Ask An Expert Money Blog

Ask the experts

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Will we lose our health care card?

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

Pockets of Melbourne have an apartment glut.

Nicole helps… keep an apartment buyer safe

Financial expert Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon discusses strategy for a couple who want to buy their first home in Melbourne.

GPs will have to use their "godly discretions" to determine when to bulk bill.

Are healthcare-card concessions clear cut?

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

How do you compare the performances of super funds? Illustration: John Shakespeare

Why comparing super funds can lead you astray

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

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Nicole helps… identify a good financial adviser

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon answers the single most popular financial question

Superannuation is a safe place to keep your cash if you have a partner who gambles.

How to plan for the future if your partner gambles

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

The Tax Office is rapacious when it comes to money gifted to minors.

A gift to your grandchildren can be a boon for the Tax Office

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

Are you covered?

Is insurance in super pointless with a pre-existing condition?

Nicole helps... a man with health problems figure out his insurance.

If you won Lotto, you wouldn't need to worry about Centrelink and its rules.

How Centrelink treats Lotto winnings

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

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How to boost the age pension by $792 a fortnight

ASK NOEL

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

Big banks like the Commonwealth will give you a mortgage discount if you ask, but it's still better to refinance.

The secret discounts banks are giving property investors

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon helps… combat the banks' investor loan hikes.

You need to advise Centrelink of an inheritance.

Should I declare my inheritance and trust to Centrelink?

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

Taking the leap can be the scariest bit.

This is the year to beat your fear

Whether we admit it to ourselves or not, the most common reason for this ignition failure is fear.

Make sure as much of your money as possible stays in your pocket or bank account.

Chasing deals is new year no-brainer

New deals and discounts, and expert strategies to use them, could dramatically cut what you owe this year.

Young families may find salary sacrifice into super more tax-effective than buying an investment property.

Can I lend money to my children without losing my pension?

ASK NOEL

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

The new Low Income Superannuation Tax offset will give a modest boost to some nest eggs.

What happens if both spouses have $1.6m in super and one dies?

ASK NOEL

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

Interest rates are low in Britain.

How can we help our disabled son?

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers questions.

Super funds need liquid assets to meet compliance.

Want DIY super? Beware the liquidity trap

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

You don't have to retire to go on holidays to distant places like Montenegro.

Your Questions: when can I afford to retire?

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

The state government will still expect stamp duty at full market value.

Selling property below market value is a tax trap

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

Illustration: Simon Letch

What happens to my health care card when I lose my pension?

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

Illustration: Simon Letch

Can I spread risk by having two super funds?

ASK NOEL

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

The government offers a reverse mortgage alternative through the Pension Loans Scheme.

Nicole Helps… choose a reverse mortgage

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon explains how reverse mortgages and the government's Pension Loans Scheme work.

Superannuation is a marital asset that can be split in divorce, but it's still best to make sure your relationship is ...

Can I switch to making super contributions for my wife?

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

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Is it worth it for young workers to pay extra super?

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

You have to hand over your banking login to see the round-up transactions in the Acorns app, but the money is ...

Nicole helps … sort out fintech and fraud liability

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon answers questions about the Acorns micro-investment app and direct debits for a charity.

Life is about to get harder for many pensioners.

Pensioners scramble to do the sums as new assets test looms

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

Illustration: Simon Letch

Mum to lose pension after inheriting small parcels of rocky land

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

A house that is uninhabited will fall into further disrepair without renovation.

Will my mother lose her pension if we sell her dilapidated house?

Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.

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Unfair treatment for defined benefit pensions

Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.

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