Credit Score

While it’s not that common, it is possible for your credit report to contain mistakes. If you think there’s a mistake on your credit report, there are steps you can take to make sure it is corrected.

Eden Radford -

12 Apr, 2024 -

3 min read

Home Insurance

It may surprise no-one to learn that Australia’s cost of living has increased over the past quarter. However, it was higher insurance premiums across house, home contents and motor vehicles that contributed to some of the largest price rises. Which could mean now is as good a time as ever, to be looking carefully at your current policies and comparing some alternatives to see if you could be getting better deals.

Mark Bristow -

08 Feb, 2024 -

3 min read

Credit Cards

The increase in credit card accounts may make for easy spending or cashing in for first class travel, but many of those who get credit cards are possibly turning to a finance solution that they don’t fully understand – or may get them into trouble.

Eden Radford -

22 Jan, 2024 -

5 min read

Credit Cards

Commonwealth Bank will refund about $10 million after selling unsuitable consumer credit insurance to tens of thousands of Australians.

Nick Bendel -

15 Aug, 2017 -

2 min read

Credit Cards

ASIC has announced that ANZ and Westpac will give a combined $21 million back to credit card customers, following concerns about their lending practices.

Alex Ritchie -

08 Feb, 2018 -

2 min read

Car Insurance

ASIC commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court last week, claiming some insurers used an algorithm to determine whether or not a customer might renew their policy at different premium levels.

Peter Terlato -

05 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Savings Accounts

Australia��_s financial services regulator has warned consumers about a scam that is pretending to recruit people for market research gigs. ASIC said that some cold-callers are claiming to be organising a ��_shadow shopping��_ or ��_mystery shopping��_ project for ASIC _ that is, recruiting people to purchase services such as financial advice to help assess the standards in the market.

Nick Bendel -

14 Feb, 2018 -

2 min read

Savings Accounts

ASIC, the financial services regulator, has urged Australians to start the new year by setting financial goals and taking control of their money.

Nick Bendel -

29 Dec, 2017 -

3 min read

Savings Accounts

Shoppers using services including AfterPay, Zip Pay and Certegy risk paying inflated prices, the financial regulator has warned, as merchants could try to recoup some money.

Tony Ibrahim -

19 Nov, 2020 -

4 min read

Investment Funds

Commonwealth Bank has entered into a court-enforceable undertaking with ASIC over its participation in the setting of the bank bill swap rate (BBSW).

Nick Bendel -

11 Jul, 2018 -

2 min read

Investment Funds

Nick Bendel -

07 Jul, 2017 -

2 min read

Investment Funds

Australia’s financial services regulator has warned people to avoid “scammers” connected to Luxembourg Offshore Banking, also known as LUXOSB Limited.

Nick Bendel -

30 Dec, 2018 -

2 min read

Home Loans

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has taken the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) to the Federal Court over allegations of unconscionable conduct and market manipulation.

Mark Bristow -

31 Jan, 2018 -

2 min read

Home Loans

MyState Bank has refunded more than $230,000 in over-charged interest and fees to about 1,040 customers with mortgage offset accounts.

Nick Bendel -

27 Jul, 2017 -

2 min read

Home Loans

Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has announced that Westpac will refund $11 million to 13,000 owner-occupier home loan customers.

Alex Ritchie -

15 Dec, 2017 -

2 min read

Car Loans

Insurance provider QBE has paid out $15.9 million in refunds to car insurance customers who were receiving little to no benefit from their policies, following a review from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC).

Mark Bristow -

03 Aug, 2017 -

2 min read

Car Loans

Motor Finance Wizard will pay more than $11 million to address concerns about its lending practices.

Nick Bendel -

26 May, 2017 -

2 min read

Car Loans

A formal ban on car finance flex commissions has been introduced by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), to help protect financially inexperienced consumers from excessive interest charges on their car loans.

Mark Bristow -

07 Sep, 2017 -

2 min read

Personal Loans

The Federal Court of Australia has ordered a $2 million penalty against Thorn Australia Pty Ltd's Radio Rentals for contravening its responsible lending obligations. The court found that ��_Thorn failed to make the necessary inquiries and take steps to verify the financial situation of its customers, and failed to conduct a proper assessment of the suitability of the leases it provided,��_ according to ASIC, Australia��_s financial services regulator.

Nick Bendel -

17 May, 2018 -

2 min read

Personal Loans

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has commenced work with representatives from the banking industry on reforming Consumer Credit Insurance (CCI) in Australia.

Mark Bristow -

02 Aug, 2017 -

3 min read

Personal Loans

A financial services director has been banned from engaging in credit activities after being found guilty of running an unlicensed payday lending business.

