First Financial Blog

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For most of us, discussing our own inevitable demise is not the most comfortable conversation. But making time to plan your estate and keep it updated can provide both you and your loved ones with precious peace of mind. To make that conversation a little easier, we’ve outlined the important things to consider when estate planning.

It gives us great pleasure to announce the recent promotion of two of our First Financial team members. Adela Ngai takes a step up to financial adviser and Harley Leslie makes the move to associate adviser. We chatted with Adela and Harley about their new roles and how First Financial’s unique in-house training program has advanced their careers.

It’s no secret that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for young Australians to buy their first home. So, it should come as no surprise that many parents are looking for ways to help their adult children take that first step onto the property ladder. If you are considering helping your children buy property there are several factors – both financial and emotional – that you should consider.

Shares that pay dividends are a popular option with Australian investors as they often provide a reliable source of return. This can provide a welcome cash injection or be used to reinvest for further growth. Choosing to invest in companies that pay dividends can be an excellent way to build wealth as part of a long-term investment strategy.

Retirement is a brand new chapter in your life. For many of us, it’s the opportunity to do all the things we didn’t have time for when we were busy building a career and raising a family. Having the means to retire life ready is not just about having enough money in the bank – you need to start with a plan. This will put you in control when it comes to making decisions about when, where and how you retire.

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.