First Financial Blog

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The ongoing findings of the Banking Commission have cast a cloud over the respectability of our industry. We accept that’s understandable in light of what is being exposed. We, too, want answers for those retirees and investors who have been misled and, in some cases, financially ruined. But there are still many firms, like us, who love what we do and are proud of how we operate.

A transition to retirement income stream helps ease you into retirement with more time to do the things you love while still earning an income. It’s critical that a TTR pension is part of your overall retirement strategy. Find out how TTR income streams work and whether this is the right choice for you.

Many people consider self-managed superannuation funds (SMSF) as the do-it-yourself option but don’t be fooled into thinking managing your own super is easy. SMSFs are complicated and they operate in a highly regulated environment. Read this blog to discover how to enjoy the benefits of an SMSF even when you’re not a legal and financial expert.

In mid-March Labor announced a controversial tax policy which would axe tax-credit refunds for retirees in a sweeping crackdown aimed at saving $59 billion over the next decade. In this blog we look at the proposed policy and its potential impact for retirees.

Choosing what to do with your accumulated superannuation is a core part of retirement planning. Getting reliable and trustworthy advice is vital. In this blog we take a look at an investment vehicle which is geared towards giving retirees a flexible, tax-free income stream.

It’s a simple question. But with a market choice of over 5,000 managed investments and around 2,200 stocks, the answer is most definitely not. Which is why working with a financial adviser is the best decision you can make.

Have you received an automated voicemail message claiming to be from Centrelink which asks you to call a Canberra number? If so, do not call the number as this is a scam. We tell you what you need to know about this latest scam and how to avoid it.

If you want to provide an income in retirement that grows each year, lasts your lifetime and then leaves a little something to the kids, you need to be thinking 20 times what you spend in a year.

We’ve been closely watching the US market. And we believe now is the time to reduce our investment exposure. It’s time to switch out of US shares and into more attractively priced markets like Australia and Japan.

We have had a number of clients receive phone calls from people purporting to be from the ATO and Centrelink. They have been asking for personal details such as date of birth, Tax File Numbers, Bank account numbers, etc., in order to either steal their money or steal their identity.