Paul's Insights

As competition between lenders heats up, some are offering cashback payments of up to $5,000 when you refinance a home loan. But does it offer good value?

To raise or not to raise? That's the question facing the Morrison government as it grapples with whether or not to increase employer-paid super contributions.

The Coronavirus pandemic has seen one in two Australians rethink their financial goals.

Back-to-school costs can take the shine off those first few weeks of term. Parents often have mixed emotions around their kids returning to school. Along with a much anticipated (by parents) return to routine, the end of the holidays brings the inevitable round of education costs.

If there's one goal to set yourself for 2021, it's to take a good look at the rate you're paying on your home loan.

Hear from our Chairman Paul Clitheroe as he summarises learnings from 2020 and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The past 12 months have reinforced some basic rules of investing.

How our perceptions of ageing have changed. Forget 50 being the new 40, it could be that 80 is the new 60 - and this has profound implications for our retirement savings.

I suspect there are few times in life when we take more notice of our investments, and the performance of asset markets, than in the years just before and during retirement. While many people in these life stages worry about the potential for market downturns, their wealth can be impacted far more profoundly by something much simpler - providing financial support to their adult children.

The Reserve Bank's decision to cut the official cash rate to a historic low of 0.1% was something of a blow for anyone trying to grow cash savings. But there are still valid reasons to hang onto a savings account.

Cashback deals to refinance a home loan are becoming commonplace. But do they offer good value?

The way we pay for things is changing - and in a major turnaround, Australians have wiped $6.3 billion off the nation's credit card debt during COVID.

Plenty of Australians have seen their working week - and income - cut short as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. But in true Aussie have-a-go style, around 200,000 of these people have turned the situation around, using it as an opportunity to start their own business.

Australia's super savings are now worth more than $3 trillion. That's good news, but there are weak spots in the system including over $20 billion in lost and forgotten accounts, and close to four in ten people still have more than one super account.

One of the few upsides of COVID-19 is that Australians are taking a closer look at how they manage their money.

As consumers we love choice. As investors, having too much choice can make us feel uncomfortable. But there is a way to overcome analysis paralysis and still build a diverse portfolio.