Small business finance without the bank
While SMEs account for 97 per cent of Australian businesses, it can still be difficult to make a case to a bank when looking for finance to start a new business or invest in the growth of an existing one. The good news is that applying for commercial finance through a bank is far from the only option. Personal loans A relatively young enterprise that doesn’t have a track record of success may not be looked upon favourably by banks, which make lending decisions based on risk. A lack of…
There’s more than one way to boost your retirement income
After spending your working life building retirement savings, you may be reluctant to eat into your “nest egg” too quickly. This is understandable, given that we are living longer than previous generations and may need to pay for aged care and health costs later in life. But this cautious approach also means retirees are living more frugally than they need to. This was one of the key messages from the Government’s recent Retirement Income Review, which found most people die with the bulk of the…
Pool your super into one big account
Keeping all your super in one place is a smart move. In this article, we’ll look at the case to consolidate. Why you should consolidate your super Around 40% of us have more than one super account1 - this is usually a result of starting a new job. In fact, Aussies hold at least $14 billion in ‘lost’ super accounts - money they’ve probably forgotten about. It’s an astonishing amount – the gross domestic product (GDP) of Malta or Mongolia. Around $600 for every man, woman and child in the…
What exactly is inflation?
By Beatrice Yeo, Economist, Vanguard Australia The Reserve Bank of Australia has recently made an unprecedented change to the way it targets inflation. The bank's mandate is to use monetary policy to keep a lid on price rises and achieve full employment. It does this by targeting an inflation rate of between 2 and 3 per cent a year, on average over the economic cycle. For 27 years, it has done this by looking forward, aiming to set rates based on its forecasts of where inflation might land. In…
Downsizing in retirement
If you're thinking about selling your home and downsizing, consider the pros and cons. Check if selling your home affects your government benefits. Consider the costs and your needs before you downsize Take time to consider your needs. Make sure your new home suits your lifestyle, budget and level of independence. Some of the costs to consider include: buying and selling in the same market real estate agent fees stamp duty legal fees furniture removal See buying a house for…
Getting a good balance in 2021
By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer, Vanguard Australia Reviewing the structure of your investment portfolio is an important and ongoing task that should ideally be undertaken at least once a year. Doing so ensures your portfolio asset allocations remain aligned with your tolerance for risk and your broader long-term investment goals. After such a tumultuous year on global financial markets in 2020, the value weightings of your current holdings may be out of kilter with your target…
Blog Categories
Blog Archives
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- February 2015
- December 2014
- July 2014
- February 2014
- September 2013
- November 2012
- September 2012
- May 2012
- March 2012
- December 2011
- October 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- July 2010
- June 2010