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The Rising Cost of Retirement: Why Planning Matters More Than Ever

Retirement is meant to be a time of freedom, relaxation, and enjoyment after years of hard work. But for many Australians, the cost of maintaining even a modest lifestyle in ...
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Centrelink Deeming Rates Are Changing: What It Means for Your Pension

From 20 September 2025, the Australian Government will increase the deeming rates used to calculate income from financial assets for Centrelink and DVA income support payments. ...
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Downsizing Danger: How Unlocking Home Equity Could Cost You Your Age Pension

For many older Australians, the family home is their most valuable asset. As retirement progresses and the kids move out, downsizing to a smaller, more manageable property can ...
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Boost Your Future: The Benefits of Extra Super Contributions

Superannuation, or 'super', is a way of saving for retirement in Australia. While your employer is required to make contributions to your super, adding a bit more yourself can ...
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When is the best time to retire?

Retirement – a phase many of us daydream about.
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Should It Be This Difficult?

Over recent weeks, I have been attempting to help some family members apply for the age pension. One family member is 91, and the other will turn 90 shortly.
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What is...the work bonus?

The Australian age pension is not a universal pension scheme. By that, I mean it is not freely available to everybody.
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Having your cake, and eating it too

For many, retirement is that time in life when thoughts turn to enjoying life without the drag of having to go to work to keep food on the table. As my dear colleague, Mark Teale ...
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Show me the money!

Regular readers of this blog will recall we have spoken about the ASFA[1] Retirement Standard in the past.
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What is a Granny Flat?

When we think of a granny flat the first image that comes to mind is a small self-contained structure that is an extension of a person’s home. It is large enough for one or two ...
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