by James Coyle | Nov 12, 2021 | Centrelink Age Pension
A new bill has been introduced to the House of Representatives to curtail the use of Cashless Debit Cards (CDCs) for older Australians. The intention of giving welfare recipients this card was to prevent them from spending on substances which are harmful, with 80% of...
by James Coyle | Nov 12, 2021 | Centrelink Age Pension
If so, how can you maximise your entitlements? At any given time about 65% of Australian retirees are receiving either a full or part age pension. But age pension entitlements tend to vary depending upon your age and lifestage. Just under 450,000 Australians enter...
by James Coyle | Nov 8, 2021 | Retirement Spending
How long do your savings need to last?? The younger you are the easier it can be to cope with financial setbacks. That’s because there is usually a ‘tomorrow’ in sight when you can work harder, earn more, put things back in place. Things change when you start planning...
by James Coyle | Nov 8, 2021 | Investing
The most well-known cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was invented in 2009, although there is still some conjecture about who the actual inventor is. Cryptocurrency is a form of digital currency – no paper, no coins. It exists in a digital ledger with very strong...
by James Coyle | Nov 8, 2021 | Retirement Income
Why do retirees care? There were few surprises last week when the Reserve Bank decided for the 12th time in a row to leave the official cash rate at 0.10% But what exactly is the cash rate? And more importantly, what does this mean for retirees? The cash rate target...
by James Coyle | Nov 1, 2021 | Retirement Income
The September quarter Consumer Price Index (CPI) was released last week. This index measures movements of prices in key categories of consumer spending on a quarterly and annual basis. The September 2021 CPI rose 0.8% for the quarter and 3.0% year-on-year (YOY)....
by James Coyle | Nov 1, 2021 | Planning for Retirement
Philippa asked us an interesting question last week. She’s divorced, aged 67, and in July this year she stepped back from full-time work to help with her grandchildren and volunteer. She receives a part Age Pension ($18,000 per annum) and is topping this up with extra...
by James Coyle | Nov 1, 2021 | Retirement Income
A Retirement Income Stream is the term most commonly used to describe retirement income products, including Account Based Pensions, Defined Benefit Pensions and Annuities. Such products typically supplement other sources of retirement income, including: the Age...
by James Coyle | Oct 25, 2021 | Retirement Income
Decumulation would have to be the most boring name for what should be the most exciting stage of your retirement income journey – that time when you get your money out! But it has become a turn off term because the rules seem so complex that many people go into denial...
by James Coyle | Oct 25, 2021 | Planning for Retirement
Are you a shareholder? If so, you’re part of a growing club according to key findings from the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). In 1986 just 9% of Australians owned shares. Now it’s 35%, with a median portfolio size of $130,000. And these statistics refer to holdings...