AJ Financial Planning Blog
We like the quote by R. Bennett when he summed up the following "Top 15 things money can't buy; time, happiness, inner peace, integrity, love, character,... respect, morals, trust, patience, common sense, dignity."
Our blog shares our latest ideas, critical thinking, thought-provoking insights, innovative exploration of the markets, economies, investments and areas in the financial markets that require change.
With the summer break quickly approaching, we will see a lot of people taking time off to enjoy the some R&R. This relaxing time off also provides one with a unique opportunity for reflection. One question which might creep into one’s mind is “ I go on holidays each year, but should I buy a holiday
Read MoreI was recently flying back on a REX commercial prop plane from the regional town of Mt Gambier (close to the boarder of South Australia) after visiting some of our clients.
Read MoreAustralia is set to claim the mantle as the nation with the oldest retirement age in the developed world following Joe Hockey’s federal budget announcement on 13th May 2014.
Read MoreIn 1976 the RBA (Reserve Bank of Australia) cash rate was around 12.85% and the average home loan back then was around 15.35% to 17% p.a. Today some 38 years on, things are very different with the RBA cash rate at 2.5% and the average home loan is around 5%.
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Read Morehe age pension is a great benefit that is almost essential to ensuring that many elderly Australians do not live in poverty. The pension in essence allows them to receive a constant income to cover the basic essentials of life throughout retirement.
Read MoreThe other day I received an e-mail that my brother in-law’s advertising agency had recently been listed as one of the BRW fastest growing companies. Out of the top 100 listed he was ranked 31st with an annual growth of 80% which was pretty impressive!
Read MoreMost Australians feel comfortable with the knowledge that unlike other countries (such as the USA) there is no inheritance tax here… but is this really true?
Read MoreThe official cash rate set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on the first Tuesday of every month currently sits at 2.5%. This is a quite a distance from the 17.5% cash rate Australia endured in the winter of 1990 and creates an interesting economic and investment back drop for investors
Read MoreThere has been a saying when it comes to investing, a lot of people expect to do exceptionally well when they first start investing. The reality with most early newbies can often be a mixed experience and a mixed result, if proper preparation or guidance is not provided.
Read MoreI recently drove past the house and street that I grew up in as a young boy. It has been quiet a while since I was last in the area and it was nice to go back down memory lane. It reminded me that when I was a young I used to catch a bus to primary school and the bus ticket back then was around 35 cents.
Read MoreThe Reserve Bank of Australia has recently released a report where they have done an analysis of average property growths and rental yields since 1955. The report is called “Is Housing Overvalued?”
Read MoreI have found over the years there are certain topics which can be quite polarising in people’s beliefs. Over late night dinner conversations, people often heavily debate (with sometimes very strong opinions too) topics like politics, religion, the environment, and now private schools versus public schools. It seems everybody has an opinion on this topic!
Read MoreWhich is the most valuable brand in 2014? BrandZ report each year provides us the answer to this question. Sometimes when it comes to investing, we forget that the stock price which goes up and down each day is linked to an actual company.
Read MoreIt’s almost July already, and while the calendar year is half over, the 2014/2015 financial year is only just about to start. So, now is a great time to review your situation and make some changes to make the most of the next 12 months of the financial calendar. Here are some tips that should help you to improve your financial situation.
Read MoreDiversification is a staple principle for most investors. The general idea is one of risk mitigation – or in other words, trying to avoid loosing your entire investment portfolio due to one bad investment decision.
Read MoreThe Self Managed Super Fund (SMSF) sector is the fastest growing part of the superannuation industry as many Australians are choosing the ‘do-it-yourself’ route of an SMSF rather than your more traditional personal superannuation accounts and platforms. If you are considering a SMSF there are a few things to consider…. Is my balance high enough?
Read MoreThe above terms are classic marketing tag lines which have been hammered away at people for decades now. The interesting part is that from a consumption and consumer point of view, it has structurally changed the way we spend. The
Read MoreAlbert Einstein famously described compound interest as the 8th wonder of the world. A profound statement given that it was coming from one of the greatest minds of all-time.
Read MoreTemporary Budget Repair Levy There was a lot of speculation before the budget was announced about the Government’s plan to have a short term levy to help fund some of the budget deficit. The levy has been announced as a 2% charge on taxable income over $180,000. While this will only affect a minority of Australians, it could affect some people who sell investment properties and have a once off significant capital gain and assessable income.
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