Nick Bendel -

09 Oct, 2017 -

2 min read

Bank Accounts

Can you trust your bank to give you the most unbiased financial advice? ASIC isn��_t so sure.

Alex Ritchie -

25 Jan, 2018 -

2 min read

Bank Accounts

Australia's financial institutions are in the wrong, as ASIC cites "serious and unacceptable delays" for identifying and correcting breaches of the law.

Bria Horne -

01 Oct, 2018 -

3 min read

Bank Accounts

In good news for parents and teachers, an independent evaluation of ASIC��_s MoneySmart Teaching Program has found that it yielded strong results amongst students learning financial literacy.

Alex Ritchie -

12 Dec, 2017 -

2 min read

Superannuation

To ensure compliance with transparency requirements around super fund websites, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has intervened in relation to 21 of Australia��_s superannuation trustees.

Mark Bristow -

05 Jul, 2017 -

2 min read

Superannuation

Seven superannuation companies have been caught overcharging customers by defaulting them onto health policies for smokers, leading to a multimillion dollar windfall.

Tony Ibrahim -

10 Aug, 2020 -

3 min read

Superannuation

There��_s about to be a change in the way superannuation and managed investment funds disclose their fees and charges.

Nick Bendel -

29 Aug, 2017 -

1 min read

Cryptocurrency

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released information outlining what’s expected from finance influencers (finfluencers) in order to comply with financial services laws and regulations.

Mark Bristow -

21 Mar, 2022 -

3 min read

Bank Accounts

If you’ve ever opened more than one bank account in the past, could you have forgotten about some money that you’ve left behind, which is still waiting to be claimed? And if you think you might have, or if you’re not quite sure, how can you go about finding these outstanding accounts and claiming this unclaimed money?

Mark Bristow -

29 Jun, 2023 -

4 min read

Bank Accounts

Misplacing the odd $10-note here or there may not be unusual for most of us, but what about forgetting hundreds of thousands of dollars?

Laine Gordon -

13 Nov, 2011 -

3 min read

Superannuation

In the event that your employer collapses, a trustee, administrator or liquidator will be appointed to manage the company. That trustee/administrator/liquidator will be required to pay your superannuation out of company funds. However, there may be some circumstances where you cannot recover unpaid super.

Peter Terlato -

29 Nov, 2022 -

4 min read

Superannuation

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) reviewed fee disclosure practices in the superannuation industry last year, and the results weren't pretty.

Laine Gordon -

27 Feb, 2015 -

3 min read

Superannuation

The trustees of a super fund must ensure that they comply with the SIS Act of 1993. Members can also be helped by understanding how the Act protects their interests.

Vidhu Bajaj -

09 Jan, 2023 -

4 min read

Savings Accounts

Is your high-interest savings account looking a little empty? Supercharge your savings with these tips from successful savers.

Savings Accounts

Last calendar year, Australians spent $642 billion on general living expenses, according to ASIC's MoneySmart.

Laine Gordon -

18 Apr, 2013 -

3 min read

Savings Accounts

If you or your partner have champagne tastes on a beer budget there are many ways you can cut down costs on the big day and still have a dream wedding.

Alex Ritchie -

13 Dec, 2017 -

4 min read

Home Loans

Dodgy deals, misleading ads, and fake companies are just some of the landmines in the home loans market. To keep yourself safe from stress and scandals, here are some common symptoms of bad lending for the savvy borrower.

Laine Gordon -

07 Sep, 2011 -

3 min read

Home Loans

While you can borrow at least $10,000 through a reverse mortgage, consider using a reverse mortgage calculator to estimate how much more you could borrow.

Jodie Humphries -

15 Apr, 2021 -

4 min read

Home Loans

RateCity looks into the Australian Securities and Investment Commission's planned crackdown on early exit fees for mortgages and what this new proposal means for you.

Laine Gordon -

05 Jul, 2010 -

3 min read

Credit Score

If you’re applying for credit products you may be wondering how much your credit score comes into play. But did you know your credit score may impact the amount of money you’re approved for?

Alex Ritchie -

19 Jan, 2024 -

4 min read

Personal Loans

Are personal lenders dodgy?

Nick Bendel -

30 Aug, 2017 -

2 min read

Credit Cards

Have you completed a credit card comparison? It might be worth observing your minimum repayments, unless you want to throw your money down the drain.

Laine Gordon -

17 Aug, 2014 -

3 min read

Car Insurance

Don't get caught with the wrong car insurance

Laine Gordon -

29 Aug, 2011 -

3 min read