Most funds have either an online application form or a PDF application form (this is usually found in the Product Disclosure Statement for the chosen fund) that you can complete. There are some things you need to have, or to have decided, before you submit your form:

• Your Tax File Number
• ABN for the employer
• Choice of Risk Profile, or Investment option
• Life and TPD Insurance requirements
• Income Protection Insurance needs
• Beneficiary nomination

In completing the application, whether by a PDF or online, after entering all of your basic personal details including Tax File Number, you will then need to make choices in regard to your super account.

Beneficiary Nomination

This is the person or people you wish to receive your benefit upon your death. Nominations can be binding or non-binding and most funds offer both options. A non-binding nomination means that the trustee of your super fund is not bound to pay your benefit to the person/people nominated, but will be guided by your direction, whereas a binding nomination means that the fund must pay to your nominated beneficiaries.

It is worth remembering that most beneficiary nominations lapse after 3 years, so you need to review regularly to ensure it remains current and still reflects your wishes.

Insurance

Insurance is optional, but most funds offer a default amount of life, TPD and income protection insurance. If you do not require insurance you should opt out, but make sure that you have proper advice from a qualified professional that you do not need insurance.

Most industry funds offer insurance on a unitised basis, where the sum insured will decrease as you age, while the premium remains reasonably level. There is usually also an option to take out insurance for a fixed sum.  This is likely to incur a higher premium but may be a better option to ensure you have an adequate amount of cover.

For income protection insurance of more than the default amount, you will need to provide your annual salary and details of your occupation. The occupation has a bearing on the premium you will pay if you opt for other than default income protection insurance. You can choose a preferred waiting period i.e. the period to expire before your benefit begins to be paid. A shorter waiting period will result in a higher premium.

If you seek more than the default amount of insurance, you may need to complete health questions so that the fund can calculate your premium based on any health or occupation risks.

Investment Option

Funds offer a range of investment options from an automatic premix of asset types to a more customisable mix of asset types. Unless you really know what you are doing, you may be best to stick to premixed options. The basic premixed option is available for all risk profiles, which generally fall into about 5 main categories, with a multitude of variations between funds:

• Conservative
• Moderately Conservative
• Balanced
• Growth
• High Growth

Asset allocation refers to the mix of what is called ‘growth assets’ and ‘defensive assets’.  Growth assets are assets that can grow in value, such as shares or property – they are generally higher risk but have a higher return potential.  Defensive assets are lower risk, with potentially lower returns and usually relate to assets like cash, term deposits and other fixed interest investments like bonds.

The 5 investment options shown above have a different mix of growth and defensive assets, moving from low risk (Conservative) to high risk (High Growth). A Balanced portfolio, is typically middle-of-the-road in terms of asset allocation and may consist of 60% Growth assets and 40% Defensive assets, while a High Growth portfolio may have only 5% or so in Defensive assets and 95% more or less, in Growth assets.

Asset allocation with a higher proportion of Growth assets has the potential for higher growth, but there is a greater risk of negative returns and an increased level of volatility, or value fluctuation. An asset allocation skewed towards Defensive assets reduces the risk of negative returns but also protects against extreme volatility (price fluctuation), and returns over the longer term are likely to be lower.

Choice of investment option should be based on your attitude to risk, your investment timeframe, financial circumstances and your retirement goals.  What is your attitude towards risk? Can you accept some shorter-term losses in order for higher returns over the longer term, or would you rather play safe so that the value of your account doesn’t decrease?

What is your investment timeframe? This is the period between the present and when you retire. If you have a long time until retirement, are you willing to accept some additional risk in order for a better long-term return that will provide you with a bigger balance at retirement, or would you prefer to have a smoother ride knowing that at retirement you will have a smaller retirement sum?  If you only have a short time until you retire, do you want to risk what you have already accumulated by using a risky asset allocation in the hope that you will quickly accumulate a larger balance?

The selection of investment option is one of your most important decisions so far as your superannuation funds are concerned. Don’t take it lightly and do seek qualified professional advice to assist you to build your super balance so that you can achieve your retirement dreams.

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.

“$16m Goldsky fund ‘Ponzi Scheme’ ensnares high-profile sports stars” – this was the headline of the weekend Courier Mail.

What it is about us that makes us risk our hard-earned cash when someone sells us a good story?

