grow your wealth.

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Navigating the world of personal finance can be challenging, especially with the myriad of myths that can cloud your judgment.

From misconceptions about debt to misunderstandings about investing and retirement planning, these myths can lead to poor financial decisions and missed opportunities. So, we thought we’d bust them once and for all!

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Highlights from the 2024-25 Federal Budget delivered by the Treasurer on Tuesday 14 May 2024.

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In his 2024 Federal Budget speech, treasurer, Jim Chalmers, announced that ‘The number one priority of this government and this Budget is helping Australians with the cost of living’.

But what exactly does that mean?

Let’s take a closer look at what the 2024 Budget proposes -

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A study conducted by the Australian Stock Exchange reported that nearly 25% of investors over the past two years were aged 18 to 24.

These young Australians were found to be knowledge seekers, keen to take on life and begin their journey towards financial security.

If this describes you, congratulations! You get it, you really do. You’re Next Generation Investors who know that building financial independence starts early.

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This article describes options for building wealth before retirement, particularly in this volatile economic environment. It starts with the relatively safer but low yielding options then explains three alternatives which may offer potentially higher returns.

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As most long-term investors know, investment markets have their ups and downs. The downs are usually associated with periods of uncertainty, perhaps due to political or economic factors, or even natural disasters. Uncertainty leads to volatility – more extreme movements in asset prices – which can have a big impact on portfolio values. This can be of particular concern if you are close to retirement and preparing for your last payday. So what can you do about it?

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As the cost of housing continues to rise in Australia, particularly in across the country's capital cities, retirees are becoming more likely to rent throughout retirement. And if retirees aren't renting, they may end up willing on an asset to beneficiaries that is not free of debt. This article compares the average incomes of Australian retirees and analyses how renting may impact their retirement lifestyle.

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As record numbers of Australians transition into retirement, considering your cost of living and comparing it to your expected average annual retirement income is a crucial step in retirement planning. For many Australians transitioning into retirement, the increasing cost of housing continues to be a burden on people's ability to pay off their property in their lifetime. This can lead to a few common scenarios — selling the property prior to retirement and renting, continuing to pay down the mortgage and leaving beneficiaries with an asset that has debt owing, or renting due to lack of affordable properties on the market. Naturally, this is a stressful situation for anyone to think about, whether you're about to retire or you're a young adult watching your parents plan for retirement.

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This article addresses an important topic highlighting 10 common mistakes people make as they get closer to retirement. It recommends seeking professional advice.{tab Introduction}

Many of us would like to think that ‘older’ means ‘wiser’, but when it comes to money that isn’t always the case. The complexity of Australia’s superannuation and pension systems doesn’t help. The upshot is that there are a number of common mistakes that retiring and retired Australians make.

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This is an in-depth view of what’s involved in buying a home. It answers 12 questions starting with preparing (budgeting) to borrow through to explaining interest rates and a calculation to show what portion of a loan is taken up by interest.{tab Introduction}

Ready to make the leap from renting to buying a home? Well, before you begin the search for your perfect home there are lots of questions to find answers to. Here are some of the big ones.

Do you need to own your home?

What repayments can you afford?

How much can you borrow?

What’s it really going to cost?

What deposit do you need?

What’s your savings record?

Do you know how mortgages and interest rates work?

Fixed or variable?

How can you reduce your interest payments?

Ready to buy?

Do you understand everything, including all the fine print?

What insurance cover do you need?

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This article follows on from the earlier “super through the ages” series. With more Australians working (and living) for longer, it outlines ways to make the most of the final years in the workforce to boost super.{tab Introduction}

For most Australians, their 60s is the decade that marks retirement. For some this means a graceful slide into a fulfilling life of leisure, enjoying the fruits of a lifetime of hard work. However, for many it means a substantial drop in income and living standards. So how can you make the most of the last few years of work before taking that big step into retirement?

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This article briefly outlines most of the major changes to superannuation from the 2016 Federal Budget that were passed as law in November 2016. There is much more detail required to cover most of the changes, but this article gives a snapshot of each change with the intention to provoke your readers to contact you for individual guidance well before July 2017.{tab Introduction}

With several major changes to Australia’s superannuation system due to take effect from 1 July 2017, here’s a summary of the main ones. These changes involve a lot of fine detail, so if you think you may be affected make sure you seek qualified advice sooner rather than later.

