How Does Maternity Leave Work in Australia? Eligibility, Payments, and Centrelink

Maternity leave is a crucial consideration for Australian women planning to start or extend their families. Knowing the A to Z of how maternity leave works, from eligibility to payments and how to access government assistance through Centrelink, is necessary for effective financial planning. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of what you need to know about maternity leave in Australia. Understanding Maternity Leave in Australia In Australia, maternity leave is formally recognised as Parental Read more…

Choosing a Super Fund – Part 6: How to Compare Superannuation Funds

Why compare superannuation funds? It is important to find a fund that best suits your individual needs and circumstances. Different funds have different fees and charges which can impact your retirement savings. Comparing super funds can help you to find the best performing fund for your needs. How do you compare super funds? There are a number of ways to compare superannuation funds in Australia. The easiest way is to use one of the many Read more…

How Much Super Will I Need – Part 5: Gift Giving and Holidays After Retirement

Giving gifts and travelling are two of the many joys that come with retirement. For some, retirement is a time to finally relax and enjoy a well-deserved break from the grind of work. For others, it’s an opportunity to pursue new hobbies and interests. No matter how you choose to spend your retirement, there’s no reason why you can’t include giving gifts and holidays as part of your post-retirement plans. There are lots of benefits Read more…

Choosing a Super Fund – Part 5: Insurance Benefits Inside Super Funds

Your super fund is there to help you save for retirement. But did you know that most super funds also offer insurance? Insurance can give you and your family peace of mind, knowing that you’re covered financially if something happens to you. There are a number of different types of insurance that can be included in a super fund, such as death cover, total and permanent disability cover, income protection cover. The level of cover Read more…

Building Your Super – Part 4: Claiming Lost Super

Did you know there is literally billions of dollars currently sitting in uncontactable or inactive super accounts? You may have one of them! Lost super can occur because benefits are not transferred when people change jobs. Your super isn’t automatically transferred to your new fund – you have to do it yourself. Have you changed your name, address or lived overseas? These may also be reasons you may have unknowingly lost track of a super Read more…

How Much Super Will I Need – Part 4: Saving on Household Expenses After Retirement

If you’re like most people, you’re probably looking for ways to save money on household expenses after retirement. Here are a few changes you can make to your home and household expenses post retirement that can help you stay within your budget. One way to save money on household expenses is to downsize your home. If you’re no longer working, you may not need as much space as you did when you were raising a Read more…

Choosing a Super Fund – Part 4: Low Fee Versus High Fee Funds

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think too much about your super fund. But did you know that the fees you’re paying can have a big impact on your retirement savings? Let’s say, for example, that you have $100,000 in your super fund. If your fund charges fees of 2% per year, then you’ll pay $2,000 in fees each year. But if you choose a low fee fund that charges 0.5% per year, Read more…

Building Your Super – Part 3: Consolidating your Super

If you currently hold more than one super fund, there can be significant benefits to consolidating those multiple accounts into a single account. One of the main benefits of consolidating your super funds is that you can save on fees. When you have multiple super funds, you may be paying multiple sets of fees. By consolidating your super into one fund, you can reduce the fees you pay. Another benefit of consolidating your super funds Read more…

How Much Super Will I Need – Part 3: Changes in Expenses After Retirement

As we approach retirement, many of us are looking forward to a time when we can finally relax and enjoy life. However, it’s important to be aware that our expenses may change after retirement. For some of us, our expenses will actually go down after retirement. This is because we no longer have to worry about things like paying for childcare or commuting to work. Additionally, we may have paid off our mortgage by this Read more…

Choosing a Super Fund – Part 3: Super Fund Performance

Fund performance is typically measured by looking at the fund’s total return, which is the fund’s percentage gain or loss over a certain period of time, typically one year. When it comes to choosing a super fund, performance is definitely an important consideration. Super funds are required to disclose their investment performance annually. This information can be found on the fund’s website and product disclosure statement (PDS). When comparing performance of different funds, be aware Read more…