Earning a high income doesn’t guarantee financial security. In this article, we explore the risks of relying solely on a big paycheck and offer practical strategies to avoid lifestyle inflation, build long-term wealth, and future-proof your finances, no matter how much you earn.

Achieving a high income is a significant accomplishment. You’ve put in the hard yards, climbed the ladder, and now you’re pulling in the big bucks!

But don’t be mistaken; a high income does not automatically equate to financial security. Just because the money is rolling in today doesn’t mean you’re protected from tomorrow’s uncertainties.

Resting on your high-income earner laurels, assuming that a large salary guarantees long-term security without considering long-term financial planning, can be downright risky. So, before you get too comfortable, it’s time for a reality check.

This article uses a case study to show how a health scare led a couple to reassess their financial priorities with the help of their financial adviser. It highlights the importance of balancing living for today with planning for a secure future through strategic adjustments.

Marcus and Fleur, both in their 40s, led active, healthy lives with two teenage kids. Their financial plan was straightforward: work hard until their mid-50s, then retire at 60 and travel the world. They worked with a financial adviser, balancing their careers and family time.

That all changed one weekend. While heading to their kids' sports event, Marcus suddenly felt unwell—dizzy, pale, and struggling to catch his breath. A coach with first-aid training noticed something was wrong and called an ambulance.

Navigating the financial complexities of divorce, particularly later in life, is crucial as grey divorce rates rise. This article explores the impact on superannuation, asset division intricacies, and post-divorce financial strategies, emphasising the importance of seeking professional advice for rebuilding stability.

Adjusting to life after divorce, particularly later in life, is akin to navigating through some of life's most challenging events, psychologists say. It's a journey comparable to coping with loss, relocation, major illness or injury, or job loss.

While these upheavals are often beyond our control, how we choose to manage them greatly impacts our recovery.

Written from the perspective of a financial adviser, this article explores the concept of finding a balance between saving for retirement and living a fulfilling life in the present. It highlights the importance of aligning financial goals with personal values, embracing experiences, and cherishing memories while also ensuring long-term financial security.

Over my 27 year financial planning career, the most common question I’ve been asked is, “Jackie, how can I save more for my retirement?”

Many of my clients believed they’d outlive their super and worked flat-out saving as much as they could for their futures. Initially, I supported their commitment, but then I realised they were so focused on working extra hours or taking second jobs, that they’d forgotten to live for the now.

Which is why I was intrigued when I heard about a book with the tantalising title, Die With Zero by Bill Perkins.

In this article we explore the most common financial mindsets, identifying their unique attributes, to help the reader discover their financial mindset and unlock financial success.  

In the quest for financial stability and success, we often focus on tangible elements like earning more money, saving diligently, or investing wisely.

But have you ever stopped to consider the role your financial mindset plays in achieving your financial goals?

In this article, we explore the true definition of financial success, the key factors that contribute to it, and the one thing you cannot miss if you want to achieve it.

When discussing financial success, many people tend to use the terms "rich" and "wealthy" interchangeably.
While being rich is often associated with having a lot of money or material possessions, being wealthy is about having financial abundance that is sustainable over the long term.

The article discusses the debate around human financial advisers potentially being replaced by robo-advisors and highlights the importance of the client-adviser relationship.

Digital advice is a hot topic at the moment, bringing with it the debate around human financial advisers potentially being replaced by ‘robo-advisers’.

A client James, called into my office last week, explaining that his daughter was using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform, and he was considering doing the same.

Over my twenty-year career, I have cultivated my client relationships through a personal philosophy of integrity and trust, so while I was concerned, I appreciated James’ coming to me.

A discussion as to whether you should pay down a home loan or invest funds.

It's always a good idea to regularly check in on your financial position, whether there's been a significant change in your financial situation or not. And for those who find themselves with spare funds, it often raises the question, "Should I pay down my home loan or invest these funds elsewhere?".

For most, there is nothing like the comfort of reducing their mortgage. Knowing they are building ever more equity in their own home and moving just that little bit closer to owning their own home outright.

