Summerhill Financial Services, based in Australia, provides of financial planning services to help build, manage and protect your wealth.
Taken at the Pink Palace at Monaco in September 2004
Whether you are thinking about aged care for yourself, or for a parent or parents who may need aged care in the shorter term, the recent Government “Living Longer Living Better” plan will be relevant to you.
The plan was released on 20 April 2012 and was included in last week’s Budget and will potentially have significant implications for those considering moving into Aged Care in the next couple of years. (more…)
I was part of a Study Tour of China in late March, consisting of 15 investment professionals from Australia, the US, the UK and Lebanon to obtain a deeper understanding of China as an investment market. The article was written by a journalist who joined us on the tour which you may find of interest, and can be accessed here.
I am on a Study Tour in China this week, with the aim of increasing my understanding how China and its development is impacting investment markets in both Australia and around the world. We have a financial services journalist on tour with us, and although the article is targeted to advisers, you may be interested in an article written on some of his thoughts of the tour so far….Read the article here.
Legislation has been passed to reduce the private health insurance offset for higher income earners. This change will take effect from 1 July 2012 and may lead to some people reviewing their private health insurance. But as well as the offset reductions, the Medicare Levy surcharge has increased and so the impact of not holding hospital cover should be carefully considered. Read more to see how this may impact you. (more…)
De-facto couples who settled property disputes in the last three years or who entered into binding financial agreements may need to review their legal positions due to an oversight by legislators.
The Family Law Act sets out rules for property divisions and maintenance orders after a relationship breakdown this includes Court orders and Binding Financial Agreements. Until 2009, this Act only applied to married couples as de-facto couples were governed by the various State laws.
However, when the Family Law Act was changed in 2009 and most States transferred powers to the Commonwealth, Proclamations needed to be made to bring the changes into effect and allow the federal family courts to rule on these matters. Due to an oversight, these Proclamations were not made, leaving separated de-facto couples with uncertain legal positions. (more…)
One of our clients has recently been published with a book titled ‘The Great Life Redesign’, with some content provided by Summerhill Financial Services. Continue reading for more information about this new book.
Life on today’s treadmill is fed by a daily infusion of bad news media stories and society’s expectations, yet the popularity and plethora of lifestyle programs and self-help books show we’re all wanting something more. Conditioned to struggle, we aren’t taught how to find contentment or appreciate what we have.
We’re more time poor and discontented than ever, working longer hours, taking fewer holidays and being reachable 24/7. Productivity is lower and absenteeism is higher than ever, we spend more time and money on commuting than ever before and our health and relationships are suffering.
In The Great Life Redesign, Caroline Cameron not only helps you identify how 21st-century living is impacting you, but what you can do to change your life for the better. Whether you need to make some minor changes to make instant improvements or undertake a major life renovation to realise your dreams, Caroline’s wealth of experience will help you get clear about what it is you want, how to plan for it, how to afford it and how to make it happen. It really is quite simple to achieve and The Great Life Redesign will help you reshape the life you have into one you’ll love.
With practical, easy-to-apply techniques, exercises, tools and tips – including your own life redesign blueprint & a Thrival Kit – plus more than 30 inspirational case studies, you’ll soon be well on your way to a great life. Featuring expert advice from Summerhill Financial Services very own Caroline Bell, you’ll also learn how to crunch the numbers, plan and afford your redesigned life.
Don’t settle for ‘good enough’ – you only have one life, so vow to make the most out of it.
To find out more, subscribe to the blog and get your own personally signed copy, go to www.greatliferedesign.com.au.
An article in the Herald Sun on 28 December 2011 (click here) is a reminder of the benefit of documenting family loans. Although your wealth may not be as significant as the Lew family, the situation may still be relevant to many families as children’s marriages break down.
“The hardest arithmetic for human beings to master,” wrote the great American working man’s philosopher Eric Hoffer, “is that which enables us to count our blessings.”
It’s a piece of wisdom worth recalling after another year that has tested the nerve of many investors and prompted questions about what current generations have done to deserve to live in such a tempestuous stage of history.
As the year winds down (if that’s the word for it!), financial markets are gripped by uncertainty over developments in the Eurozone crisis. Each day brings fresh headlines that send investors scrambling from virtual despair to tentative optimism.
While not seeking to downplay the very real anxiety generated by these events, particularly in relation to their effects on investment portfolios, it’s worth reflecting critically on our often second-hand memories of the “good old days”. (more…)
Students who cannot afford to pay the university fees each year can accumulate the debt under the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). Repayments are payable once their income exceeds a specified amount. The outstanding debt is indexed on 1 June each year.
Voluntary HELP payments can earn a discount to help reduce the debt. Parents looking for a Christmas gift for their children may wish to consider helping with the repayments.
Voluntary payments of $500 or more received by the ATO before 31 December 2011 will qualify for a 10% bonus. This reduces the debt by a further 10% of the voluntary repayment amount.
Changes across tax, super and Centrelink were announced today as part of the Government’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO). With a need to find cost savings, some concessions have been cut and others deferred for another year.
A summary of new announcements is outlined below. These measures are proposals and legislation still needs to be introduced. (more…)
