by Bottrell WealthThey have been around for decades but interest-free deals can still be confusing and costly when not managed correctly. Excitable advertising can make these offers almost too good to refuse, particularly with longer terms applying to higher levels of finance. For example, to get five years’ interest-free on purchases from some retailers, the minimum spend […]
by Bottrell WealthIf you entered the world between 1980 and 1996 you’re part of the “millennial generation”. You’ve grown up in an age of unprecedented abundance and incredible technical innovation, and as a group, enjoy a greater wealth of opportunity – professionally, socially and recreationally – than any previous generation. Many goods and services have never been […]
by Bottrell WealthMany grandparents want to give their grandchildren a head start in life, and a common way to do so is to help by paying some (or all) of their school fees. This can, of course, simply be done by making a contribution at the time the fees are payable. However, it’s not unusual for grandparents […]
by Bottrell WealthOne of the most common questions I’m asked as a financial adviser is “will I have enough to retire?” It truly is the sixty-four thousand dollar question and if $64,000 was the answer, we’d all be on easy street! With so many variables involved, there is no set answer, but these days with many […]
by Bottrell WealthSome people may think that a financial adviser’s role is to forecast the direction of the share market from month to month and invest clients’ money accordingly. This is not the reality, of course. Investments are only one small part of what your financial adviser can provide for you. Some of the key areas […]
by Bottrell WealthReady to make the leap from renting to buying a home? Well, before you begin the search for your perfect home there are lots of questions to find answers to. Here are some of the big ones. Do you need to own your home? For most people home ownership remains part of the great Australian […]
by Bottrell WealthFinancial planning. That’s for people with lots of money to invest, isn’t it? Not necessarily. Sure, investment planning is an important part of financial planning, but underpinning the whole process of creating wealth in the first place is having a good financial strategy. For many people that strategy is taking each day as it comes […]
by Bottrell WealthNote: This article includes answers to yesterday’s quiz. Please see ‘Quiz: How much do you know about buying a home?’ to view the questions. Q1: What is Loan Mortgage Insurance (LMI)? a) Insurance taken out by borrowers if they think the lender is insecure. b) Insurance protecting the lender from borrowers not being […]
by Bottrell WealthAfter months of doing the weekly open-for-inspection rounds, talking-turkey with estate agents and greeting other house-hunters – you’re on first name basis with many of them by now – you’ve finally found your perfect home. That was the hard part, right? Borrowing money is not as simple as you may think. Besides the strict […]
by Bottrell WealthIt’s not really a sacrifice If you are earning more than you need to live comfortably, salary sacrificing may be an attractive option to reduce your tax, boost your superannuation and prepare for a more comfortable retirement later on. Salary sacrificing simply involves having part of your salary paid into a superannuation fund by your […]