This article encourages young adults to utilise the magic of compounding to build their savings and “become a millionaire”. It discusses how little money sacrifices each month can build into great wealth when invested well and advises the reader to seek financial planning help now to start their wealth building journey.

Pssst! Want to be a millionaire? It may seem an impossible dream, but depending on your circumstances joining the ranks of the millionaires may be easier than you think.

There are three key components to a successful savings strategy. The first is some surplus cash; an amount of money you can regularly set aside in your quest to become a millionaire.

Second, an investment return. This can be in the form of share dividends, interest income, rent from properties or a mix.

With finances often stretched around the holiday season, this article is designed to engage your clients with a quick three-minute checklist to ascertain if their financial situation is on track heading into the new year. A 12 question checklist is included within the article.

While the standard of living is constantly improving in Australia, economic disruptions, stagnant wage growth and house prices are putting more and more people under financial stress.

A recent report by the social research group, the Melbourne Institute, ‘Taking the Pulse of the Nation’, found one in three Australians reported being under financial stress while one in five reported experiencing mental distress.

Building resilience is key to quickly recover from setbacks. While financial setbacks are inevitable, these five tips will help your readers grow and sustain wealth for the longer term.

Resilience is the ability to quickly recover from setbacks, and while setbacks can come in many forms most of them will have a financial component. So what can you do to build financial resilience?

Expect the unexpected

Rarely do we get advance warning that something bad is about to happen to us, so the time to develop your resilience strategy is now. And while we don’t know the specifics, we can anticipate events that would throw our finances into disarray. A house burning down or a car being stolen. Not being able to work due to illness or injury. The death of a breadwinner or caregiver.

With some idea of the type of threat we face we may be able to insure against some of them. If you have taken out any type of insurance policy you’ve already made a start on your resilience plan.

It’s often presumed that the only way to fund residential aged care is to sell your home. This article explains why this isn’t always the case and discusses alternative options available including Daily Accommodation Payments (DAP) and Refundable Accommodation Deposits (RAD). It concludes with a recommendation to readers to reach out to their financial specialist to explore their options.

Anyone who has helped an elderly relative make the move into aged care knows that it can be a traumatic experience. It involves a move from the familiar – a home that a loved one may have lived in for decades – to the unfamiliar, a care facility with many residents and staff. On top of that, there are substantial fees to be paid.

The biggest fee, the accommodation payment, usually exceeds $300,000 when paid as a lump sum. Not surprisingly, when that sort of cash is not available, many people believe the only way to pay this fee is to sell the family home. That prospect can add further stress to the situation.

This article highlights the importance of seeking financial advice, the cost-effectiveness, and the essential role of a financial adviser in your life. It also discusses how the recent education and compliance requirement changes have affected the financial advice profession.

It is commonly assumed that seeking financial advice is for the wealthy, and it only helps the rich become richer, yet financial advice can prove useful to anyone who wishes to better their financial future.

Financial advice is like getting a health check-up for your financial situation. Your financial adviser is like your personal trainer, assisting you in achieving your best possible financial health.

Seeking professional financial advice provides you with a clear path to achieve your financial goals, and that is an investment worth making.

With financial issues cited as one of the major reasons for marriage and relationship breakdowns, this article prompts readers to discuss their financial goals and values with their significant others, and provides tips to begin the often-confronting conversation. The article closes with a recommendation to seek assistance from your financial adviser.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in 2019 there were 113,815 marriages. Sadly in the same year there were 2,162 divorces, with financial issues cited as one of the major reasons for marriage breakdown.

For couples deciding to move in together, the idea of buying a home and building a future can be very exciting, and prompt a lot of discussion.

Conversations around shared finances and where one another stands on money – in particular, financial goals and obligations – don’t seem to generate the same enthusiasm.

In this article we explain why it is vital to see a financial adviser during a relationship separation or divorce. Written from the perspective of the financial adviser, the article details the important steps that need to be taken to gain financial independence and ensure a brighter financial future after separation.

Few client meetings have been as challenging. After years of being happily married, Sarah and her husband decided to separate, and the story of her acrimonious divorce was certainly distressing.

