Personal Finance
41 articles
Ethical Super Funds Australia 2026: Fees Compared
Ethical super funds in Australia compared: fees on a $50,000 balance for 8 ethical and sustainable options, what they exclude, and how to check for greenwashing.
Investment Bonds Australia: The 10-Year Rule Explained (2026)
How investment bonds work in Australia: the 10-year rule, the 125% contribution rule, what happens if you withdraw early, and who they actually suit.
Super Fund Comparison Australia 2026: Fees of 9 Funds
Industry super fund comparison for 2026: what AustralianSuper, ART, Hostplus, UniSuper, Aware, Rest, HESTA, Cbus and Vanguard Super cost on a $50,000 balance.
SMSF Borrowing Ban 2026: LRBA Rules for Property Explained
SMSFs can no longer borrow to buy residential property from 10 August 2026. What the LRBA ban covers, what is grandfathered, and the commercial property rules.
ASIC Comparison Website Warning (2026): What It Means for You
ASIC warns comparison sites can rank products by who pays them, not what suits you. What the warning says, the red flags to spot and how to compare safely.
Carry-Forward Concessional Contributions: How to Catch Up on Super in Australia
If your total super balance is under $500,000, you can use up to 5 years of unused concessional cap in a single year. Here's how carry-forward contributions work in 2026-27.
First Mortgage After 40 in Australia: Super or Property?
Is it too late to buy your first home at 40? Australians who did it share what they learned — and why renting in retirement is a risk super alone can't solve.
Salary Sacrifice Super vs Extra Mortgage Repayments: Which Wins in 2026?
Should you salary sacrifice into super or pay off your mortgage faster? The maths depends on your income, tax rate, and mortgage rate. Full worked examples for 2026-27.
SMSF vs Industry Super Australia (2026): Costs, Break-Even & Who Wins
An SMSF costs $1,800–$4,100 a year to run and only beats industry fund fees above about $350,000. Costs, break-even balance, control and compliance compared.
When Can You Access Your Super? Preservation Age Australia Explained
Super preservation age is 60 for anyone born after June 1964. Here's when you can access super, conditions of release before 60, and what transition to retirement means.
Super vs Offset vs ETFs: Where Should Your Extra Money Go in 2026?
Should you put extra money in super, your mortgage offset, or ETFs? Here's the three-way comparison every Australian homeowner needs, with worked examples for 2026-27.
What Salary Do You Need to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck in Australia?
Australians share what salary finally gave them breathing room. The answer isn't a single number — it depends on rent, kids, debt, and lifestyle creep more than income alone.
Budget Planner Australia 2026: How to Build a Budget That Actually Works
Four budgeting methods compared for Australian households. Step-by-step: calculate your after-tax income, set spending targets, and automate savings — with July 2026 cost context.
Centrelink Income Test 2026-27: How Investments and Super Affect Your Payment
Centrelink deems your financial assets to earn income at set rates — 1.25% on the first $66,800, 3.25% above. Here's exactly how investments and super affect your age pension or payment.
How to Track Your Net Worth in Australia: A Practical Guide
Net worth = assets minus liabilities. Here's what to include, what to exclude, Australian benchmarks by age, and the simplest way to track it consistently over time.
Salary Packaging Australia: How NFP and Healthcare Workers Cut Their Tax Bill
NFP and public hospital employees can package up to $15,900 in living expenses tax-free. Here's exactly how salary packaging works, what you can package, and how to set it up.
Medicare Levy Surcharge 2026-27: Do You Need Private Health to Avoid It?
The Medicare Levy Surcharge threshold rises to $105,000 in 2026-27. Here's whether private hospital cover is worth it at your income — with the break-even calculation.
Super Death Benefits Tax Australia: What Happens to Your Super When You Die?
Super doesn't automatically go to your estate. Who inherits it, how it's taxed, and how a binding nomination can save your beneficiaries tens of thousands in tax.
Transfer Balance Cap 2026-27: What the $2.1 Million Limit Means for You
The transfer balance cap rises to $2.1 million on 1 July 2026. Here's what it means for your pension phase super, how your personal cap is calculated, and what happens if you exceed it.
HECS Debt and Your Mortgage: How Student Debt Affects Borrowing Power
HECS debt reduces your home loan borrowing power — but the 2026-27 marginal repayment system changed the maths. Here's exactly how much, at every income level.
How to Get Property-Style Leverage on Shares in Australia Without a Mortgage
Yes, you can borrow to invest in shares in Australia without a property mortgage. Here are your three options — geared ETFs, NAB Equity Builder, and margin loans — explained plainly.
The FIRE Bridge Fund Australia: How to Fund the Gap Between Early Retirement and Age 60
Super is locked until 60. The bridge fund is the investment portfolio that funds your lifestyle between early retirement and when you can access super. Here's how to build and size it.
