Your income serves as the foundation for your lifestyle and financial goals. All of your income and spending must be identified, quantified, and tracked.
Read our insights on the latest news, trends and changes related to Cash flow and budgeting.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered the Labor Government’s 2024-2025 Federal Budget and we have summarised what we feel are the key points which impact financial planning strategies.
For our ongoing service package clients, your adviser will be in contact to provide guidance on changes which may impact your strategy.
IMPORTANT: Please remember that these measures are subject to becoming law, so be sure to confirm this before taking any action.
Starting 1 July 2024 Stage 3 tax cuts will deliver savings of $4,529 per annum for those in the highest tax bracket. The average taxpayer will save $1,888 a year.
The Stage 3 tax cuts will make the following changes from 2024/25:
The table below shows the changes to tax brackets. Note, these amounts do not include Medicare levy.
The table below compares the amount of tax payable in 2023/24 to the amount payable under the new tax rates from 2024/25. The last column shows the amount of tax saved.
The Government has increased the Medicare levy low-income thresholds for singles, families, and seniors and pensioners from 1 July 2023 to provide cost-of-living relief. The increase to the thresholds ensures that low-income individuals continue to be exempt from paying the Medicare levy or pay a reduced levy rate.
The family income thresholds will now increase by $4,027 for each dependent child, up from $3,760.
This measure has already been provisioned for by the Government and will apply retrospectively from 1 July 2023.
The Government has announced that it will pay super on the Government funded Paid Parental Leave for babies born or adopted on or after 1 July 2025.
Eligible parents will receive an additional 12% of their Government-funded Paid Parental Leave as a contribution to their superannuation fund.
Starting from July 1, 2026, employers must pay superannuation at the same time they pay salary and wages to employees. Currently, employers are required to pay their employees’ superannuation guarantee contributions on a quarterly basis.
Energy bill relief will be extended to every Australian household, with $300 automatically credited to their electricity bills next financial year. This is not means tested.
HELP/HECS debt will now be indexed either to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index (WPI), whichever is lower, and that change will be backdated to 1 June 2023.
This means that about 3 million Australians with student loans are set to receive an average $1,200 reduction in their HELP, HECS, VET Student Loan, Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan and other student support loan accounts that existed on 1 June last year.
The reduction aims to offset steep increases in student debt last year when student loans were indexed to inflation at the rate of 7.1%, but wage growth remained low. The 2023 indexation rate based on WPI would only have been 3.2 per cent.
The Government has announced a one-year freeze on the maximum Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) patient co-payment for everyone with a Medicare card and a five-year freeze for pensioners and other concession cardholders.
This change means that no pensioner or concession card holder will pay more than $7.70 (plus any applicable manufacturer premiums) for up to five years.
The current freeze on deeming rates, which are used to determine the amount of income a person is deemed to earn from their financial investments, will be extended for another year. This means that the deeming rate will stay at 0.25% for the lower rate and 2.25% for the higher rate.
This will ensure income support recipients, such as age pension recipients, will not see a reduction to their payments due to an increase in the deeming rates over the next year. It also means there will be no negative impact for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders and means-tested aged care recipients.
Commonwealth Rent Assistance maximum rates will be increased by 10% from September 2024, with the aim of helping address rental affordability in the housing market.
The Government has announced that from 20 September 2024, it will extend eligibility for the existing higher rate of JobSeeker Payment to single recipients with a partial capacity to work of between zero and 14 hours per week.
The higher JobSeeker Payment rate is currently provided to single recipients with dependent children and those aged 55 and over who have been on payment for nine continuous months or more. This measure extends the higher payment rate to those with a partial capacity to work.
The higher JobSeeker Payment rate is currently $833.20 per fortnight (compared to the standard rate for single recipients without dependant children of $771.50 per fortnight).
From 20 March 2025, the existing 25 hour per week participation limit for Carer Payment recipients will be amended to 100 hours over four weeks. The participation limit will no longer capture study, volunteering activities and travel time and will only apply to employment.
The Government has also announced that Carer Payment recipients who exceed the participation limit or their allowable temporary cessation of care days, will have their payments suspended for up to six months instead of cancelled. Recipients will also be able to use single temporary cessation of care days where they exceed the participation limit, rather than the current seven day minimum.
The Government has now announced a new start date of 1 July 2025 for the new Aged Care Act, however no details have yet been provided as to how fees and charges for aged care residents and home care recipients will work under the new Aged Care Act.
