Insurance; we don’t need it until we do. Learn all about the value of insurance for protecting your health, income and loved ones when life throws you a curveball.

Whether you're planning to buy your dream home, save for a brighter future or simply manage your daily finances, interest rates play a key role. Here’s why they matter when planning your financial future.

Imagine an extra $500 landing in your super fund, courtesy of the government, simply for being proactive about your financial future. If you’re a low to middle income earner making after-tax contributions to your super without claiming a tax deduction, you could be eligible for this often forgotten about super boost.

Managing debt can often feel overwhelming but there are several strategies you can implement to make the process more manageable and even accelerate your journey to becoming debt free. Here are some quick wins that can help you take control of your finances and reduce your debt more effectively.

It’s important to understand the tax implications of your investments especially when markets move up and down. Our five-step end of financial year checklist will help keep you on top of your tax for 2024-25.

The very first step in retirement planning is to define what you want your retirement to look like. When you hear the word retirement, what do you think of?

Generally, you can, but there may be other things to consider.

Private credit is increasingly popular with investors but do you really understand what you’re buying?

Scammers are constantly looking for new ways to part you from your hard earned cash. That’s why it’s so important to stay a few steps ahead when it comes to protecting your money.

Imagine finding thousands in super that you’ve lost track of. Here’s how you can check if you have any lost or unclaimed super.

Super is only for when you retire, right? Well not quite. There are a few times in life when you might have a valid reason to get hold of some of your super savings.

Healthcare fell out of favour with investors following the pandemic, but a brighter earnings outlook and strong, long-term tailwinds have renewed interest. BlackRock explain why adding exposure to healthcare may be beneficial this year, despite the impacts of potential US political pressures.

For many investors, the promise of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing has been evasive. Confusion around what “ESG Investing” actually is has led to many investors becoming disillusioned with their portfolios. 

Geared share funds are high risk and high reward. When share markets are doing well, the returns can be very high, but the opposite is also true. We look at the pros and cons, and the role of geared share funds in a diversified investment strategy.

The average Australian property investor could lose money in their first year, with those in the nation’s two largest capitals likely to be more than $23,000 out of pocket in just 12 months.

The introduction of DeepSeek’s open-source R1 model shocked global markets in January, challenging our understanding of capex requirements and competition in artificial intelligence.

In retirement, every dollar counts and it is worth exploring different strategies to grow your retirement income. Here’s how to do it.

Your financial health is key to the health of your wellbeing, relationships, work and home life.

Financial advice isn't just for the wealthy or those close to retirement. A financial adviser can help you work toward your goals, instead of putting them off.

Life insurance premiums are calculated based on a number of factors, such as your age, gender, health at the time of application, smoking status, occupation, lifestyle and hobbies.

Some of us may help provide assistance to our ageing parents or other relatives in the future. That time may bring a range of emotional and physical challenges. Planning ahead may help relieve stress down the track. Here are three suggestions that may make a difference.

In the digital age, where connectivity is constant, achieving a healthy work-life balance has become more challenging than ever.

Just as it is vital to invest in the financial planning, retirement planning must also focus on that other precious commodity – time.

Books can spark our imaginations, transport us to new worlds, and let us explore other times and other minds. They’re also an invaluable tool for learning. Here are some ideas to help kids of all ages learn about money and start developing their financial literacy.

It’s lucky Aussie homeowners are a pretty resilient bunch. There are ways you can set up your home loan to pay less interest in the long run and take years off your mortgage.

This article outlines the steps to helping someone enter aged care as well as the fees that may apply.

Looking for higher returns than cash in the bank with less volatility than shares and property?

Australian shares fared well in July, buoyed by suggestions that no further interest rate hikes will be necessary.

Investment funds can be broadly split into two categories – active and passive. It’s important to understand how each works before allocating money to them.

With its ability to analyse vast amounts of data, identify patterns and make informed predictions, AI is revolutionising the world of investing in ways previously unimaginable.

Back in November we saw five reasons to expect a higher $A. These largely remain valid and the $A seems to be perking up again.

Here, we address some of the commonly asked questions relating to retirement planning including outlining some steps for growing your money in retirement and how to adjust your investment risk as you near retirement.

With interest rates continuing to rise, reducing your mortgage interest rate can be a great way to save money so you’re not out of pocket and can keep or invest more of what you earn.

They say nothing is certain in life except two things – death and taxes.

Encouragingly the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its global growth forecast for 2024, following ‘surprisingly resilient’ economic conditions.

In this paper, we explain why we believe now is a good time to revisit your asset allocation.

An overview of the details of the FHSSS, including how it works, how to participate in it and the benefits it offers.

A look at why you might consider including bonds in your investment portfolio and how interest rates affect their value.

Maximising super contributions for your spouse is a smart financial move.

When it comes to your retirement there are four main risks that can impact your income.

What’s driving the fall, what are the risks and what does it mean for interest rates and investors? This article looks at the key issues.

