Your favourite finfluencer’s content might sound good, but you should still run some checks before you commit your money. What is a finfluencer? Financial influencers (aka 'finfluencers') discuss financial products and services online through social media platforms and/or a website. Their content tends to be highly relatable, with personal stories relating to their finances paired with curated imagery of their lives. Some finfluencers are hobbyists; for some it’s their career

The income assumptions many have carried into retirement are being tested in the current economic climate. Markets have lurched from one direction to another; interest rates have lifted faster than expected, with the possibility of more increases in the months ahead, and there’s no end in sight to the global uncertainty. While the market shocks are interspersed with periods of relative calm, The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) warns that the disruption could pose challenges t

Balancing Australian and global shares means weighing growth, income & currency risk Getting investment exposure to global companies through share markets makes sense, but weighing up risks such as currency fluctuations is important. Many Australians have a justified love affair with the domestic share market. The Australian share market has delivered solid long‑term returns for investors, underpinned by strong performance across sectors such as financials and resources. Howe

Five easy ways to get more into your super fund before the end of the financial year With the end of the current financial year fast approaching, time is running out if you’re planning to boost your superannuation balance before 30 June. Even depositing a small amount of extra money into your super account before 30 June this year could make a big difference to your overall retirement balance over the longer term, thanks to compounding investment returns. Below are five ways

A practical benchmark for planning your retirement lifestyle When planning for retirement, one of the most common questions we hear is: 'How much do I actually need? 'The ASFA Retirement Standard helps answer this by providing a clear, research-based benchmark of what it costs to fund different retirement lifestyles in Australia. What is the ASFA Retirement Standard? The ASFA Retirement Standard estimates how much income retirees need to support either a modest or comfortable

For years, the idea of “Blue Zones” captured the world’s imagination. Certain regions such as Okinawa, Sardinia, Ikaria and Nicoya were said to be places where people routinely lived past 100 years old in good health. The promise was simple and compelling: follow their lifestyle, and a long, vibrant life might follow. In recent years, however, that story has become more complicated. A necessary reality check New research has raised questions about the original Blue Zones clai

Retiring well means making a series of decisions to ensure a financially secure post-work life. One practical step is to work out the income you need each week to survive and thrive when you stop working. If you are one of the many Australians still working and growing your super, knowing more about tailored retirement income products might help to plan. There are two main ways to use super savings in retirement: through products that provide an income stream, and/or through

Volatility is how the return on an asset fluctuates over time. Using the share market as an example, volatility is often measured by changes in the price of a share. When the market is volatile, as it has been recently due to the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, prices can rise or fall a lot in a short time. These movements mean the value of your investments can change quickly. They might rise in value one day and fall the next. Volatility can make us feel nervous, b

If you have an SMSF, find out how the new Payday Super Regulations will impact SMSFs when Payday Super starts from 1 July 2026. With the Payday Super Regulations starting from 1 July 2026, take the time to see how the changes will impact your SMSF. Contribution allocations: a closer look SMSFs will still have up to 28 calendar days after the end of the month in which a contribution is received to allocate or return super contributions. This has not changed as a result of the

Why More Choice Isn’t Always Better