There have been any number of so-called Ponzi schemes uncovered over the years and we haven’t seen the last of them.  A Ponzi scheme is a type of fraud that pays profits to its investors from funds invested by newer investors. The ‘success’ of a Ponzi scheme relies on a continued flow of funds into the scheme and little in the way of withdrawal requests. There is often no underlying investment made in spite of the reporting that is provided to investors.

These schemes are usually operated by people who excel at sales, people with the gift of the gab and a great personality, who are able to convince people to invest with them and then convince the investors that the investment is performing outstandingly well – until it crashes. Someone eventually twigs that things aren’t as they should be, with the result that a lot of people lose a lot of money.

Why would anyone invest in one of these things, or at least invest in something that could be less than what it purports to be?

We are suckers for the ‘get rich quick’ type of line that these operators will use and that level of greed will make us – for greed is what it is, will make us take the risk.

A simple portfolio of good quality ASX-listed shares that will appreciate over time and produce a sustainable income just doesn’t cut it when compared to the promises made by our dodgy operators.

Remember the old fable about the tortoise and the hare? This is equally true of investing. Here at The Investment Collective, we subscribe to the theory that a properly constructed portfolio of shares, fixed interest and International managed funds will achieve your objectives over time – safely. This type of portfolio will also give you transparency so that you know what you own, you know what you are invested in and you know the type of income that it will generate for you.

Why would anyone think that the ‘get rich quick brigade’ have a better idea?

Call The Investment Collective if you would like further information on how to invest safely and transparently.

Please note this article provides general advice, it has not taken your personal or financial circumstances into consideration. If you would like more tailored financial advice, please contact us today.

What if I run out of money?

“I read in the paper on the weekend that more and more retirees are actually running out of money. I am really worried that this will happen to me.”

There are many factors involved in answering the implied question. We know that:

• Life expectancy for our population is rising every year – we are living longer.
• Centrelink thresholds have changed and therefore excluded many retirees from receiving a benefit payment.
• Interest rates are at all-time lows.

We know the stockmarket is volatile and we are only 10 years on from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) that had a major impact on wealth. We are still nervous about putting our money into this environment because of the risk of losing it.

So instead of that, we are putting our money into the bank.  Did you know that the average term deposit rate since 2004 (all terms, all institutions: source RBA) is 3.45%?

Looking at an average Balanced portfolio of investments, the annual compounded return since inception in 2004 has been 6.62%.  This period includes the GFC-affected years.

This means that if you had invested $50,000 into a Balanced portfolio of investments, reinvested dividends and other earnings, and did not take anything out of it apart from portfolio management fees, you would now be sitting on about $126,000.

If you had taken the same amount and invested it in a Term Deposit at the same time, drawing nothing and not paying any management fees on it, you would now have just under $81,000.

Tell me which of those clients is going to run out of money first if they began drawing a payment from it?

We forget that one of the greatest risks we can take is that our money is simply not earning enough to allow it to support the lifestyle we desire. They have replaced what they see as investment risk with risk of another kind – the risk of running out of money.

There is no question in my mind that we should be properly investing our money in a portfolio that best suits our risk tolerance, rather than sitting it in a term deposit, if we wish to mitigate the risk of running out of money.

Please note that this article provides general advice and has not taken your personal or financial circumstances into consideration. If you would like more tailored advice, please contact us today.

Who should see a financial adviser?

“I don’t have any money to invest so there is no point in my seeing a financial adviser.”

“We manage our own finances so we don’t need to see a financial adviser.”

“We struggle to make ends meet, so we haven’t got any spare income to do anything else so we won’t be seeing a financial adviser.”

“I’m only in my 20s, 30s, I don’t need to see a financial adviser.”

“It’s too late for me to see a financial adviser as I’m retiring in 6 months’ time.”

All of these thoughts are far from the truth.

When should I seek financial advice?

There is a general perception that financial planning is only for people who have money to invest. That if you don’t have any spare cash and are having difficulty in making ends meet, financial planning isn’t for you.

Having a personally tailored financial plan will assist you in every facet of your financial lives regardless of your current financial situation.  In fact, your financial plan will help you achieve other personal goals simply because these goals are planned for.

Your financial adviser will assess your entire current financial situation. This means the adviser will be obtaining information on your earnings, what it costs you to live, the value of all your assets including superannuation, and of course, what you owe.  The adviser will also assist you in identifying what you want to achieve, both now and into the future.  We consider your life risk requirements so that your family and wealth are protected in the case of death, serious injury or illness.

