For many people, the gap between what they have now and what they will need to retire can seem insurmountable, especially in the face of stagnant wage growth and ever-increasing house prices. Although it can be tempting to take a wait-and-see approach and delay making any big retirement plans, it’s always a good time to review your super strategy. Consider these five tips for growing your super balance effectively.

A self-managed super fund (SMSF) is a way to prepare for retirement that gives you more control and freedom of choice over your investments than other types, such as retail or industry super funds.

Here’s a rundown of what you need to consider before setting up your own SMSF, and the key steps involved.

Imagine always having spare income to add to your investment so that your money is constantly working harder for you? According to Simple Savings’ Jackie Gower, it’s not a pipe dream with these common sense tips for cutting expenses.

Curtailing your spending is no easy feat, especially if you have a family. But there are some simple ways to cut back that may mean a bigger investment portfolio.

Depending upon your individual circumstances, you may not need the default level of insurance you are given automatically within your super fund, or you may need more.

If you are an employer the way you report payments, such as salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and superannuation is changing. The ATO will need you to report these payments directly from your payroll solution in real-time, at the same time as you pay your employees. This is known as single touch payroll (STP) and is intended to simplify business reporting obligations. It comes into effect in 2018 or 2019, depending on the size of your business. Are you ready for this change and how will it affect you?

We can help you to prepare for the move to STP.

Australian consumer law protects people who purchase goods from Australian companies, but what recourse do you have for a refund when you’ve bought something from a foreign business that has little or no physical presence in Australia? A recent Full Federal Court case has set a precedent for foreign-based businesses to abide by the Australia consumer law in most circumstances. 

Volatility was a key theme for investment markets in February, as markets priced in expectations for more aggressive US interest rate rises.