It started with a chance meeting, where in passing, Sarah mentioned the divorce. She assured me she’d had enough of advisers for a while and just wanted some time out. I insisted we meet as quickly as possible.

The first step was to sort out her will. Again, Sarah said she never wanted to speak to another solicitor again, but this quickly changed when I explained that if something happened to her today, all her assets would go to her ex-husband.

Each stage of life holds unique financial opportunities. This article takes you on a journey through five phases of life: From the magic of compounding for young adults; to saving strategies for single life; the importance of insurance for the family guy; how to supercharge your super before retirement; and finally, vital investing strategies for your golden years.

One of the keys to financial success is to adopt the right strategy at the right time. As you move through the stages of life here are some tried and tested ‘secrets’ that will help you build and protect your wealth.

This article discusses the power of passive income and its importance leading into and throughout retirement. A number of wealth creation strategies are explored and a call to action to speak with a financial adviser is included.

Imagine that, without any effort on your part, enough money regularly pours into your bank account to meet (or exceed) all your living expenses. Suddenly, work becomes optional and a world of opportunities opens up. That’s the ultimate in passive income – all your financial needs met without lifting a finger. 

The fast way to a life supported by passive income is to win the lottery or receive a large inheritance. Invested wisely, large lump sums can generate rental income, interest, share dividends and capital growth, all of which can replace an earned income but without the hard work.

Financial freedom is something that enters everyone’s mind at one point or another, but what is financial freedom? This article prompts readers to consider their own views on financial freedom and then explains how seeking the advice of a financial adviser can help turn those goals into reality.

What does financial freedom mean to you? The ability to travel the world and build a dream home? Or to be able to enjoy a simple but active retirement, and support some good causes?
We all have different desires and goals in life, but most of us share the dream that one day we would like to achieve our particular version of ‘financial freedom’. The challenge is that most of us don’t really know what it takes to turn our goals, be they vague wishes or burning desires, into reality.

This article details the benefits of seeing a financial adviser sooner rather than later. Including utilising interest, debt reduction and protection strategies.

Ask most 30 year olds who their financial planner is and the typical response might be ‘huh?’ After all, financial advisers are for older people with plenty of money to invest, aren’t they?

Well, yes, people nearing or in retirement will benefit from sound advice. But so will younger people. With the benefit of having time on their side, and with some help from an adviser, a 30-something can easily establish a wealth creation plan that can deliver a big payoff in the future.

This article covers the most common mistakes people make in their 30s. It covers managing debt, establishing saving patterns and appropriate insurance.

Climbing the career ladder, perhaps buying a home and starting a family – the 30s are an exciting stage of life. However, the decisions made now can make a big difference to future financial wellbeing, and with so much going on it is understandable, even inevitable, that the best decisions won’t always be made. So what are the common financial mistakes that 30-somethings should be alert to?

Many people think that financial advice is only for the rich and famous. This article explains why this is not the case and focuses on the importance of having a strategy regardless of age, gender or circumstances.

Financial planning. That’s for people with lots of money to invest, isn’t it?

Not necessarily.

Sure, investment planning is an important part of financial planning, but underpinning the whole process of creating wealth in the first place is having a good financial strategy.

For many people that strategy is taking each day as it comes and letting the future look after itself; but in a complex and ever-changing world, isn’t a more active approach a good idea?

Each of us has specific needs and desires, of course, but there are a number of common challenges that we need to think about when developing our financial strategies.

This article highlights five of the most common financial mistakes people make when they’re aged in their 40s. It covers super, insurance, estate planning plus others. It recommends professional advice to help avoid them.

The 40s are, for many people, a critical decade for building wealth. Income is usually on the rise, but so are expenses such as mortgages and school fees. Juggling priorities can be a real challenge, and mistakes made in this stage of life can have a large bearing on the size of your future fortune.

Forewarned is forearmed, so if you’re entering or already amidst this decade of life, here are a few classic mistakes you don’t want to make.

This article refers to the results of the FPA’s “Living the Dream” report to explain what it takes to achieve this lifestyle and why seeking financial advice is a good start.