Once the data has been collected and analysed, the adviser will write your financial plan.  The plan will include a summary of the current situation and this in itself can be an eye-opener for the client because many of us do not take stock of our overall financial picture.  Taking into account your goals and objectives and the things that have been identified during the collection and analysis step, the adviser will make recommendations to improve your situation and to help you to meet the goals you have identified.

Sometimes the recommended strategies can be confronting, but always valuable.  For example, if cash flow is a problem for you, the plan will include budgeting advice and strategies.  If you have surplus funds for investment, the plan will include recommendations as to how those funds should be invested.  If you are nearing retirement, the plan will address streamlining and consolidating your financial affairs ahead of retirement and strategies to maximise potential Centrelink payments.

There will be recommendations to adjust the investment option in your superannuation if it does not match the risk profile identified during discussion. If you have debt, there will be advice as to how best to manage that debt and if a restructure is required. If your life risk protection is inadequate, we will include recommendations to bring this protection to the correct level.

Your financial plan will also contain information on any ongoing costs you may incur if you accept the proposals, and there will be comparisons and projections between the current situation and the recommended strategies, including current and future costs.

So, when you should see a financial adviser? The answer is – as soon as possible!

For young people, a tailored financial plan will set them on a path to growing their wealth, perhaps via a savings plan.  For pre-retirees, it is essential that you consult with an adviser to ensure that what you have worked a lifetime for will support you in the way you want during retirement.  Centrelink payments and health care cards are very important and this is a major part of the planning for those either in or nearing retirement.

If our recommendations are accepted and you proceed with the plan, we manage the implementation of the plan and if there is an ongoing component, this activates. Centrelink management is part of the ongoing work and it can be invaluable to retiree clients to have this onerous task managed.

Beginning the process of seeking financial advice is very simple.  It is a matter of contacting either our Rockhampton or Melbourne offices with a request to see an adviser.  Your meeting confirmation includes a list of things to bring with you. From there the adviser will lead and guide you through the process.

What are you waiting for?

I have just read my Super statement…

I am turning 65 in about 3 months’ time and I plan to retire the week after my birthday, but I have just received my super statement and I am not sure if I have enough money to last me.  I have $175,000 in my accumulation account and I plan to take out enough for an overseas holiday next year and to buy a new car.  I’m going to apply for the age pension and then I want to draw enough from my super account to give me the same kind of income I’ve been getting from work.  I need the same income because I still owe some money on my home and my wife doesn’t work.

Does this scenario sound a bit far-fetched?

Do you think that everyone plans their retirement for years ahead?  We find that some people do, but many don’t give that matter much thought until the time comes to quit their job.  This conversation is one that happens with frightening frequency and it means that many people are unable to live the life that they have dreamed of in their later years.

What can I do now so that I am prepared for my retirement?

Like everything that we do, planning and preparation are key factors.  Seeing a financial adviser is a good starting place, as an adviser will be able to advise you on the most appropriate path.  Sooner is better, so that there is time to make changes that will make a difference well ahead of your planned retirement date.  Setting proper goals and objectives is vital.

It is really never too early to take this step.  For example, small things put in place when you first begin to earn a salary will compound over time and place you in a much more substantial position than if you were to do nothing. A simple strategy such as saving a small amount from each and every pay will make a large difference to your retirement savings not only from what you have saved, but from the effect of compounding.  It’s a good idea to increase your savings every time you get a pay increase.

Don’t rely on a credit card to fund your living expenses, unless you pay it off in full every month so that you don’t incur any interest charges.  If you don’t have the cash available now, don’t buy it!  Save a little each pay period so that you can afford to pay cash for it.  You will have the added satisfaction of having earned something that you really wanted!

If you have a home loan, make sure you have your repayments scheduled at the most effective frequency – your adviser can assist with this.  Pay a bit more than your required minimum payment, and don’t decrease the amount that you pay because your interest rate has dropped.  They won’t always drop and it will be a real benefit to have made a big hole in your outstanding balance while rates are down.

Is it ever too late to seek financial advice?

No, not really, because there will always be advice that will benefit you.  It may well be too late to realise some of your dreams and aspirations, but careful advice and planning can help you to make the best of what you have.

Are you interested in planning for your retirement? Are you ready to retire now? Contact us today for your free initial consultation, one of our friendly advisers would be delighted to speak with you and help you plan for your retirement.

Please note: The information provided in this article is general advice only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s Individual objectives, financial situation or needs.  Before acting on anything in this article you should consider if it is appropriate for you, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

What are the aged care options?