Super for Self-Employed Australians: How to Contribute and Why You Should
Self-employed Australians have no employer paying SGC — but they can claim super contributions as a tax deduction and access the same concessional cap. Here's how it works.
Coast FIRE Australia: How to Calculate Your Number and What to Do Once You Hit It
Coast FIRE means you've saved enough that compound growth alone will fund your retirement — no more contributions needed. Here's how to calculate your Coast FIRE number with Australian super.
Division 296 Tax Australia: How the New Super Tax Works for Balances Over $3 Million
Division 296 is law and takes effect from 1 July 2026. This plain-English guide explains who pays it, how it's calculated, and what strategies exist to manage your liability.
Superannuation Contribution Caps 2026-27: The New Limits and How to Use Them
The concessional super cap rises to $32,500 from 1 July 2026. Full guide to all caps: concessional, non-concessional, bring-forward, carry-forward and the $2.1M transfer balance cap.
Superannuation vs Outside Super Investing After the 2027 CGT Changes
Super funds keep their 33.3% CGT discount under the new rules. Outside-super investors lose the 50% discount. We run the maths on how the July 2027 changes shift the super vs outside-super calculation.
Salary Sacrifice & Salary Packaging in WA (2026–27)
Salary packaging in WA for 2026–27: what WA Health, Police, DFES, Justice, Communities, council and charity staff can package, the caps, and the tax saved.
Australia's 1 July 2026 Financial Changes: What Actually Changes for Your Household
From 1 July 2026, Australian tax cuts, minimum wage increases, superannuation caps, HECS thresholds, and Payday Super all change at once. Here is exactly what shifts, who it affects, and what it's worth in dollar terms — broken down by income, age, and HECS status.
Financial Advisers in Australia: What They Cost, What They're Worth, and How to Choose One
The median financial advice fee in Australia has risen 67% in five years to $4,668 per year. This guide explains what you actually get for that money, when professional advice is worth the cost, when it is not, and exactly how to find and evaluate an adviser.
How Much Super Should I Have at My Age? (2026 Benchmarks)
ASFA's March 2026 Retirement Standard sets a comfortable retirement target of $630,000 for a single homeowner and $730,000 for a couple at age 67. This guide provides age-by-age super benchmarks from 30 to 60, shows how to read the data honestly, and explains exactly what to do if you are behind
Private School in Australia: The Complete Financial Guide for Parents
Australia is the most expensive country in the developed world for private secondary education. Before enrolling, every parent needs to understand the full cost, the financing options, the evidence on outcomes, and the questions no school prospectus answers.
Bali vs Europe: What Your Annual Holiday Choice Is Doing to Your Mortgage
A couple's European holiday costs around $12,000. A Bali holiday for the same couple runs about $3,500. The $8,500 difference, redirected to a $700,000 mortgage, saves $281,859 in interest and cuts nine years off the loan. Here is every number.
The Real Cost of Australia's 2026 Concert Season — On Your Mortgage
Ed Sheeran, Tame Impala, BTS, Laufey, Guns N' Roses — Australia's 2026 concert calendar is stacked. But what does a season of live music really cost your mortgage? We ran the numbers on every major tour.
What Switching to Supermarket Home Brand Is Really Worth on Your Mortgage
Swapping half your weekly grocery basket from name brands to supermarket own-brand products saves the average Australian around $46 a week. Redirected to a $700,000 mortgage, that saves over $109,000 in interest and cuts three and a half years off the loan.
Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) Australia: Complete Guide for Employers and Employees (2026)
Who pays FBT, how the FBT year works, exempt benefits, EV FBT exemption, the $15,900 PBI cap, and how RFBA affects your HECS and take-home pay. 2026 rates.
HECS Repayment Calculator Australia 2026: Thresholds, Rates and What's Changed
HECS repayment threshold is $69,528 in 2026-27 under the marginal system. Here's how to calculate your repayment, understand indexation, and how HECS affects your mortgage.
Payday Super Australia 2026: What the New Rules Mean for Your Retirement
From 1 July 2026, payday super requires employers to pay super with every wage. Here's what the new rules mean for your retirement balance.
Salary Sacrifice in Australia: Complete Guide to How It Works, What You Save & the Traps (2026)
What is salary sacrifice in Australia? How does it work, what can you sacrifice, how much tax do you save, and what are the risks? Complete 2026 guide
Tax Return Australia: What Can I Claim in 2026?
What can you claim on your 2025-26 Australian tax return? This guide covers every major deduction category with current ATO rates and worked examples.
Emergency Fund Guide Australia 2026: How Much to Save and Where to Keep It
How much should Australians have in an emergency fund in 2026? Learn the right amount, where to keep it, and how to build it fast without impacting your lifestyle.