It has finally happened. Recommended by the Cooper Super System review in 2010, put forward in the Federal Budget four years ago by then Treasurer Scott Morrison and finally passed on 17 June 2021, the maximum amount of members allowed in a Self Managed Super Fund (SMSF) has expanded from four to six.

Investment markets were relatively calm in April, following a period of heightened volatility in March when banking failures in the US and Europe had shaken confidence.

The second Budget of the Albanese Government aims to hold the line on fiscal discipline while acknowledging the pain that many Australian households now face with the mounting cost of living pressures.

Downsizing the family home is often part of the longer-term financial plans for many older Australians. But did you know that you could consider investing the proceeds of the sale of your family home to your super

Pleasingly, global share markets fared well in October and recovered most of their lost ground from September. Locally, the S&P/ASX 200 Index re- turned 6.0%.

The sharp reversal in sentiment was typical of this year; market volatility has picked up meaningfully over the past few months, resulting in substantial swings in equity prices.

The impacts of interest rate hikes on consumers are well known; higher interest means that mortgage debt servicing costs will go up which is negative for consumer spending.

From time to time, market movements may cause your super balance to fall. While this can be alarming, you'll find that it usually recovers in due course. However, if you feel like you need to make some adjustments to your super, here are three things to think about first.

As you age and your health starts to deteriorate, having a financial safety net and protecting your nearest and dearest may become even more important.

Institutional investors, such as superannuation funds and endowments have been investing in alternatives for many years and it is a rapidly growing asset class in the global investing landscape. Individual investors are now looking to alternative asset classes to help diversify their portfolios and improve the probability of meeting their long-term objectives.

Against a backdrop of uncontrollable global turmoil – from a pandemic to natural disasters, war, an energy crisis and inflationary pressure - it’s clear the Federal Government has put the focus on everyday Australians in this budget. Treasurer Jim Chalmers outlined his five-point plan to ease the cost of living – cheaper childcare, paid parental leave, cheaper medicine, housing affordability and wage growth.

Retirement can start to feel closer when you’re in your 40s. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time to make decisions that could have a positive impact on your future financial wellbeing. Find out how.

Super is a longer-term investment designed to fund your retirement. While it’s a popular option for many, there are also a number of investment options outside of super to consider. Here’s what you need to know.

If you have people in life you love and want to protect, an estate plan makes good sense. Find out what’s involved.

If you’ve recently split from your partner or are wondering who'll get the home or the car if you do, in this article we address some of the key issues and concerns.

The likelihood of rising borrowing costs also appeared to spook equity markets, which performed poorly over the month. Central banks are essentially being forced to tighten policy settings to combat rampant inflation, but risk an economic slowdown or recession if borrowing costs are raised too substantially. Corporate earnings growth could slow in this environment.

From 1 July 2022, there will be some changes made to super to make it easier for people to grow their retirement savings. These changes will create opportunities for both older and younger Australians, as well as low-income earners, by removing some of the barriers that currently exist in the super system.