Is high Australian household wealth a source of support for consumers?

A rally in the second half of the month helped global share markets generate solid gains in January, extending the rally from November and December.

In the 2016 Federal Budget, the Government introduced the transfer balance cap as part of a broader superannuation reform package.

Want to invest but don’t know where to start? Here are five basic steps for investing.

Your super balance will most likely play a big part in how comfortably you live in retirement. But depending on how far off retirement is for you, it might be difficult to gauge whether your super is on track.

Having a budget can help you stay on top of bills, pay off debt and save for long or short-term goals. There are many ways to go about it.

Global markets are made up of dozens of asset classes and millions of individual securities, making it challenging to understand what really matters for your portfolio.

October was another difficult month for financial markets, partly reflecting an acceptance among investors that interest rates are likely to remain high for longer than was previously anticipated.

Deciding whether or not to fix your home loan requires careful consideration of various factors.

It’s important to understand the causes of market movements and how to minimise your risk.

Here are five tips for enjoying the best in life without blowing the budget.

Figuring out how much you can spend in retirement requires planning. And knowing what you can afford to safely spend, based on the savings you have, will also help you to identify any gaps between your expectations and reality.

Australian women are feeling the pinch more than their male counterparts.

With the property market going gangbusters over the past couple of years (although likely to slow down), gazumping is something you might want to take steps to avoid.

The Australian inflation rate peaked in the December quarter but has been slower to decline than some global peers.

Investing is full of jargon and technical terms that can make getting started or managing your investments seem intimidating. Here are some of the key terms to help you better understand the different options available to you.

July's economic news from the team at ICGFP

There are special rules for granny flat arrangements that may prevent the deprivation rules from applying. However they must satisfy a range of requirements.

A succinct economic and market overview

In this article, we’ll explain what to expect when your fixed interest rate ends and how to prepare for it.

When the news is filled with headlines about market movements, it’s normal to feel a bit anxious. Here are three things to keep in mind the next time share markets aren't behaving the way you'd like them to.

Up until the 1980s the dominant theory was that financial markets were efficient. In other words, all relevant information was reflected in asset prices in a rational manner. While some think it was the Global Financial Crisis that caused faith in the so-called “Efficient Markets Hypothesis” (EMH) to begin unravelling, this actually occurred in the 1980s

Pleasingly, global share markets fared well in October and recovered most of their lost ground from September. Locally, the S&P/ASX 200 Index re- turned 6.0%. The sharp reversal in sentiment was typical of this year; market volatility has picked up meaningfully over the past few months, resulting in substantial swings in equity prices.

The impacts of interest rate hikes on consumers are well known; higher interest means that mortgage debt servicing costs will go up which is negative for consumer spending. Rate hikes are also bad news for home prices, which will create another negative for households via the destruction of wealth and the associated “wealth effect”.

It’s natural to feel nervous when markets fall. News about inflation and rising interest rates may prompt you to make an emotional investment decision. But history tells us that markets trend upwards in the long run – and switching investment options at the wrong time can have a negative impact on your overall long-term investment return.

Every day we make numerous judgements and decisions – hundreds if not thousands if you conclude everything we do is an individual ‘decision’.

According to Scamwatch, Australians lost over $205 million to scams between 1 January and 1 May this year - a 166 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Equity and bond markets bounced back hard from disappointing returns in June, amid suggestions that rising interest rates in key regions will help bring inflation under control.

Sharp share market falls are stressful for investors as no one likes to see their investments fall in value. But at times like these, there are a number of key things for investors to bear in mind.

The government has announced a number of changes to the super system could create opportunities for Australians of all ages. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know.

The lead up to 30 June can be a good time to maximise tax benefits that may be available to you inside super.

According to the ABS, some half a million people intend to retire within 5 years.

By mixing different types of investments and different asset classes, portfolios can be built in a way that maximises the return for any given level of risk.

The value we place on something tends to be very individual, and is generally a product of many different factors ranging from cultural background and upbringing to personality type and even life stage.

Investors continued to focus on rampant inflation and, in turn, potential changes in monetary policy settings.

Retirees wanting to downsize their home may consider the option of living in a granny flat, or an extension to / spare room of a relative or friend’s home.

Account-based pensions offer a flexible and tax-effective method of drawing a regular income stream from superannuation. But what happens to your tax-free account-based pension when you do die?

Superannuation, shares, property, cash, other investments; a dizzying number of options are available when it comes to living comfortably through retirement.

Whether you’re looking to invest in property, renovate or pay off something big, borrowing against the equity in your home may be helpful, if you’re across the risks.

Instead of making ambitious resolutions you don’t have the time or energy to keep, try our personal finance challenge.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare recently released a report covering the impacts of COVID-19 on Australians during the first year of the pandemic.

If you want to protect your family and assets, it’s worth documenting what you’d like to happen if you can’t make your own decisions later in life or if you pass away.