Also, the Government has announced it will provide funding over five years from 2023–24 to deliver a range of key aged care reforms and to continue to implement the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. These measures are proposed to include:
The Government has announced it will extend the $20,000 small business instant asset write-off by a further 12 months until 30 June 2025.
Under these rules, small businesses with aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million will continue to be able to immediately deduct the full cost of eligible assets costing less than $20,000 that are first used or installed ready for use between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2025. The Government also confirmed the $20,000 asset threshold will continue to apply on a per asset basis, allowing small businesses to instantly write off multiple assets.
Similar to households, the Government announced it will provide direct energy bill relief for small businesses.
The government will provide additional energy bill relief of $325 to eligible small business in 2024-25. Rebates will automatically be applied to electricity bills and will be rolled out in quarterly instalments.
If you have any questions or would like further clarification in regards to any of the above measures outlined in the 2024-25 Federal Budget, please feel free to book a chat with your adviser.
The Labor tax package passed through the upper house on Tuesday night with bipartisan support. The quick passage of the bill means the cuts will start applying to people’s incomes from July 1.
The stage 3 tax cuts will make the following changes to tax rates and thresholds in 2024/25 compared to the current financial year (2023/24):
The table below compares the resident tax rates in 2023/24 to the proposed tax rates from 2024/25 onwards:
As a guide, the below table shows the tax savings a resident taxpayer will receive from 2024/25 under the stage 3 tax cuts, based on different levels of taxable income in comparison to the current tax rates.
The reduction in the lowest marginal tax rate will also impact the effective tax-free threshold, which is the level of taxable income you can receive before income tax becomes payable. The good news is that these thresholds will increase.
The below table compares the effective tax-free income thresholds between the current year and from 1 July 2024.
Link to the Government fact sheet here.
If you want to discuss what this means for your personal strategy or any of the details above, please book a chat with one of our financial planners.
Just like any other parenting choice, the topic of pocket money is one that chocks up the online forums, and everyone has an opinion.
Our kids are now at the age where pocket money has entered the chat, and the extra pressure to get it right as we are both financial advisers always weighs heavy! I thought it would be worth sharing my thinking about this, and maybe you can take some ideas away for your own family.
It is essential to first form your family philosophy—the actual mechanics can be very simple, but as we know, the emotional and psychological underpinnings of money are far from it. Some questions to think of as a family:
On the topic of kids starting an income producing business, I would put it outside the realm of “pocket money”, but it is also worth discussing.
I know personally, I would like my kids to learn they need to put in work to be able to earn money, but I also don’t want them asking for each basic household task, ‘Will I get money for this?’ (This actually happened, and it horrified me).
I love the bucket strategy of spend, save, invest, donate – as this mindset can carry them right through to adulthood and spawns many subsequent lessons along the way. I will also try to mimic the different real life implications of saving, investing and donating—the earnings and tax deductions—that the dopamine hit of extra money or helping people can be just as strong as the instant gratification of spending immediately.
Another concept I love is getting older kids involved in your household budget to help look for savings that they can get a piece of/benefit out of. I have heard a great story about a teen shopping around the internet and utilities and creating a family meal plan that saved enough for them in bills and groceries to take a family holiday. Great lessons in budgeting, but also saving money on commodity-style items to direct to things that bring you joy.
Would love to hear any tips from readers as to things you felt work with your kids or grandkids or something maybe your parents did that sticks with you, and please email them through to [email protected]!
I recently turned 30. It’s a strange age. Some of your friends have settled down and have children, whilst others are backpacking around southeast Asia. Some are looking to purchase an investment property, whilst others are hosting big parties in their shared house of ten. Regardless of which stage you are at, the thirties are an excellent chance to take some of that ‘grown-up medicine’ and to look to start to get our finances in order; here are some places to start.
1. Set some goals:
Money is just the vehicle towards helping you live your best life. Everyone will have different goals, so your financial plan should be different. If you’re the type of person who wants to live overseas, then buying a house because you feel like you should and others are telling you to may not be the best option. Once we have goals, it’s easier to know what we must do to achieve them. Otherwise, we can continue on a road to nowhere.
2. Review what you currently have:
Personal finances are usually left or pushed into the too-hard basket. You may not be as passionate about it as I am and, therefore, lack the motivation to think about it (completely normal). Simple things like reviewing what you currently have can pay big dividends.
Review your superannuation and make sure that your fund is appropriate. Check about how your fund has been performing compared to others. Please have a look at your investment options within your super and make sure that it’s appropriate for you. Think about whether or not you would like to be invested in an ethical and environmentally friendly manner and see if your current investments align with that.