We all, to a greater or lesser extent, have an idea of our dream lifestyle. So how, as a nation, are we faring? We all, to a greater or lesser extent, have an idea of our dream lifestyle.

So how, as a nation, are we faring? To find out, the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) commissioned a survey of more than 2,600 people from around the country. The resulting Live the Dream report provides an insight into the extent to which we are collectively living our dream life and, more importantly, reveals key habits and characteristics of those who are already doing so.

What’s the dream?

This article focuses the reader on the relationship between money and happiness, instead of talking about the usual role financial planning takes, then connects the two. Although the concept applies to all ages, this article is probably more applicable to younger generations who might think financial planning is focused just on retirement.

The short answer is ‘yes’, but only up to a point. People in richer countries are, collectively, happier than people in poor countries. Within countries, people with higher incomes are generally happier than people on low incomes. Surprisingly, once basic living needs are met, the amount of happiness gained from each additional dollar of income rapidly declines.

What is ‘happiness’?

What is it about money that contributes to happiness? And what does happiness even mean? Perhaps what people are really expressing is contentment or satisfaction with their lives.

Rather than putting us into a perpetual state of bliss, money is more likely to contribute to a sense of security, better health, less stress and, perhaps above all, choice.

Although memory-related illnesses are becoming more common and are a major factor in financial management, this article is also applicable for your readers who might just be too busy living life to remember to do everything they should. It has a handy checklist to make sure all the important things are addressed.

Imagine you were no longer able to look after your financial affairs, or, less dramatically, simply found it an increasing burden to manage your money. How easy would it be for a trusted family member to step in and help you?

There are many reasons why you might find it more difficult to manage your finances as you get older. On top of complex investment structures and a busy lifestyle you might find a normal, age-related decline in your memory creeping up on you. Or it may be a major illness or the onset of dementia that leaves you unable to take proper care of your financial affairs.

To make life easier, both for you and your family, it’s crucial that you plan ahead.

This article asks your readers of all ages what their dreams are and how seeking professional financial advice can help to achieve them. It is designed to explain the role of an adviser in a more inspirational way.

Here’s a recipe for a basic financial plan:

Take one or more income sources and pour into a big pot. Add appropriate amounts of life, income protection and permanent disability insurance. Simmer for a few decades while slowly adding superannuation contributions and a dollop of non-super savings. Stir in some constructive debt, but take care to keep a lid on it. Dip into the pot occasionally to taste. Simmer steadily, and consume regularly after retirement.

Hmmm. Pretty bland, isn’t it? More like medicine than minestrone.

What’s missing, of course, is the most important ingredient of all – a generous sprinkling of dreams.

This article focuses on the topic many people grapple with in life – what to do to achieve a balance in work and lifestyle without a major impact on finances. It covers various options and recommends financial advice before making a big move.

Work-life balance. It’s something everyone seeks, but achieving it can seem an impossible task. Not only does the ideal balance vary from person to person, it can change frequently throughout life. If your wheel of life has developed a wobble, it might be time to do some repairs to regain stability for the journey ahead.

What’s the problem?

A slightly longer article that explains the role of a good financial planner. It's a good reminder to your readers of exactly what you do/can do for them.

Some people may think that a financial adviser’s role is to forecast the direction of the share market from month to month and invest clients’ money accordingly. This is not the reality, of course. Investments are only one small part of what your financial adviser can provide for you. Some of the key areas that we may be able to assist you with are as follows.

This is a short article covering a list of services that financial advisers provide and the associated benefits of professional financial advice.

Financial planners are often the first port of call for people seeking advice on investing a lump sum of money. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. A professional financial adviser has the knowledge and skills to help you achieve your goals and objectives by tailoring strategies to address your specific needs.

This article encourages your clients to review their financial goals. The original focus is on New Year but it can easily be adjusted to suit end of financial year or end of calendar year.

Many people use the Christmas/New Year period to reflect on the year that has just passed, often in a blur, and begin thinking about the future and how to achieve their hopes and dreams. Similarly, the new financial year is a good opportunity to reconsider financial strategies and goals. Below is a simple guide to tidy up your finances for the year ahead.