The best time to start planning for retirement is yesterday.

But the second-best time? Today.

About two-thirds of Australians retire earlier than they anticipated because of unexpected events such as job loss or redundancy, they need to care for a family member, have a sudden illness or injury, problems at work or a partner’s decision to retire.ⁱ

We plan for holidays, home renovations, and retirement but we’re less likely to plan for the unexpected. Life insurance is one quiet but powerful way to protect the people you love from financial stress if something happens to you.

When you start researching for a trip overseas it’s easy to be swayed by what can be a lingering bad reputation of a region or country. The landscape of travel is constantly shifting and what may once have been a no-go zone can now be a dream destination - and vice versa.

There are so many options when it comes to moving into a retirement village. Here we explain what some of them are along with the contractual arrangements you may have for each accommodation.

Retirement villages don't include residential care as defined in aged care legislation or commercial residential property.

Scammers aim to take advantage of weak security and plan on you being distracted with everyday life.

Always be aware of what information you share. If a scammer gets your personal information they can use it to access your bank account, sign in to your myGov account, or steal money and commit fraud in your name.

The bad news for savers relying on income returns is set to continue.

Australia’s underlying level of inflation is continuing to fall, and which paved the way for another official interest rate cut when the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) board met earlier in the month.

Millions of Australians hold multiple super accounts — and it could be costing them.

Vanguard’s late founder, John C. Bogle, was known for championing the importance of reducing investment costs. It’s a principle that’s especially important for long-term investments like superannuation. 

Understand the latest indexed changes to the pension income and assets tests.

Receiving the full government Age Pension, or even a partial pension payment, can provide eligible retirees with a significant amount of income over time that can supplement income earned from other assets.

Planning to retire means considering the steps and decisions needed to get you to where you want to be. Think ahead to the kind of life you want to live and how you will support yourself when you’re no longer working.

How much you need to retire depends on how you want to live. 

Maintaining diversification, managing risk, and enhancing long-term returns

Multi-asset portfolios are designed to provide diversification by spreading investments across various asset classes to reduce risk. 

Donald Trump’s new international trade tariffs have landed. Some are lower than others, some deals have been done, but overall they are the highest they have been in 100 years.

They are also unprecedented in the era of the rules-based trade system that has been in place since 1945.

So what happens next?

SMSFs are complex, here we have outlined some of the restrictions to help you before you make any decisions on self-managed super fund (SMSF) investment. You must ensure you understand any restrictions on SMSF investments to avoid any penalties.

A simple ongoing investment strategy can deliver substantial returns over time.

Imagine planting a tree that not only grows fruit but also grows more branches, which grow even more fruit.

That’s compound interest in motion, which is sometimes referred to as the “eighth wonder of the world”. It’s the financial phenomenon where your money earns interest, and then that interest earns interest too.

The global rollercoaster ride of United States trade tariffs has now entered its latest phase.

President Donald Trump’s April 2 “Liberation Day” announcement placed reciprocal tariffs on all countries. A week later, amid financial market turmoil, these tariffs were paused and replaced by a 10% baseline tariff on most goods.

Even the most experienced investors can fall prey to subtle psychological traps. 

These behavioural biases often operate under the surface, influencing decisions in ways that can undermine long-term investment success.

Volatility indexes are a barometer for where share markets may be heading

It should come as no surprise that there isn’t an accurate way to foretell what share markets will do from one day to the next.

By doing a few calculations you can easily see if your portfolio is still on track.

If you’re someone who likes a good balance in your investing life, now may be a good time to do some calculations.

How much tax you pay on your super contributions and withdrawals depends on:

• your total super amount

• your age

• the type of contribution or withdrawal you make

Tracking your spending is a way to take control of your money. Knowing where your money goes can help you spend less and save more.

First, get a clear view of where your money is going day to day.

Start small by recording your spending every day for at least a week. This way you can see all the money going out.

If you have a poor credit score or an error in your credit report, it may affect loans or credit you apply for. You have a right to get errors fixed for free, and you can arrange this yourself.