You should also review what insurance you have. If you have young children or some debt with a partner, such as a home loan, then life cover could be critical. If you’re working and rely on your income to live, then you need income protection. Insurances aren’t sexy, and not many people like paying for them, but if something goes wrong and you don’t have them, it can create financial pain that can be hard to recover from.
3. Build an emergency fund:
Life is unpredictable, and unexpected expenses can arise at any time. Aim to build an emergency fund with three to six months’ living expenses. This financial cushion will provide peace of mind and help you avoid dipping into your savings or investments during tough times.
4. Look towards the future:
Investing is a powerful tool for building wealth over time. It can be slow to start with, but compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world; the earlier you start, the more rewards you reap. Putting some surplus cash towards investments that have growth potential can help you fund some future goals you may have as well. There are options for all different starting balances, so you don’t need to wait and put it off any longer.
5. Stop paying the lazy tax:
Only some people love to have a strict budget in place, and if that’s you, there are things we can do to get our cash flow under control. Reviewing your expenses is essential; a lot of little savings can add up, especially when everything is getting more expensive.
Have a particular look at your subscriptions, whether they be streaming services or gym memberships and make sure you’re using them and getting value out of them. If not, look at ending them or looking at alternatives.
The lazy tax can also apply to your banking. We often choose a bank early on in life and stick to it. Review your interest rate and ensure that what you are getting stacks up. This can also apply to your home loan if you have one. It can pay to do some research, as there are often no rewards for loyalty in this area.
7. Estate Planning:
It’s never too early to think about estate planning, especially if you have dependents. Setting up a will now can last until your situation changes and doesn’t need to be too difficult or costly. It will mean that your wishes will be carried out if something happens to you.
8. Reach out if you’re unsure:
For some people, discussing personal finances is like speaking another language, but seeking guidance from a good adviser can help simplify the situation. A good adviser should also be able to educate you along the way. Using your money in the best way possible is important, so don’t let it fall by the wayside just because you’re unsure where to start.
As always, we are here to help. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]
Most of us don’t like being asked how much money we make.
We’ve gotten really good, however, at building a material world around us that implies great wealth, even if the reality is something else entirely.
With our cars, our houses, and the clothes we wear, we are constantly signaling what we want the world to think about the very question we hate to answer.
And while we often treat these material things as a sign of our success, in reality, they’re usually just a front. In fact, most of us would be better off (financially speaking) buying a less expensive car and putting the leftover money into mutual funds.
Ironically, if we all just walked around with a big sign around our necks saying how much we make, we wouldn’t have to do all this posturing and pretending. Our relationship with money would change considerably if our financial decisions were transparent to the world.
For instance, what if the home in which we live could no longer hide that we’ve saved nothing for retirement?
Maybe then we would find it easier to focus on the financial choices that help us instead of hurt us.
Whether you or a loved one is considering a move into a retirement village, it can be a lot of information to process. Below, I run through some of the main things to know and consider when transitioning to a retirement village, including:
Retirement villages are communities that generally provide accommodation, facilities and services to people over 55 and retired from full-time employment. Accommodation varies from independent living in self-contained units to assisted living in serviced units.
There are a variety of occupancy and ownership structures. Still, it is important to know that the most common form of occupancy and ownership structures are:
Leasehold and loan and licence arrangement (84%):
Strata title (11%)
Company title and unit trust (3%).
Other structures
What you have to pay and when varies based on the structure and agreement you choose, so always be sure to fully understand these before making a decision.
It can be confusing with different names/labels for all of the costs, but in a nutshell, they can be categorised as:
Entry price/contribution
Ongoing cost/fees
Departure/exit fees
This table sets out the homeownership status, asset test assessment and eligibility for rent assistance which is determined by whether the amount paid as an entry contribution exceeds the extra-allowable amount
To determine whether a resident is considered a homeowner for Centrelink purposes, the entry contribution (EC) is compared with the Extra Allowable Amount (EAA). The EAA is the difference between the homeowner and non-homeowner lower assets test thresholds (currently $242,000).
If you want to discuss your planning strategy to transition to a retirement village, then please get in touch and book a chat with one of our advisers.
Note: The information in this article is current as at 2 October 2023 unless otherwise specified.
Whenever I sit in front of a client, one of the things that we try to do in an initial meeting is to scope out what is important to them. This can be goals such as retiring, upgrading the family home, ensuring children are financially cared for, etc. One desire that often pops up is travel; it forms many people’s wants’ when discussing what is important to them.
