You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, or can you?

Who we are today is a reflection of our past experiences and as we age we become more set in our ways. Our habits, what we enjoy and how we respect the people and material things we have rub off on those around us, especially children. What financial habits are you teaching your children?

Adolescence and teenagers are not taught how to manage money at school and it is left to parents to provide them with the knowledge and skills to be good money managers.

I remember at school buying my lunch from the canteen on a rare occasion, the lunch was something of a treat and not the norm. It’s not like my parents couldn’t afford it and at times I felt angry that my friends always bought lunch and I couldn’t.

On reflection, I now understand what my parents were unknowingly teaching me. Preparing my lunches the night before school was a habit they taught me and preparing my lunches has continued into my working life. However, now my wife and I prepare lunches on Sundays for the working week, we eat more nutritious food and avoid the costly takeaway lunch expense.

The $15 to $20 daily work lunch and coffee might not seem like a lot but, preparing our meals saves us thousands each year. Thank you, Mum and Dad, for teaching me how to make good financial decisions on a daily basis.

This is only one example of how my parents taught me to respect and spend money. The only way to save is to spend less than you earn and a bit of frugality is key. What financial habits will you teach your children?

Please note this article provides general advice and has not taken your personal or financial circumstances into consideration. If you would like more tailored financial advice, please contact us today. One of our advisers would be delighted to speak with you.

And we’re not even halfway through it…

It’s certainly been an interesting few months, with the threat of potential changes to the financial planning landscape that would probably have occurred if the federal election result had gone the other way.

As the great Ronald Dale Barrassi once said, “The only constant in life is change.” It’s fair to say everyone in our industry; from clients to those earning a living in it, are looking forward to some stability for the time being.

With the election now a thing of the past and the end of the financial year upon us, it’s time to review some of the strategies that assist with our wealth accumulation objectives.

1. Give your super a free kick

Now is a good time of the year to make additional contributions into super, especially if you intend to claim those contributions as a tax deduction.

Any surplus cash you have sitting in a bank account earning the current abysmal rate of interest can be contributed into super before June 30 as a ‘personal’ contribution and claimed as a tax deduction.

Providing you haven’t exhausted your $25K concessional contribution cap, that increased tax deduction will most likely result in you obtaining an increased refund from the ATO.

The benefits are twofold; you get an increased tax refund which can be directed however you wish whilst also increasing the wealth you have accumulating in super.

2. Utilising unused concessional contributions

From 1 July 2018, if you have a total superannuation balance of less than $500K as at 30 June the previous financial year, you will be able to contribute more than the general $25K concessional contributions cap for that year by topping up the contribution with the ‘unused’ concessional cap from prior years.

Here’s how it will work:

In the table above, this individual in the 2019-20 year could potentially make a concessional contribution of up to $47K because they had used $3K in the prior year thereby having an ‘unused’ balance of $22K that can be carried forward into the next year.

In the 2020-21 year, because the balance of their super was above $500K on 30 June 2020, the concessional contributions cap is limited to the yearly amount of $25K.  In the subsequent year, 2021-22, the ball game has really opened up due to the super balance dropping below $500K at 30 June 2021 which has provided an opportunity to contribute up to $94K in that year.

This potentially allows for realised capital gains to be ‘transferred’ into super and be taxed at the 15% contribution rate, as opposed to a higher marginal tax rate because the concessional contribution can be claimed as a tax deduction.

This is a strategy to keep in mind over the coming years especially if you’re approaching retirement and have a sizeable amount invested outside the super environment that has significant unrealised capital gains.

3. Check in on your goals

It’s a good time of the year to check in on your life and financial goals to see if you’re on target to making your dreams become a reality.  Similarly, expectations may need to be revised to take account of changes to your circumstances over the last 12 months that have impacted on your wealth accumulation strategies.

At the end of the day, your super is your money and you are ultimately responsible for how it performs and grows.  You need to ensure it is being invested wisely and in line with the timeframe you intend to access it.

Here’s hoping for more stability and certainty on the financial planning front over the next 12 months, at least!

Please note this article provides general advice only and has not taken your personal or financial circumstances into consideration. If you would like more tailored financial or superannuation advice, please contact us today. One of our advisers would be delighted to speak with you.

It was 2006, Grade 12 English and the latest assignment was a 10-minute speech on something that was ‘quintessentially Australian’. I remember being told that there was no right or wrong answer, but we had to show cause and enlighten the audience as to who or what made Australia iconic. There were about thirty of us in the class and only a few that I still remember, so I guess they got something right.

For example, one of my classmates gave a 10-minute history lesson on the Melbourne Cup and how the ‘race that stops the nation’ is the single greatest horse race in the world. All Australians come to a complete standstill on the first Tuesday in November at 3 pm. The entire nation watches the 3-minute race, why? Because we love an underdog. Phar Lap, Makybe Diva, can it get any more iconic than that?

Now I must admit, I felt pretty clever at the time and I thought my topic was unique, but still represented Australia. I don’t remember much of the speech, but it went a little like this… Remember, I was 17 at the time so don’t judge too harshly!

What is it to be Australian? Is it a lifestyle, a destination, a feeling or a thing? Something that is so ingrained in our daily life, that we overlook it, and don’t even give it a second thought. Our history is what makes us who we are and we often forget that our currency tells a story. The $50 note depicts Edith Cowan, Australian first female parliamentarian. AB “Banjo” Paterson is a feature on the $10 note, arguably Australia’s most famous poet. The Man from Snowy River appears in small text in the top left-hand corner. The $20 note, or Redback as it is affectionately known, has a portrait of Reverend John Flynn. He pioneered the world’s first aerial medical service, now known as the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Illustrated on our coins are native Australian animals, such as the echidna, lyrebird and platypus. Our national emblem, which includes the Australian Coat of Arms, Australian floral emblem (The Wattle) and native kangaroo and emu are depicted on the 50-cent coin. The $2 coin features a traditional Aboriginal tribal elder, the Southern Cross and Australian flora.

I did manage to prattle on for 10 minutes about our bank notes and the different icon Australians depicted on each one. I still stand by my initial argument, that our history makes us who we are. I wonder as we move into a digital age, how do we keep our history alive? We are moving away from physical money and into an era where you can pay for groceries on your watch. Do we have a sentimental attachment to currency, because it is part of our national history and culture? With so many different currencies all over the world, wouldn’t it be easier to be completely paperless? But then, what daily reminder will we have of where we come from and who shaped this great nation?

If you are interested in tailored financial advice, please contact us today. One of our advisers would be delighted to speak with you.