Changes addressed: 

• - New $1.6 million cap on retirement balances
• - New non-concessional contributions cap
• - Concessional contributions cap reduced
• - Reduced income threshold for additional contributions tax
• - Tax-deductions on super contributions extended to all
• - Tax on earnings to be applied to TTR pensions
• - Extended spouse tax offset
• - Removal of anti-detriment rule
• - Tax exemptions extended to additional retirement phase products

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This article focuses on buying an established business (as opposed to starting one) later in life and provides a no-nonsense list of questions potential/early retirees should address if considering this option. It addresses using superannuation to purchase a business, with a focus on seeking professional guidance throughout the process.{tab Introduction}

The word “retirement” conjures up many images. While most baby boomers might be dreaming of more time on the golf course or booking a cruise, you might be thinking about buying a business. Crazy? Maybe not.

If you’re close to reaching your preservation age you will soon have access to your superannuation. An increasing number of people at this stage are taking control of their finances and buying themselves a new later-life career in the form of an established business.

Perhaps you’ve been retrenched and finding it difficult to land a new job. Or maybe, after a short period of retirement, you’re re-invigorated and ready to start afresh.

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This article tells a story that, sadly, is more common for many Australian families than it should be – the long-term after effects of underinsurance. It not only details the financial consequences but the impacts on the health and social welfare of those left behind when the key breadwinner dies. Figures and statistics substantiate this unnecessary pattern.

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Paul Taylor was a fit and active 45-year-old who drowned while swimming in surf on a family holiday. Witnessing this tragic event unfold from the beach were Paul’s wife, Sue, their 15-year-old daughter Sophie and 12-year-old son Zac.

Relatives and friends were a great support during the following days, but soon after the funeral, and still in a state of profound grief, Sue had to assess the state of the family finances. Until that time she wasn’t aware that the Taylors were amongst the 95% of Australian families that did not have adequate levels of life insurance.

Not alone...

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If 50 really is the new 40, then life has just begun. The kids are gaining independence or may have left home, and the mortgage could be a thing of the past. Bliss. But galloping towards you is… retirement!

How are you tracking?

According to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), a ‘comfortable’ retirement today costs close to $.......... per year for a couple. If you and your partner are planning to retire at 55, to afford this retirement lifestyle and secure your future, at least into your mid-eighties, you should be looking at having around $... million in super. Over time, inflation will push these figures higher. Leave retirement to age 65 and a couple will need around $.......... a year from a nest egg of about $... million .

Find those numbers a bit daunting? Here are some ways to boost your retirement savings.

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Typically your forties is a time of established careers, teenage kids and a mortgage that is no longer daunting. There are still plenty of demands on the budget, but by this age there’s a good chance there’s some spare cash that can be put to good use. As you pass the halfway mark of your working life, it’s time to give retirement planning a bit more attention.

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This is the second article in the 4-part series on superannuation through the generations. It covers super for the short and long term, options to increase the balance, how much might be needed to retire on in 30 years’ time and ways to achieve it, and insurance through super.{tab Introduction}

If you are in your thirties, chances are life revolves around children and a mortgage. As much as we love our kids, the fact is they cost quite a lot. As for the mortgage, this is the age during which repayments are generally at their highest, relative to income. And on top of that, one parent is often not working, or working only part time. Even if children aren’t a factor, career building is paramount during this decade.

Are you really expected to think about super at a time like this?

Well, yes, there are a few things you need to pay attention to.

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Superannuation is for the oldies, right? In some ways that’s true, but even in your twenties there are good reasons to take a bit more interest in your super. The average 25-year-old has around $10,000 in super, but the decisions you make now, even with relatively small sums of money, could earn you hundreds of thousands of extra dollars over your working life.

Are you getting any?

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Using a baseball analogy, this article provides a detailed description of the main forms of insurance – income protection, life, TPD, trauma and general insurance. Insurance inside super is also covered. Excellent to use as a special feature on insurance.

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Most people either cringe or yawn when the word insurance is mentioned but regardless of whether you find it scary or boring, managing risk is a necessity in the world in which we now live. Let’s cover all of the bases to help make your home run as easy as possible.

First Base – Income Protection

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This article explains the differences between employees and contractors and warns your clients that there are strict laws protecting employees against employers who may try to reduce their costs by engaging workers under the wrong employment category. A handy reminder for both employers and employees. Written in the adviser's voice.

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I can understand during difficult economic times that business owners search for ways to reduce their costs and outgoings, but when those decisions affect others detrimentally, that’s when I get cranky.

Recently I had a phone call from a client who had been retrenched six months ago. Although this man is very skilled and talented, he has been struggling to find full-time work in his chosen profession. He and his wife had savings put aside for such a time but living on one wage for six months was not only testing the savings balance but also their relationship. So he decided to try a different career role.{snippet alias="article-message"}

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Just as your wealth creation strategy needs to be reviewed on a regular basis, so too does your wealth protection plan. Every stage of life brings exciting challenges along with different types of risk.

Let’s look at the most common scenarios. You may see yourself in some of these stories. {snippet alias="article-message"}{/tabs}