Having just returned from six weeks in Europe and still coming to terms with this Melbourne weather, I can understand the importance of getting away and having a break, along with the joy that can come from the memories you create. Travel isn’t necessarily cheap and is something that needs to be planned for so that we can ensure that it happens. In this blog, I will outline ways to make travel part of your financial plan so that these holidays happen!
Set Clear Goals
The first part of any sound financial plan is working out what is important to you and defining your goals. You can determine where your spare cash flow needs to go by sitting down and working out what is most important to you. When you spend money on travel, it’s money that you could have allocated to other areas, such as debt reduction or retirement planning, so it’s essential to understand what goals you have and what impacts spending money on things such as travel can have on your future financial plans.
In life, we may have many goals and competing priorities, so it becomes crucial to sit down and work out your non-negotiables and areas you are willing to compromise to ensure that the non-negotiables happen. This is where financial modelling helps to see the opportunity cost of spending money on specific goals and preceding others so you can make an informed decision.
Create a Travel Fund
To make travel part of your financial plan, establish a dedicated travel fund or savings account without the potential for capital loss. Set up automatic transfers from your main account to this fund regularly; I like to do this each day I get paid so the funds fly out of my account immediately. This “pay yourself first” approach ensures you prioritize your travel goals and build your fund steadily over time. Having the funds sit somewhere separate with a specific function makes you more likely to hit your travel goal.
Create a Travel Budget
When planning a trip, create a detailed travel budget. This budget should include all anticipated expenses, such as flights, accommodation, meals, activities, and travel insurance. Research your destination thoroughly to get accurate cost estimates. Having a clear budget will help you save and plan for your trips effectively and ensure that your holiday doesn’t cost you more than expected.
Use Travel Rewards and Loyalty Programs
Make the most of travel rewards and loyalty programs from credit cards, airlines, and hotels. These programs can significantly save flights, accommodation, and other travel expenses. Credit cards may even include travel insurance, which can be a good saving if you are a regular traveller. However, it’s always essential to use them responsibly and avoid racking up a big credit card bill travelling. It is also vital to ensure that any fees associated with these cards make sense and provide value for your travel type.
Travelling the world doesn’t have to be at odds with your financial future. With some planning and specific actions, you can easily make travel an integral part of your financial plan. As I often speak about in my blogs, we preach lifestyle-focused financial planning. Travel is important to me, and while it may cost money, money is just the vehicle to help you achieve your goals. With the right financial plan and strategy, you can achieve travel and still be able to hit future goals you may have.
As always, if you have any questions or need help to make holidays happen, feel free to contact me via email at [email protected].
If you’re making less than $58,445 in the 2023/24 financial year, and at least 10% of that comes from your job or a business, consider putting extra money into your super after taxes.
If you do and meet specific criteria, the Government might chip in with up to $500 into your super account—which is a fantastic percentage return on investment!
You get the full co-contribution if you make a voluntary non-concessional (after-tax) super contribution of $1,000 and earn $43,445 a year or less. If you put in less than $1,000 or earn between $43,445 and $58,445 a year, you might still get something, but only part of the amount.
Just remember that what you earn, including regular income, certain benefits, and employer super contributions, counts here.
If you’re considering putting more money into your super, let’s chat. Our experienced advisers can help you figure out which superannuation strategies make sense for you.
In what is always an exciting night to settle down in front of the TV, Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the 2023-24 Federal Budget and we have summarised what we feel are the key measures announced from a financial planning point of view.
For our ongoing service package clients, your adviser will be in contact to provide guidance on changes which may impact your strategy.
The government has put forward a comprehensive $14.6 billion relief package to ease the cost of living. This includes $3 billion to help with the cost of energy, which will be provided in the form of credits of up to $500 and offered to approximately 5 million eligible households and targeted to pensioners, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders, and family tax benefit recipients.
The minimum amount that was required to be paid to a member from their pension was halved in 2019-20. This was legislated to revert to the full amount from 1 July 2023. There was no announcement of an extension to the reduced minimum in the Budget, so the amount is likely to revert to 100 per cent of the standard minimum from 1 July 2023 unless an extension is announced. This means the payments you receive from your pension may need to increase from 1 July this year.
In February 2023, it was announced the Transfer Balance Cap would increase by $200,000 to $1.9 million on 1 July this year due to indexation. This is the amount you can transfer from super to start a tax-free super pension, such as an account-based pension. Although there has been some speculation as to whether this would remain at its current level, the fact that it wasn’t announced in the Budget suggests it will increase as expected.
