Author Archives: Stuart Jones

Econosights – How much do inflation expectations matter?

Key points – The theory is that inflation expectations influence future actual realised inflation. – Central banks pay close attention to inflation expectations, especially in the recent period of high inflation, out of concern that inflation expectations will become “unanchored” and lead to prolonged high inflation. – But, recent RBA research showed that consumers have […]

3 ways your retirement income can shrink and what you can do about it

One of the main roles a financial adviser plays is to give you licence to enjoy the thrill of retirement. A key part of that work is eliminating income shrinkers, sub-optimal choices that can cramp your retirement lifestyle. Here are three common income shrinkers and how you can avoid them with the help of your […]

Combat cost-of-living hikes and keep saving

Cost of living pressures coupled with rate rises have made it more difficult to save for a home deposit and afford the lifestyle you’ve either become accustomed to or are dreaming of. Budget Direct’s Cost of Living Survey & Statistics 2023 found that despite the living cost index for employee households recording its largest quarterly […]

Tax changes – what it will mean to me

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced proposed changes to address ongoing cost of living pressures with all 13.6 million Australian taxpayers receiving a tax cut from 1 July 2024, compared to the tax they paid in 2023-24.i Now is the time to assess what it means to your hip pocket and what implications it may […]

Investing mistakes to avoid

Investing successfully and improving your investment portfolio can be as much about minimising mistakes as trying to pick the ‘next big thing’. It’s all about taking a calm and considered approach and not blindly following trends or hot tips. Let's delve into some of the most prevalent investment mistakes and look at the principles that […]

Life insurance: the basics and things to consider

Give me the main points The most important reason to consider taking out life insurance is to protect your family if you die or become unable to work. There’s a good case for anyone with dependants or people who plan to have dependants to take out life insurance. Life insurance policies can be bought through […]