Home Insurance

Many apartments are already covered by strata insurance, so you may not need to apply for a traditional home insurance policy to cover damage to the property. However, strata insurance may not always offer the cover you need. If you’re one of the 10% of Australians who live in apartments, it could be worth comparing contents insurance policies and other options.

Mark Bristow -

26 Apr, 2024 -

4 min read

Home Insurance

Renting out a room in your home can be beneficial in a number of ways - it can help you earn extra income to put towards household bills or mortgage payments, and it can even be a way to make use of a space that’s sitting dormant. That said, if you are considering becoming a landlord, even on a small scale, then it’s important to understand the legal requirements and the workings of the rental market, as well as how renting out a room could potentially affect your home and contents insurance. 

Mark Bristow -

09 Feb, 2024 -

5 min read

Home Insurance

Whether you're moving out of your parents' home, leaving student accommodation, or moving in with a group of friends, it’s important to be prepared, and understand the ins and outs of the rental process.

Mark Bristow -

12 Feb, 2024 -

5 min read

Credit Score

Being mindful of your financial habits can make a big difference to how easy or hard it is to keep your credit score at the top end of the band. Here are four of the top ways to maintain or grow a good credit score:

Mark Bristow -

15 Feb, 2024 -

4 min read

Credit Score

Is there such a thing as 'good debt' and what could it mean for your financial future?

Mark Bristow -

16 Feb, 2024 -

4 min read

Credit Score

Making multiple home loan applications can have adverse effects on your credit history, credit score and your likelihood for approval from any one of the lenders.

Alex Ritchie -

03 Jul, 2023 -

4 min read

Home Loans

If you own an investment property and are thinking of buying another one, you may want to use the rental income you receive from your tenants to help pay for your next mortgage. However, not all mortgage lenders will take all of your rental income into account when assessing your mortgage application.

Mark Bristow -

02 Nov, 2023 -

3 min read

Home Loans

Whether you are considering selling your property, or trying to maximise your return on investment through lifting your rental income, increasing the value of your home is a worthwhile endeavour. 

Alex Ritchie -

24 Oct, 2023 -

3 min read

Home Loans

From two incomes to one

Laine Gordon -

18 Dec, 2012 -

3 min read

Superannuation

You could receive a small percentage of your super through an income stream, but only if you reach your age of preservation at 55.

Vidhu Bajaj -

02 May, 2023 -

3 min read

Superannuation

If you earn less than the threshold income but make personal super contributions, you may qualify for a government super co-contribution for low-income earners.

Jodie Humphries -

18 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read

Superannuation

After you retire, a super income stream allows you to receive regular payments with some tax benefits. Learn more about a superannuation income stream and its benefits.

Jodie Humphries -

02 Mar, 2023 -

4 min read

Savings Accounts

Savings can provide a safety net for individuals and households during periods of financial difficulty or stress. But how much does the average Australian actually have stashed away in their savings account?

Peter Terlato -

15 Nov, 2023 -

3 min read

Savings Accounts

You need to add the interest earned from your savings account to the income you declare on your tax return and pay tax on the total.

Jodie Humphries -

16 Feb, 2021 -

4 min read

Credit Cards

Gaining credit card approval can often be an uncertain process. The good news is that there are steps you can take to increase your chances of approval for a credit card.

Alex Ritchie -

26 Oct, 2023 -

5 min read

Credit Cards

In the past year, major cardholders planned to carry forward $19 billion worth of debt according to research conducted by Roy Morgan.

Credit Cards

It may be worthwhile paying off your credit card debt before buying a house, as this may make your mortgage application look better to a lender, and potentially improve your credit score.

Alex Ritchie -

12 Jul, 2023 -

5 min read

Investment Funds

Passive income can be loosely defined as investment returns that require little to no effort to attain. Imagine if you could retire sooner, repay your credit card debts, grow your savings and/or bolster your investment portfolio to generate further sources of passive income.

Peter Terlato -

30 Jan, 2023 -

6 min read

Personal Loans

The simple fact is that no, in Australia you generally cannot apply for a personal loan on behalf of someone else. However, there are alternative options you could consider. 

Alex Ritchie -

14 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Car Loans

A car loan may positively or negatively affect your mortgage application. Successfully managing your car loan repayments could help improve your credit score, which may make a better impression on mortgage lenders. But if your car loan would push your debt-to-income ratio too high, a lender may be less likely to approve your mortgage application.

Mark Bristow -

07 Nov, 2023 -

7 min read

Car Loans

If you’re looking for a more competitive interest rate, or your circumstances have simply changed, it might be worth considering refinancing.

Peter Terlato -

10 Nov, 2023 -

7 min read

Car Loans

A salary sacrifice car loan is simply another term for a novated lease, in which you purchase a vehicle using your pre-tax salary. Car salary sacrifice loans are essentially three-way contracts.

Alex Ritchie -

20 Nov, 2023 -

5 min read

bnpl

Beforepay is an app that allows salaried employees to borrow money and repay it from their next four pay cycles. Some may consider it to be a salary advance but it’s ultimately a loan that you’ll need to repay.

Vidhu Bajaj -

05 Jul, 2023 -

8 min read

Term Deposits

The tax you pay on a profit generated by a term deposit is not classified as capital gains tax. Interest earned on a term deposit is considered income though and would need to be included in your annual income tax return.

Alex Ritchie -

09 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read

Income Protection Insurance

Income protection insurance could help you meet your household expenses if you cannot work for an extended period due to an illness or injury.

Vidhu Bajaj -

23 Feb, 2023 -

4 min read