News

Spring is traditionally the peak season for property, and three rate cuts this year could further fuel buyer competition. Check out five steps that can give you a valuable head start this spring. The combination of warmer weather, blooming gardens and the chance for buyers to be settled in their new home by Christmas makes...

Three rate cuts since February have spurred home owners to take a closer look at their home loan. Turns out plenty have found a loan better suited to their needs elsewhere, with 100,000 home loans refinanced in the past quarter. It’s not every day we do a double-take looking at lending numbers. But it happened...

Buying a first home isn’t always easy, and first-timers sometimes miss out on a place they’ve set their heart on. But more than one-in-ten first-time buyers have missed out simply because they didn’t have home loan pre-approval. Buying a first home can be an emotional roller coaster. It’s not unusual to find a property you...

The ATO will be sending certain employers a reminder to lodge their activity statements. The reminder will include the amounts the ATO has on record for them, such as: PAYG withheld amounts reported through Single Touch Payroll; and any other pre-filled amounts, including GST instalments and PAYG instalments (instalment amount option). The ATO’s reminders are...

Legislation has recently been enacted which delivers on the 2025/26 Federal Budget announcement to reduce student debts. Pursuant to this legislation: there is a one-off 20% reduction to Higher Education Loan Program debts and other student loans that were incurred on or before 1 June 2025; the minimum repayment threshold is increased from $54,435 in...

The popular Home Guarantee Scheme that lets first home buyers get into the market with just a 5% deposit has been expanded sooner than expected. But an unexpected twist means first home buyers may want to bring forward their buying plans. The Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) allows first home buyers to buy with just a 5% deposit...

Borrowers around the country have been delivered a sunnier financial outlook this month after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) today trimmed the cash rate by another 25 basis points to 3.60%. How much could your monthly mortgage repayments decrease? After last month’s unexpected hold, the RBA this month went with market expectations and delivered...

Each new financial year, many of us take a closer look at our super funds’ performance, and you’re more likely to be targeted by salespeople, cold callers or social media ads offering “free super health checks” or to “find your lost super”. These offers can be the start of a high-pressure campaign to get you...

On 23 July, the Labor government introduced legislation aimed at enacting its election promise to reduce student debt by 20%. The Bill proposes to: provide a one-off 20% reduction to Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debts and certain other student loans that are incurred on or before 1 June 2025; increase the minimum repayment threshold from...

Your home can be much more than a roof over your head. It’s also an investment that may build personal wealth and serve as a form of disciplined saving. And a new analysis by Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) shows our homes can also play an unexpected role, such as helping our kids enjoy a decent education....