First Financial Blog

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Giving generously to support others in our community is, without a doubt, one of the great privileges of being financially secure. When clients Ray and Jenny Pietsch told First Financial Principal Ben Rossi about The Cold Frog Challenge, a charity sleepout they were organising to raise funds and awareness for homelessness in their local area, he didn’t hesitate with his support. We spoke to Ray and asked him to tell us all about The Cold Frog Challenge.

Becoming a smart investor is about using your head, not going with your gut feeling. But how do you know if you’re making the best decisions for your financial future? It helps to take a look at the kind of thinking that often informs our decisions when it comes to investing – so you can ask yourself, ‘Am I making the smart choice?’

Welcome to the newest member of the First Financial family! Beautiful little Mia was born last month, weighing 2.9 kg (6 lbs 7oz) to proud parents Honi and Chris Crough. Chris, who is a principal at First Financial, tells us both Honi and Mia are doing really well and that so far everything has been much easier than they expected.

Borrowing to buy property through your super is a popular investment strategy for people in the wealth building stage of their lives that can receive special tax treatment. Watch First Financial Principal Ben Rossi, explain the benefits and risks of borrowing to buy property through super.

Borrowing to invest is an effective tool you can use to build wealth. You’ve probably heard it referred to as ‘gearing’ – either positive or negative. Gearing offers huge potential to build your wealth faster and is a great way to plan for the future. Watch First Financial adviser, Roel Burghouwt discuss this strategy.

The idea of living a stress free retirement in a community of supportive and friendly people is exactly what many of us desire. A retirement village provides this for seniors who are able to live independently but with the added reassurance of access to emergency health services and the security of an on-site manager nearby. Read more here.

The superannuation industry is in the hot seat right now as the Royal Commission into banking turns its attention to this $2.7 trillion sector. In this blog, we take a look at how to get the most out of your super.

We know we’re doing something right when ex-staff members knock on our door again. We recently welcomed two First Financial alumni, Adam Ezerins and Paul Seidl, back into the family after a few years testing the waters elsewhere.

Are you certain your family would be financially stable if you or a loved one weren’t able to earn an income? Income protection insurance gives you a steady source of cash in such an eventuality. It replaces the lost income so you can focus on getting better and not how you’re going to pay the bills. Read this blog to find out more.

The management team at First Financial is set to grow with the recent promotion of James Wrigley to Principal. James has been with First Financial for over 10 years. It’s the ability to keep learning and growing which really motivates James and that passion for the job doesn’t look like fading any time soon. Read more about our newest and youngest Principal here.