The Reserve Bank has lowered the cash rate by 0.25% to 3.85%. Banks are passing this on in full. What Should You Do? When rates rise, the banks increase your repayments – this has caused many people financial stress. When rates fall, however, banks typically leave...

The Reserve Bank firmly backed itself into a corner of its own making yesterday, facing external pressure to cut rates. One commentator noted (and I agree) that yesterday’s decision effectively undid the completely unnecessary rate hike of November 2023, which raised...

2025 is a year that contains some absolute certainties, making it one of the easiest in recent times for planning. That said, even though most people crave certainty—even when it stares them in the face and yells loudly in their ear—many still seek that ever-elusive...

So .. You’d like to apply for a loan! Here are the steps to get started – and best of all – I am here as your personal guide to get you though. Once you get through the early stages real Alan will take over. First – you need to create a log in to get through to the...

What is the biggest home loan risk facing most Australians today? We can all accept that we will likely retire later than we once thought. Although maintaining purpose and income for longer is not all bad. Especially if you have taken the time now to invest in your...

It’s Spring – The family has grown, you want to be closer to schools… Or … the kids have left, it’s time to downsize … It’s time to shift house. Spending your weekends going to open homes and after a while – it becomes so confusing… My brother recently asked for...

I have asked you (my clients) many times if you want to know my opinion on why interest rates and house price are as they are. The clear answer is... NO ! What we do want from you – is what should we do… Let me go back a bit first. Every decade has had a defining...

The Council of Social Services (ACOSS) always makes a submission to the budget. This year it notes that the top 10% of Australians have over $5.2 million in net wealth and that the gap between the top 10% and those below is somehow inherently wrong. It also notes that...

A report from a government committee has suggested that Australian Banks be forced to issue “Tracker Mortgages” (Aust Financial Review 27 March 2024). Australian banks have unsurprisingly pushed back. A “tracker mortgage” supposedly “tracks” the Reserve Bank cash rate...

I once wrote an article titled “A funny thing happened on the way to the cemetery”. When the pension was conceived, average life expectancy was 62. Retirement age was 65. The pension was predicated on the assumption that most would never receive it. Someone born in...