![Bernard Stahr believes his good credit rating will hold him in good stead once the new credit reporting rules come in. ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/8/j/2/0/image.related.wideLandscape.940x529.gx7mnr.12uqus.png/1499834195280.jpg)
Money features
![There are ways to tap into housing wealth for aged care, besides selling the property.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/8/7/u/5/image.related.landscape.120x80.gxanu7.png/1499981997985.jpg)
The alternative to selling your home to fund aged care
Selling your home to fund aged care might be the right decision, but sometimes borrowing against the home is necessary, or even a better choice.
![J. D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy, has become the US' go-to white, rural translator.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/d/b/9/8/image.related.landscape.120x80.gxasmi.png/1499987630479.jpg)
What we can learn from the Trump-voting 'hillbillies'
There are practical ways to combat learned helplessness when it comes to your finances, writes Catherine Robson.
!["It's not believable that someone on the age pension who owns their home would never suffer financial stress."](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/y/y/j/4/image.related.landscape.120x80.gxawho.png/1499984925452.jpg)
Super industry defends 'comfortable' retirement
Australians need to make up their own minds about the standard of living they aspire to in retirement.
![Damian Worsdell is a 22-year-old customer service officer who saves $100 a week to invest in exchange-traded funds.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/7/t/1/v/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx7t9q.png/1499746683044.jpg)
Damian's $100-a-week 'play money' habit
When Damian was born, his grandmother bought him a couple of hundred dollars of Telstra shares. Now at 22, he has $25,000 invested in index funds.
![A number of trends are causing higher volatility for individual shares.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/i/3/h/4/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx7sy9.png/1499637893589.jpg)
Volatility is the new normal in equities
Market volatility has destroyed the concept of "safe income" in equities, but there are options to ensure a smoother investment ride.
![Retail Food Group owns Michel's Patisserie, Gloria Jean's, Crust Pizza, Donut King and others.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/v/k/p/q/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx7slc.png/1499641234593.jpg)
Five interesting beaten-down stocks
Often, company share prices fall for very good reasons but sometimes it's caused by a market over-reaction.
![Actor Elijah Perris.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/z/t/u/u/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx7p9w.png/1499790877719.jpg)
'It makes me feel pretty annoyed': How Elijah's super just vanished
When 11-year-old Elijah Perris won a part on an HBO series The Leftovers, earning superannuation was the last thing on his mind.
![Tesla chief executive Elon Musk (left) and SA Premier Jay Weatherill announced the world's biggest lithium ion battery ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/7/q/8/1/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx7pwa.png/1499584875259.jpg)
Coal-fired investors risk being unplugged
Elon Musk stole all the headlines with the announcement that Tesla's largest ever battery would be built 200 kilometres north of Adelaide.
![Australian Dairy Farms is the Shares Race's best performer.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/h/0/n/r/g/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx6j2p.png/1499391782142.jpg)
Ellis wins the Shares Race with all 10 tips in the black
Angie Ellis of 80 20 Investments wins the four-week Shares Race.
![The ASFA standard for a "comfortable" retirement is better than half of Australian households while they're still ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/7/6/h/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx76ax.png/1499773872604.jpg)
You don't need to be affluent to retire
You probably don't need as much money in retirement as you've been told.
![Retiring from work doesn't mean retiring from life.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/6/4/3/z/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx60jc.png/1499377253385.jpg)
Avoid these mistakes to 'retire right'
The way to a happy life is to have "someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to".
![Will we have enough to get through to the end?](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/o/k/s/b/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx5yvc.png/1499319031295.jpg)
Build super over time, as opportunities to play catch-up shrink
The major super changes legislated in 2016 are now in force, requiring many current and future retirees to review their strategies.
![Andrew and Sophie Courtney with their daughter on holiday in Tasmania.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/5/p/c/o/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx0rok.png/1499788871618.jpg)
How to have a worthwhile conversation about money
It's not just couples who need to see eye to eye about money. The ageing population and housing affordability are thrusting people into all kinds of situations where communicating productively about financial issues with parents, children and siblings is a must.
![Industry super funds look set to overtake DIY funds and retail funds as the biggest sector](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/1/2/w/k/3/d/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx6u76.png/1499429912139.jpg)
Our super is set to hit $3 trillion in three years
The superannuation pool is forecast to reach $3 trillion in just three years, from $2.4 trillion now.
![Katherine Westwood and Sophie Gilliatt, the co-founders of the Dinner Ladies.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/5/u/p/u/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx5ul5.png/1499497923999.jpg)
How the Dinner Ladies found the recipe for financial independence
The hunger for a home-cooked meal turned a small idea into a thriving business.
![Get a clear idea of your family finances before anyone moves into care.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/m/d/5/o/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx5sev.png/1499309218744.jpg)
Five steps to avoid an aged care fiasco
We all need a plan to help prepare for old age.
![Underpayment or non payment of super is likely to become a bigger problem because of the growth in part-time, casual and ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/h/o/b/j/1/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx5x5g.png/1499335536270.jpg)
Locations where workers are ripped-off on super revealed
Hard-working people are being left tens of thousands of dollars short at retirement.
![Good times can be had with a little planning.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/w/y/i/1/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx3c4q.png/1499179866212.jpg)
Set yourself up for success in the new financial year
Some positive changes to superannuation deserve attention, chief among them the ability to make personal deductible contributions.
![MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 30: Sarah and Seth Gory play with their daughter Waratah and son Tanami in their unit in ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/3/w/z/o/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx3wxv.png/1499383340630.jpg)
'We moved into a small city flat with two kids'
Downsizing, especially with a young family, isn't always easy. But Sarah Gory has found plenty of upside.
![Money is the number one thing that couples fight about so lock in good financial habits together from the start.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/s/t/b/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx3xfa.png/1499119114329.jpg)
Hey sneak spender
Some of us cheat with the big things that could potentially be relationship-ending if our partner found out. Some of us cheat with the little things because we want to avoid an argument.
![ASIC is laying down far stricter rules about whether financial advice firms will be allowed to claim they are independent.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/f/y/l/g/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx21v9.png/1499120181170.jpg)
ASIC cracks down on 'independent' label
The days of financial advice firms calling themselves "independently owned" or similar words when they are not so are coming to an end.
![Illustration: Ward O'Neill](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/3/x/5/9/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx3x46.png/1499170741466.jpg)
Three scenarios to decide on transition to retirement
It's decision time for anybody with a transition to retirement pension.
![Lynda and Graham Turner on the ski-slopes in Canada earlier this year.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170714011140im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/1/y/3/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gx1xrk.png/1499187515278.jpg)
Travellers' cheques can't be cashed but couple told there's no problem
Lynda and Graham Turner bought thousand of dollars worth of US and Canadian dollar travellers' cheques from American Express and then couldn't use them.