• Help at home

Subsidy is available from the government for home care services.   Your adviser will be able to provide you with further information about these services (they are not the subject of this article).

• Care through an aged care facility

Residential aged care provides care on a permanent basis or for a short stay known as respite.  There are different levels of care available and range from a fairly independent lifestyle through to 24 hour nursing care.

What are the costs of entering an aged care facility?

You must first be assessed by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) to identify your eligibility to receive care and which services you will need.

The costs of entering and living in an aged care facility include:

• Accommodation Contribution (Refundable Accommodation Deposit – “RAD”)
• Daily Accommodation Payment (“DAP”)
• Basic Daily Fee
• Means Tested Care Fee

How much will I need to pay?

The facility will charge you an accommodation contribution, or if your income and assets are below the prevailing threshold, the government will pay your accommodation costs.

If you have been assessed as having the financial means to support your own aged care, the accommodation contribution may be paid by RAD or by DAP or a combination of the two.  Interest charges may apply for any outstanding accommodation payment and residents must be left with at least a minimum amount of assets.  As an example, if your accommodation payment is $300,000 you may pay this:

• in full as by RAD; or
• by DAP; or
• a combination, say $150,000 by RAD and the remainder by DAP.

Every aged care resident will pay the same basic daily fee.  This is a fixed fee, indexed semi-annually for inflation.

The Means Tested Care fee applies only to residents whose assets exceed the asset threshold at the time and it is also paid at the maximum rate if the resident does not complete an annual Assets and Income Review with the Department of Human Services.

How can I get help to make my financial decision?

Contact an adviser at The Investment Collective to assist you in making your decision about aged care so that you have the best financial outcome.  Information is also available on the internet at https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/

Please note the information provided in this article is general in nature only. It has been prepared without taking into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on anything in this article you should speak with your financial adviser to discuss whether it is appropriate to you in regard to your objectives, financial situation and current aged care needs. An adviser at The Investment Collective to assist you in making your decision about aged care so that you have the best financial outcome. Some of the details in this article may fluctuate from state to state and it is best to speak to an adviser about your specific circumstances before considering any of this information.

The birth of a child is one of the toughest occasions in anyone’s life, but also one of the most rewarding.  I will never forget the moment I realised that I was now responsible for the wellbeing of another human being who could not survive without my help, and that this responsibility remained through the rain, hail or shine regardless of my own state of health or mind on any given day.

The responsibility for having a child doesn’t end with the nurturing, but also extends to financing the child’s needs for many years after their birth.  This can be a very costly exercise, but like everything else, mothers take it in their stride and adjust their own financial and other needs to cater for the needs of the child.

The one thing that doesn’t cost anything in raising a child is the amount of love that you have available – it is limitless!  My children have brought me so much joy over the years and the rough patches are forgotten.  Also forgotten are the things we ‘did without’ in order to give our family a good education.  They simply don’t matter.

I am reflecting on motherhood as we near the annual celebration of Mother’s Day.  It now has an added significance for me because my daughter is also a mother, making me a grandmother.

Being a grandmother brings a whole new dimension to life.  Those little people make my heart sing!  The pride I feel as I see my daughter and her other young mother friends thoughtfully guiding their youngsters through childhood is immense.

I see these young mothers coping with exactly the same issues that I faced, and the financial struggle is just the same for them as it was for me.

The difference for me as a grandmother is that I don’t have to cope with sleepless nights, the school run, seemingly bottomless stomachs, the washing and so on. I can enjoy the laughter and the fun and games, and then I just go home and leave ‘em to it.

Having a budget in place will help you manage the expenses during your children’s early days and through their education years.  The costs are significant and having a plan for managing expenses will mean that you keep on top of the costs in an organised way.

There are many tools available, such as those on ASIC’s MoneySmart website that will assist you in establishing your budget. There are also apps that allow you to track expenses so you can see where your money is being spent.  Every one of these tools will assist in making ends meet and I suggest that you take advantage of these.  My budget lets me help my kids financially every once in a while because I know what they are experiencing.

Please note, this article is for general advice purposes only. It has not taken into account your personal circumstances or financial goals. If you wish to access more personalised advice tailored to your circumstances and financial objectives, please contact our friendly staff today.

Can I give my kids some money?

