First Financial Blog

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There is never a good time – or age – to be out of work. But for those over 60, it can feel particularly painful. If you have lost a job or been made redundant, the hardest part is knowing what to do next.

We discuss whether implementing the new reduced minimum for your pension payment is a viable option for this financial year. Reducing your retirement income is an important decision that can impact your lifestyle, so we have outlined some of the points to consider.

Taxes… they are one of the two certainties of life. You can’t avoid them, but there are ways to reduce your liability… especially when it comes to capital gains tax. We look at strategies within your super to help minimise the amount of CGT you pay when you successfully sell your assets.

The end of the financial year is almost here… and that means it’s tax time! With 2020 being an extraordinary year, the ATO is already expecting that this tax season will be like nothing ever experienced before.

March 2020 was an extraordinary month on the stock markets. The uncertainty surrounding a global pandemic saw the All Ordinaries index at 7,230 at close on 21 February… 30 days later we closed at 4,560 – a 37% drop.

Sequencing risk can impact your retirement income… but our unique Investment Philosophy allows us to build portfolios that are robust enough to withstand the market volatility that triggers the effect.

Scammers love to prey on people who are emotionally drained… and the heightened anxiety felt across our society during the recent health crisis has unfortunately provided them with new opportunities.

Owning your home outright is often a key financial goal for many Australians. But should you be solely focused on paying your mortgage off early to save on interest costs? Or are there other ways to optimise the spare dollars you have?

Working from home has become the new normal during the coronavirus lockdown, and the First Financial team has truly embraced the digital conditions to make sure our clients continue to receive our high level of service.

Everyone’s wondering how the banks will fare as we inevitably head into a coronavirus driven recession. We have seen all 4 of the major banks’ share prices decline more heavily than the broader market.