General

What happened to Silicon Valley Bank?

You may have seen the recent news that an American Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, collapsed. This raises two important questions: what happened? And, could something similar happen here?

Give the Gift of Conversation – for the Good of the Country!

It is the festive season and for many of our clients, that means presents. Yes, the ones they receive. But also the ones they give. And giving, for many people, means buying. This year, rather than give people items you buy, why not give them something much more precious: your time.

Taking Time to Think

It is almost the end of the year. Which means, of course, that it is almost the start of next year. When it comes to money, the turning of the year means just one thing: New Year’s resolutions!

Gen Z and Zuperannuation

Looking for a basic guide to super for when you are just just starting out in your career? Here it is!

Thinking of Buying an Electric Car?

The Federal Government delivered its first Budget this week. We will have more to write about this in coming weeks. But we want to tell you about one announcement that will be important to you if you are thinking of buying an electric car. Read on - and talk to us if you are thinking of buying a new car!

Why has the price of going to the US risen so much?

We wrote last week about exchange rates. The article inspired a few people to get in touch – including people thinking of travelling to the US - so this week we thought we would write some more about what actually causes exchange rates to fluctuate. You might paraphrase this article as “why has the US become so much more expensive?”

Exchange Rates are Falling. Is that good or bad?

You may have seen recently that the Aussie Dollar has fallen when measured against the US dollar. At first glance, most people think this is a bad thing. Happily, the reality is not quite so alarming.

What is the Target Cash Rate (and Why Does it Matter)?

Last week, for the third month in a row, the Reserve Bank of Australia hiked its target cash rate. The target rate is now 1.35%, up from the all-time low rate of 0.1% that it had been at since November 2020. So, what is the target cash rate? And why does it matter?

Need Help with Costs of Living? Use your home!

Inflation is starting to bite, and people on income support, such as aged pensioners, have not had their benefits adjust yet. This has many of our clients thinking about how best to cover the rising cost of living. Happily, the Commonwealth is here to help.

Get your Finances Fully Charged!

The financial year is almost over. Which, of course, means that the new financial year is about to start. This makes right now a great time to develop some better financial habits, so that your finances are fully charged come June 30 next year.