General Insurance
The bottom line on redundancy
John Kavanagh Anyone likely to receive a redundancy payment in the next few weeks has some planning to do around a significant June 30 timing issue.
Duels for the family jewels
Family trusts are a time-honoured way for successful individuals to put a fence around their wealth and protect it from outside threats and prying eyes.
Snapshot of debt crucial
Annette Sampson Debt can be a four-letter word at the best of times. But for the growing number of people approaching and entering retirement still owing money, it can be a nightmare.
Planning for a pension
I Can Do That The strategy: To maximise my age-pension entitlement.
Mutual benefits worth your while
Some of the best deals on credit cards, term deposits and mortgages are available from mutuals that go by the names of credit unions, building societies and mutual banks.
Five steps to safeguard your salary
Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon ANOTHER day, another mass job loss - or so it seems. And it appears to be a creeping fear about the security of our salaries that is keeping a lot of us downbeat.
What happens when parents sell
George Cochrane MY PARENTS and I own a house together and have equal shares among the three of us. The house has been their home for 20 years and I did not charge them rent on my portion of the house.
Calculating the cut-off point for benefits
George Cochrane If you qualify for the age pension, money in superannuation counts towards the Centrelink means test.
Deluged by new premiums
Lesley Parker Policyholders are opening the envelope to shockingly high premiums after a year in which eight natural disasters cost insurers an estimated $5 billion in Australia as people mop up from further...
Offset to ensure debt-free future
George Cochrane When it comes to planning for retirement, paying off a mortgage should be the cornerstone of security, writes George Cochrane.
Ask Noel
Q. I am 28 and keen to get on the property ladder. Would buying in Queensland and renting it out be a good option?
Barricade your super from losses
George Cochrane Nobody wants to see their account balance drop, so cash is where it's at for safety, writes George Cochrane.
Reprieves still hard to come by
George Cochrane Small relief exists for first-time breaches of the concessional contributions cap but there's a catch.
The five biggest money mistakes
Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon One wrong decision can put your financial future at severe disadvantage.
Find a balance to get ahead
Lesley Parker Like overstretched European governments, we should all be thinking about how we're going to balance the books a bit better this year.
Keep a keen eye on government guarantees
George Cochrane It pays to be aware of new regulations guaranteeing a bank's deposits when you have long-held savings.
Diving into the property market
THERE is nothing quite like a cut in interest rates or changes to government subsidies to get people thinking about their next major financial move.
Making the most of your assets in retirement
George Cochrane Superannuation will become a less attractive option if new tax-free threshold rules take effect.
Health insurers on a roll as 52% get cover
Jessica Wright More than half of Australians now have private health insurance.