From 1 July 2026, employers will be required to pay super at the same time they pay salary and wages. Many employers have already adopted this approach even though, currently, super is only required to be paid quarterly.
Additional funding will also be provided to the ATO in 2023-24 to improve its ability to identify and act on any cases of Super Guarantee underpayment by employers.
As recently proposed, the government reinforced its plan to increase the tax on earnings on super balances over $3 million by 15%. The tax would only be payable on earnings over this threshold.
The additional 15% will apply regardless of whether they are in the accumulation phase of super or have retired and commenced a super pension.
There were no new announcements regarding stage 3 tax cuts which remain legislated to take effect 1 July 2024.
As a reminder, the stage 3 tax cuts will change the income tax rates and thresholds (for resident taxpayers) as follows:
The Medicare levy low-income thresholds for singles, families and seniors and pensioners
will be increased from 1 July 2022.
If you have any questions or would like further clarification in regards to any of the above measures outlined in the 2023-24 Federal Budget, please feel free to book a chat with your adviser.
Until next time.
—Pete
Talking about finances with your partner can be daunting, but it is an important conversation. As a financial advisor, I often encounter couples who struggle with managing their finances together and can often be used as a mediator in these scenarios. In this blog, I will provide some tips on how to talk to your partner about finances and hopefully help you if this is something that you need help with.
The first step in talking to your partner about finances is to set a time and place that works for both of you. We often talk about having a financial date night, and it’s great to discuss the following. Choose a time when you are both relaxed and not likely to be interrupted. According to a study by the Financial Planning Association of Australia, only 26% of Australians feel confident managing their finances. This underscores the importance of taking the time to have an informed discussion about your finances. Ensure you are both comfortable and in a private space where you can converse honestly without distractions.
Start the conversation by discussing your goals as a couple. For example, do you want to buy a house, go on a holiday, or plan for retirement? Understanding each other’s goals will help you make decisions together and stay on the same page. Make a list of your short-term and long-term goals, and discuss which are most important to each of you.
The goals are exciting as well. Having something exciting to work towards can create extra incentives to work together on your finances. For example, at Pekada, we do a Values & Goals session where each couple member has a chance to talk without interruption about their values and what is most important to them, and then we start to work on some joint goals together. This can be a great starting point for working on common goals together.
Being honest about your financial situation with your partner is essential. This includes your income, debts, and expenses. Be open and transparent about your finances, and encourage your partner to do the same. It may be uncomfortable to discuss your debts, but it’s essential to get everything out in the open to work together to address any financial issues. For example, one particular partner’s debts may stop you from doing things such as purchasing a home together, so it is crucial to have everything out in the open.
Creating a budget together is an excellent way to manage your finances as a couple. Start by tracking your expenses for a month or two to understand where your money is going clearly. Then, create a budget that includes your income, expenses, and savings goals. Finally, please ensure you are both on board with the budget and committed to sticking to it.
Everyone has different spending habits, and it’s essential to understand how your partner spends money. According to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, many Australians struggle with credit card debt, with an average balance of $2,577. Discuss your spending habits and concerns about each other’s spending. It’s essential to be respectful and non-judgmental during this conversation and work together to find a compromise that works for both of you.
This is often where a ‘yours, mine and ours’ approach can work well. Each partner has a separate bank account for their discretionary spending. Free to spend those funds on whatever appeases them whilst maintaining a joint account for joint expenses and future goals you may have. This can stop a lot of arguments around what the other may be spending. Having an account where you can spend guilt-free and maintain some form of financial independence is also essential.
Emergencies can happen at any time, so it’s crucial to have a plan in place. Discuss what you would do in an emergency, such as a job loss or a medical emergency. Make sure you have an emergency fund set aside to cover unexpected expenses.
It is also a good idea, especially if you have a mortgage together to review your insurances. Discuss what would happen in the worst-case scenario if one of you were to pass away. Would you want the mortgage covered? Decisions like this are essential to ensure that no one is left with financial stress in the event of a loss.
While discussing depressing things, having a good estate plan and will in place also be essential to ensure that your wishes are carried out in the event of your passing.
In conclusion, talking to your partner about finances can be challenging, but it’s essential for a healthy relationship. Setting a time and place, discussing your goals, being honest about your financial situation and planning can alleviate many of these potential issues. If you ever have any questions or are interested in doing a Values & Goals session as a couple, please reach out!