Buying your first home

Aside from looking after yourself, knowing where you stand financially and ensuring your finances are sorted out for the next two months plays an important role in clearing your head so that you can make better decisions moving forward.

Things to look at might include the following:

In this podcast Mark answers some queries around Super and Deeming Rule changes to hit before January 2015 – the basics; Investing in terms deposits – are they riskier than investing in Shares?; and the difference between risk and volatility. Call 13 13 32 to with any financial questions you would like answered and listen in at 954AM.

In this podcast Stuart and Mark talk about the Medibank float. Listen online or live every Tuesday to radio 2UE in Sydney on 954AM or call 2UE on 13 13 32 with your questions.

In this podcast Stuart and Mark talk about the Medibank float, accessing your super due to hardship and making sure your employers contributes your super.

Listen online or live every Tuesday to radio 2UE in Sydney on 954AM or call 2UE on 13 13 32 with your questions.

In this podcast Stuart and Mark talk about property and shares and give a few tips around the two different asset classes.

Listen online or live every Tuesday to radio 2UE in Sydney on 954AM or call 2UE on 13 13 32 with your questions.

In this podcast Stuart and Stewart talk about the Medibank float and market volatility.

Listen online or live every Tuesday to radio 2UE in Sydney on 954AM or call 2UE on 13 13 32 with your questions.

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In this podcast Mark talks to a listener about his investment in a property through a SMSF.

Listen online or live every Tuesday to radio 2UE in Sydney on 954AM or call 2UE on 13 13 32 with your questions.

As they say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, the differences between the sexes are evident in every walk of life, including when it comes to finances. Women, at times, tend to place less importance on planning for their future than men. However, it is becoming increasingly important for women to have a plan in place, no matter how strong their current financial standing is.

You might be asking the reasons for this. Some of the most compelling reasons include the time women traditionally have taken out of the workforce to raise children, losing a partner, a child’s illness, separation from a partner on whom the woman was financially dependent.. Given the increasing divorce rate; women find themselves facing more responsibilities than ever before. 48.4% of all divorces granted in Australia involve children.

Usually, all of us are our own financial advisors. We plan our funds so that we can make the most out of them. However, what we tend to do is that we focus on our present needs because they are usually more pressing and seem to be urgent in nature. This works fine until we retire.

Retirement, along with its many challenges, brings a sudden pressure on our finances. Accumulated superannuation balances currently fall well short of the required funds.

The purpose of stating the above facts is not to make you anxious. It is to motivate you to start planning. Many women do not have the energy or time to invest in planning for their financial future as they are too occupied with their current activities. See your financial planner to work together on securing your financial future.

[1] ABS 6224.0.55.001 – Labour Force, Australia: Labour Force Status and Other Characteristics of Families, Jun 2012

[2] Australian Institute of Family Studies

[3] ABS 4125.0 – Gender Indicators, Australia, Feb 2014

There are around 6 million Australians who regularly do volunteer work for not-for-profit organisations every year. While this may sound amazing, it is also good to know that a substantial number of Australians are willing to help out others with their valuable expertise and time. The pleasure of giving and making a difference is indeed very rewarding, and it can be a powerful motivation for volunteering.

Volunteer organisations like the Volunteering Australia (www.volunteeringaustralia.org) play critical roles in systematically organising volunteering activities in the country. Through not-for-profit organisations like these, you can find volunteering opportunities that allow you to leverage your skills to contribute and help people in your community, or wherever it is needed.

You can go door-to-door in order to raise funds, go to a nursing home to pay a visit to elderly people, or volunteer as a personal assistant to an executive of a charity – the possibilities of contributing as a volunteer is immeasurable. Besides volunteering for a not-for-profit organisation to support a cause that you deeply believe in, volunteering can also help you gain new experience in an area where help is needed; and make new friends.

You could try volunteering in more than one activity and stick to the one that gives you the most contentment. This will also help you meet people who believe in the same causes.

Volunteering your skills abroad can bring a new meaning to donating your time as there are hundreds of overseas volunteering organisations who would be happy to welcome you aboard as a volunteer. For example, volunteers who are qualified to teach English are highly sought after. In fact, many international volunteering organisations provide food and accommodation for volunteers who are willing to help out in remote communities. There are some volunteer opportunities that enable you to do so virtually through your computer using the internet.

Before deciding to get involved in volunteering, take a moment to consider what expertise you have, what seems interesting to you, and how much free time you have to contribute. It may be possible to volunteer in a way that becomes a family activity.

You can easily find volunteering opportunities in your local community by visiting GoVolunteer (www.govolunteer.com.au). If you are passionate about volunteering, it can indeed open up a whole new world of possibilities.