![2014 Super Updates… Did you Know??]()
by Jodie | Nov 12, 2014 | Finances, Superannuation
On 1 July 2014 the cap limits for superannuation contributions were increased, allowing you to contribute more into superannuation before penalties are applied.
Concessional contribution caps apply to employers’ compulsory super guarantee contributions, voluntary salary sacrifice contributions and to personal deductible super contributions. The non-concessional cap applies to after-tax contributions.
The increase in caps are designed to assist you to save for their retirement sooner rather than later. The new contribution caps for the 2014-15 financial year are:
Concessional Caps
| $30,000 or |
| $35,000 for people aged at least 50 by 30 June 2015. |
Non-Concessional Caps
| $180,000 per year |
| $540,000 per three consecutive years (under ‘bring forward’ rule) |
Taking advantage of the increase in caps now could benefit you down the track. Adding regular contributions earlier rather than later, combined with compounding returns, could boost your retirement income substantially!
Give us a call now to see if you can take advantage of any of these increases.
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by Jodie | Nov 3, 2014 | Advisers, Finances, Insurance & Protection, Money
Warning, warning, warning, open your calendar now and lock in your insurance reviews!!!
Things have changed in your life. Change is the one big constant in this world. Some change is radical and obvious like loosing a job, or getting a promotion or getting married or having a baby or buying a house or getting a divorce.
Other change can be very covert and kind of creep up on us. Things shift and we don’t really notice. Try fitting into last summers bathers, or check the slow wear on your car tyres or the goals you set last year to stay on track with your life.
Will Rogers wrote, “even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” That is, run over by change if you don’t stay vigilant. Any successful person in their field will confirm that to achieve your goals you need to review them daily so the creeping change that we don’t notice, does not bump you off course.
If something is important to us, we need to make sure we treat it like a priority so that the urgent things in our hectic lives, don’t steal the show. Be vigilant, diarise your priorities and review your goals daily. Protect everything you have worked so hard for and ensure that you have the right insurance to keep you on track.
Be one of the few that work smarter and not harder!
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by Jodie | Oct 31, 2014 | Finances, Insurance & Protection
For many, getting life insurance itself can be a scary thing, but it’s not about paying premiums. As cover can at times, be funded by super, this sometimes isn’t even an issue! The idea of preparing for not being here any more, isn’t very fun however.
Most understand that protecting their family, should the unexpected happen, is an incredibly important thing to do. For some, the potential of looming medical tests may be frightening.
But firstly, not everyone needs a medical! It mostly depends on how much insurance cover is applied for. All companies have a ‘non-medical limit’: that is, if the amount of insurance you’re applying for is under their limit, you won’t need a medical at all. If you want to be insured for a sum that is over that limit, you will be told you require a medical at application time.
A bit more on the test itself… A lot of people think it could be a brutal test, specifically designed to lose undesirables.
In reality, it’s similar to a standard check-up at your doctor’s office can be less stressful when done in your own home.
The medical is used to find underlying conditions that may shorten your life or adversely affect your health and will generally consist of:
- a blood test to check for health conditions (often called an MBA20)
- a urine test (affectionately alluded to as the Pee Pot test)
- blood pressure measurements, (lose the Lab Coat freak out!) and
- in some instances, an ECG to measure heart rate.
Your usual GP can often get a copy of your results if you request these.
One thing’s for sure, you don’t need to have the body of an athlete to get life cover. And more importantly, you won’t need to worry about being denied a claim because of your health at a later date if you get all the tests done when you apply. And beyond life cover protection, it’s nice to know how you’re doing in general – and at the cost of the insurer.
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by Jodie | Oct 29, 2014 | Advisers, Insurance & Protection, Money
The story of Noah is an old one, recently retold (and completely reinterpreted) by Russell Crowe… although I must say not retold very well! Many ancient cultures mention a Great Flood in their writings or legends. Why is it that this story has been so compelling and retold over millennia? It has to do with survival. Warnings of a great storm and the plans set in place to ride out that coming storm…
Noah had the advantage, so the story goes, of God warning him of a coming catastrophe and what he needed to do to so that he and his family could survive. The account tells us that Noah listened to the instructions, made adequate preparations and when the storm came, he and his family were able to survive.
How does this relate to our financial future you may ask? Well, we too could face huge financial storms in our lives; redundancies; life changing events; economies grow and shrink, events that often leave us exposed and vulnerable. What lessons can we take from old man Noah then?
For one thing… seek the right advice. Seek a qualified person who takes a personal interest in you. Listen to the advice and implement it. Don’t wait until the storm hits! Act immediately and make needed adjustments. Noah had never seen rain before, yet he acted on the advice given and built his Ark. He was able to keep his head above water, so to speak, while everyone else drowned around him.
His adviser also believed in diversification, two of every kind was to go onto the boat. This was good advice. Even today this is regarded as a good strategy.
So even if you have never experienced a financial storm in your own life, always be prepared for one, make sure you build your financial ark with the aid of the right advice. It could save your (financial) life!!
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by Jodie | Oct 7, 2014 | Advisers, Finances, Insurance & Protection
In our busy day-to-day activities, we sometimes overlook a very important aspect of our planning: that of protecting ourselves, and our loved ones financially if things don’t go according to the Grand Plan.
Sure we provide financially for them now, but what about the ‘what ifs’?
If you currently have insurance in place, whether its default cover inside your superannuation fund or out, tailored or not; when last did you have a good look through it? Have a few years passed since you last considered whether your insurance is still relevant or more importantly, adequate? Maybe you’ve had a few changes since you first implemented your strategy.
This brings us to the point of this article: Have you had a major life event occur? Here are just four to consider, known to Advisers as review triggers:
Marriage or Separation
What happens when I Do, becomes I Don’t. Either event is a huge change to your life and when a thorough review of your financial situation is most critical. You need to assess your new financial needs, levels of debt and the need to provide some kind of protection for both parties. When going your own way, do you need to reduce cover? Update your beneficiaries? Increase personal protection? Maintain what you have until the property settlement is complete? There’s a lot to consider!
New job and income changes
You may have, or need to consider acquiring an Income Protection policy. Your ability to earn an income is your most important asset. Yet most will protect their house or car before this! Without an income, our lifestyle and material possessions cannot be sustained. If things have changed, ask yourself, does your new income reflect the amount you are currently covered for, are you paying too much in premiums? Do you have an agreed value or an indemnity benefit type? Do you know what waiting period was selected? Or how long you’ll be paid out in the event of illness or accident? All these factors could have a major impact if not done correctly and you’re suddenly unable to work.
Have you been remembering to claim the premiums at tax time?
New home purchase
New homes normally come with increased debt. Life insurance can cover this in the event of your death. But what if you become disabled or suffer a serious illness… how will be payments be made? What’s your Plan B?
Birth of a child
With an extra mouth to feed, your family’s income needs will have changed, and your expenses too! You may want to consider saving for future education expenses, taking out child cover to provide options in the event of major illnesses, and increasing your life insurance if you’d like to provide a legacy for your family.
If you have had one or more of these triggers, don’t you think it time to take action and do your review? Contact your Wealth Planning Partners adviser now to set up a time convenient to you. We also offer in-home visits or SKYPE calls if the 9 to 5 doesn’t suit you.