I hear this question quite often from my clients.  There are several answers to the question.  Underlying it all is the normal parental need to be able to assist our family while they are juggling the usual expenses of home and children, from an income that doesn’t always stretch quite as far as they would like.

The first part of the question is – can I afford it, and your answer to that may be that you think you can.

The next part of the question is – are there consequences for me?

There may be – for instance if you receive a Centrelink age pension there is a limit as to how much you can gift to your children.  The current limit is $10,000 per year up to a maximum of $30,000 over a three year period.

If you are a fully self-funded retiree the consequence could be that your ability to maintain your own lifestyle in retirement is compromised, so it is a question that needs careful thought.  It is recommended that you seek advice from your advisor.

Is giving cash the best way to help?

It is debatable as to whether straight out cash gifts are really the best way to help – you can’t direct where the cash is spent, and it may not be put to its best use.  What if we paid an essential expense instead?  Examples might be to contribute to the grandchildren’s school fees or to pay the life insurance premium for your son or daughter?

Paying a life/TPD (total and permanent disablement) insurance premium for an adult child may mean the difference between them being properly insured, or having little or no life or TPD insurance.  This not only protects your child and his/her family, but it protects you too, as you may be called upon for support should your child become ill or disabled.

I would like to start an investment for my child/grandchild.

This is also an excellent way to give your family a helping hand as it is a long-term solution that will provide some passive income and capital growth in the future.

A small investment in the Capricorn Diversified Investment Fund, with distributions set to be reinvested, is one way you can achieve this, and it is even better if you add extra contributions from time to time.  By the time the newest grandchild is old enough to attend university or wants to buy a car for example, there will be a tidy little nest egg they can draw from.  You can view details of the Fund here or contact us for information and assistance.

Want to learn more about helping out your children/ grandchildren? For your free initial consultation with one of our friendly advisers, contact us today! One of our advisers would be delighted to assist you.

The information provided in this article is general advice only. It is prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on the advice in this article, please consider the appropriateness of the advice, whether the advice is appropriate to you, your objectives, financial situation and/or needs, before following this advice.

What is HECS-HELP?

Australian citizens studying in Commonwealth supported places are eligible to apply for assistance to fund the student contribution amount for each unit in which they are enrolled.  This assistance is in the form of a HECS-HELP loan.  There is no real interest charged on the loan but the debt will be indexed each year in line with the Consumer Price Index.  The adjustment is made on 1 June each year and applies to any part of the debt that has been unpaid for 11 months or more. Eligible students can use a HECS-HELP loan for the whole amount of their student contribution.

I’ve finished studying – how much do I owe?

The Australian Taxation Office manages all HELP debts and this information can be viewed online through the myGov website once a myGov account has been created.  You can also call the ATO to find out the details and you will need to quote your TFN to access the information.

Paying back my loan

Even if you are still studying, you will need to begin repaying a HELP debt as soon as your income, as reported on your income tax return, is above the compulsory repayment threshold.  This amount is adjusted annually and for the 2016/17 financial year, the amount is $54,869 and above.  Repayments are made through the taxation system at a percentage of your annual income.  The percentage increases as your income increases.  For example, someone earning between $54,869 and $61,119 will repay the loan at the rate of 4% per annum, while someone earning in excess of $101,900 will repay 8% of their annual income.

Voluntary repayments can be made at any time and for any amount, and before 31^st December 2016, there is a bonus of 5% for doing so.  This means that if you repay $500 by a voluntary payment, an additional credit of $25 is applied to your loan.

What if I can’t afford repayments?

You can apply to the ATO to have your payments deferred if you believe that your compulsory repayments would cause serious financial hardship.  In making this application, you will need to substantiate your claim by providing a detailed statement of income and expenditure.  It is possible to appeal should your application be unsuccessful.

Do I have to repay the loan and what happens to the debt if I die?

There are certain special circumstances that may result in cancellation of a debt for a particular unit if the unit has not been completed. You need to apply to have the special circumstances taken into account.  In the case of death, any compulsory repayment relating to the period up to the person’s death must be paid from the estate, but the remainder of the accumulated debt is cancelled.

Are you interested in gaining a better understanding of your HECS-HELP debt? Do you want to put a plan in place to make sure the loan is paid off as soon as possible? Contact us today for your free initial consultation, one of our advisers would be delighted to assist you.

Please note: The information provided in this article is general advice only. It has been prepared without taking into account any person’s Individual objectives, financial situation or needs.  Before acting on anything in this article you should consider if it is appropriate for you, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.