Planning

 

A little trim can counter premium price rises

John Collett   As private health insurance premiums rise, many policyholders are looking to reduce their cover to cut costs.

TIP OF THE WEEK

The money conversation you need to have

A careful approach might be required to discuss finances with your partner.

Dominique Bergel-Grant   One or both of you might be unwilling but it's an important discussion to have.

Treasury head looks set for a scrap with government

Secretary of Treasury John Fraser confers with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

David Potts   In the shape of John Fraser, Tony Abbott has appointed somebody who's going to be pushing strongly for tax reform and a crackdown on "middle class welfare".

YOUR QUESTIONS

What's the tax position on my property?

What is the tax position on my property?

George Cochrane   My SMSF owns a commercial property. Can I transition to retirement and pay zero tax on the rent from the property while the property has a mortgage/loan on it?

PLAN AHEAD

Consumers looking for advice they can trust

They look trustworthy - but how can you tell?

John Collett   After the latest Fairfax Media revelations of dodgy advice at another major bank, investors must be wondering where they can get advice that they can trust.

OVERSEAS LIVING

Stretched? Try calling Asia home

There's a big world out there.

Colleen Ryan and Stephen Wyatt   As the cost of living rises in Australia, many would-be retirees are planning for a cheaper life overseas.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Trust me - this is how the rich get richer

Make the money go round with a family trust.

Olivia Maragna   By minimising your tax, you can create wealth quicker in a family trust.

WELL-HEELED

I don't want to talk about it

Let's talk about... money, in the same way we have learned to talk about sex.

Melissa Browne   Nobody used to speak about sex. Now it seems as if they can’t stop. If only we had the same openness when we discuss our personal finances.

GETTING STARTED

No need for panic - the economy isn't all that bad

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says 103,700 full-time jobs were created over the year to January.

David Potts   All things considered, it isn't doing too badly. What's missing is confidence.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Timing crucial for a super sacrificing strategy

Strategic sacrifice: There are significant tax benefits to salary sacrificing additional amounts into super, up to preset limits.

Michael Hutton   Relying on compulsory superannuation contributions alone will not provide enough for a comfortable retirement for most Australians.

NUMBER CRUNCHING

Nest-egg needs hard to calculate

Nest-egg boost: Extending your retirement date could make a huge difference to your savings.

Richard Livingston   Retirement saving is often like the federal budget. We target a reasonable number and hope it works out.

PARTNERSHIPS

Couples falling out of love with shared accounts

MONEY 040219 AFR PICTURE BY Gabriele Charotte / afrphotos.com GENERIC savings, escalating interest rates, home loan, wages, salary, superannuation, real estate, home loan, mortgage, morgage, house, auction, market, family, couple, marriage, divorce AFR FIRST USE ONLY afrphotos.com SPECIALX 23452

David Potts   The leap from wearing a ring to sharing a PIN is too far for a growing number of couples.

THE COST OF LOVE

Fairytale weddings come at a fabulous cost

Big day, big budget: Christie and David Whitehall spent $50,000 on their wedding in Bali.

Christine Long   If you’re popping the question this Valentine’s Day start saving. Getting married is probably going to cost you big-time.

WELL HEELED

Big savings if you keep an eye on the small things

Take a micro look: Small expenses will cost you over time.

Melissa Browne   Make sure you're taking care of the little expenses that can creep up on you.

LOW RATES

Time to spread the load

If the cash rate is cut, term deposit rates will barely keep pace with inflation.

John Collett   If the Reserve Bank cuts interest rates on Tuesday, savers and those living off their savings may need to reconsider their investment options.

DEEP INTEREST

Can RBA resist the markets’ call for a cut?

Reserve Bank of Australia governer Glenn Stevens: Has anything else happened to nudge the Reserve since its last meeting two months ago? You name it.

David Potts   Even if the Reserve Bank doesn't jump on Tuesday, interest rates are on the way down again.

INSIGHT

Cheaper goods not good news for all

Australia may be importing price falls as well as goods.

Clancy Yeates   Economists worry that overseas weakness will spread to these shores.

Suddenly single? You'll cope

Take the helm: Kaia Hunter has been steering her own ship since her marriage floundered in 2007.

Sylvia Pennington   How do you make the big financial decisions when death, divorce or relationship breakdown means that you’re flying solo?

FEES RELEASE ME

Education funds ease schooling headache

Educating children can be a costly affair for parents.

John Collett   Putting your child through school is an expensive business. Starting saving now is one option.

WELL-HEELED

What you can do now to help get back to the beach sooner

There are ways to bring that permanent summer holiday of early retirement a little bit closer.

Melissa Browne   Have the long hot days of summer given you a taste for relaxation? Fancy giving up work? Well you can't - not yet anyway.

ANIMAL FARM

Pets living the high life - at a price

Lap of luxury: Gareth Brock (pictured with his dog Ebony) believes pet resorts offer a better class of care.

Kate Jones   Owners pay through the nose to keep animals happy while they take a break

TRAVELLING LIGHT

Top holidays needn’t be costly ones

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Nina Hendy   There's lots of ways to score a cheap, or free, break. All you need do is put a bit of work in before you depart.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Are you guilty of financial infidelity?

Secrets and lies: Financial infidelity can be as destructive as any other betrayal of trust.

Olivia Maragna   Keeping information from your partner could be seen as a betrayal.

DO IT YOURSELF

Create your own new job

Potential: There's a job in there waiting to blossom.

Barbara Drury   In a world where traditional jobs are disappearing more Australians are turning to freelancing and self-employment out of necessity.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Create a financial roadmap for 2015

Are you heading in the right direction?

Allan McKeown   It's a good time to think about how we can make sure this year is more financially rewarding than 2014.

BOOM OR BUST?

Hard times loom for too many boomers

Retire in peace: For many baby boomers retirement may not be as comfortable as they would like.

John Collett   They’ve passed 50 and are staring at retirement, many with too little set aside to make their post-work dreams come true.

GOOD ADVICE

How to find an adviser to trust

Let down: a new report shows the extent to which consumers were poorly advised by the Commonwealth Bank's planning arm.

John Collett   There are reliable financial financial advisers out there. You just need to know where to look, writes John Collett.

Meagre growth dulls outlook

Growth may be slow but at least we're not heading into another recession.

David Potts   There won’t be a recession this year, but we’re all going to feel the squeeze.

WELL-HEELED

Celebrate too soon and you'll blow it

Party plan: A good festive season strategy for your finances will give you something to celebrate come January 1.

Melissa Browne   Don’t spoil your good work this year by splurging over the festive season.

TREADING WATER

Portfiolio diversity has been 2015's best policy

Shares have gone up, and then headed down again.

John Collett   This year has been a subdued for Australian investors with those holding overseas investments, particularly US shares, doing much better.