Personal Finance
50 articles
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.
How Your Childhood Money Memories Are Still Running Your Finances Today
The money habits you formed before 18 are still driving decisions you make today. Australians share the childhood moments that shaped — and in some cases damaged — their relationship with money.
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.
How Much Super Do You Need to Retire Comfortably in Australia?
ASFA says a comfortable retirement costs $73,337/year for a couple. Here's how much super you actually need, how the Age Pension changes the number, and what to do if you're behind.
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 Fund Australia: Is a Self-Managed Super Fund Worth It?
SMSFs cost $1,500–$5,000/year to run and make sense above $250,000–$500,000 in balance. Here's the honest comparison: control, costs, compliance, and when each option wins.
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.
What to Do With Your Tax Refund in 2026: 7 Smart Moves for Australians
The average Australian gets back around $2,800 at tax time. Here's the priority order financial maths always recommends — and worked examples for refunds of $1,200, $2,600 and $4,500.
The Hidden Superpower of Property Investing — And How to Replicate It Without Property
The real reason property built wealth for Australians wasn't just leverage — it was forced savings discipline. Here's what that means and exactly how to replicate it when investing in shares.
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.
Property Built Your Parents' Wealth. Here's How the Next Generation Will Build Theirs.
Property created generational wealth for Baby Boomers and Gen X. The conditions that made it work have shifted. Here's what wealth building looks like for the next generation of Australian investors.
You Don't Have to Stop Being a Property Investor. You Just Need to Add This.
The 2026 budget didn't make property investing wrong — it made diversification more important. Here's how Australia's best wealth builders are holding property and adding geared ETFs without giving up their identity.
RFBA: What Is the Reportable Fringe Benefits Amount and How Does It Affect You?
The Reportable Fringe Benefits Amount (RFBA) appears on your income statement but is not income tax — it increases your adjusted taxable income, affecting HECS repayments, Medicare Levy Surcharge, childcare subsidy, and government payments. Here's exactly how it works.
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.
Safe Withdrawal Rate Australia: Does the 4% Rule Work for Australians?
The 4% rule was built on US data for 30-year retirements. Here's whether it holds for Australian conditions — long retirements, super access rules, and the Age Pension safety net.
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.
Barista FIRE Australia: How Part-Time Work and Investment Income Can Make Work Optional
Barista FIRE means your investments cover most expenses and part-time work covers the rest. Here's how it works in Australia, how to calculate your number, and why Medicare changes the maths.
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.
Your FIRE Number Australia: How to Calculate How Much You Need to Retire Early
Your FIRE number is annual expenses × 25 — but Australia's super rules and the Age Pension change the maths. Here's how to calculate your real number with the bridge fund split.
Salary Sacrifice Super 2026-27: The New $32,500 Cap and How Much Tax You Save
The concessional super cap rises to $32,500 from 1 July 2026. See how much salary sacrifice saves at every income level, how Division 293 affects high earners, and how carry-forward works.
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.
What Is FIRE? Financial Independence, Retire Early Explained for Australians
FIRE means building enough investments to make paid work optional — often decades before 65. Here's how it works in Australia, why super complicates it, and how to calculate your number.
How to Buy ETFs in Australia: Step-by-Step Guide (2026
How to buy ETFs in Australia in 2026: choose a broker, open an account, find your ETF on the ASX, and place your first order. Covers the best Australian brokers, brokerage fees, order types, and which ETFs to start with.
Salary Sacrifice & Salary Packaging in WA: The Complete Guide (2026–27)
Salary sacrifice in WA depends on your employer type. WA Health, DFES, WA Police, local government, NFP and private sector employees all have different packaging caps and options. Covers FBT rules, remote area benefits, GESB super, and the 2026-27 concessional cap increase to $32,500.
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: What Employees Need to Know
Fringe benefits tax is paid by employers, but it affects your take-home pay, HECS debt and government benefits. Here's what Australian employees need to kn
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.
How to Invest in ETFs Australia: A Complete Beginner's Guide (2026)
Learn how to invest in ETFs in Australia in 2026. Covers how ETFs work, how to open a brokerage account, popular ASX ETFs, fees, tax, and CGT changes.
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.