The headlines are depressing. Potential banking crisis in Europe; US stock market slump; Greece’s economic woes. It’s little wonder investors find themselves in a mild state of shock. When the news is all doom and gloom, where do you find a positive message to cling to? How do you stay sane when the financial world seems to have gone mad? [...]
Having experienced a near miss with recession back in 2008 and almost every year since, its echoes and continues to ring in the ears of all Australians. We watch nervously as the United States is frantically bailing to save itself from foundering on economic oceans. Markets rising as they stimulate, then diving as more bad news rears its ugly [...]
In the middle of dinner with your family your mobile phone rings. It’s the boss. Your spouse throws you a rueful look but you answer the call anyway – you both know you will. Sound familiar? "I know that for many years my life was work, and today its a trap i have to make my self conscious to [...]
“If the ‘fiscal cliff’ isn’t addressed…..I don’t think our tools are strong enough to offset the effects of a major fiscal shock.” That was US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke last month, warning of the so-called fiscal cliff, the large predicted reduction in the budget deficit and corresponding projected slowdown of the US economy if specific laws [...]
The power of perception. I’ve studied statistics for my years, and once so young I believed what was presented, was true.The power of statistics is both an influential tool and a reality check. So what makes the difference? Is the glass half empty or half full? Behind the numbers the persuasive genius is at work. Investment markets are [...]
Interest rates – a double edged sword On Melbourne Cup Day 2011,as tradespeople, shop workers, office staff and others downed tools for the Race That Stops a Nation, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) made a monumental decision. For the first time in 31 months, it reduced the cash rate by 25 basis points. Not since April 2009 [...]
What to Borrow through your Self-Managed Super Fund? – what you need to know In September 2007, trustees of Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSFs) were given the green light to borrow for investment in certain assets. But interpreting the borrowing laws has always been open to conjecture. At Mornington Financial Services we have been navigating the nuances of Self-Managed Superannuation Funds [...]
Compared with many countries, here in Australian we enjoy a relatively healthy, secure and peaceful lifestyle. Perhaps for these reasons, we also maintain one of the world’s highest levels of household debt. As at June 2011, the average NSW mortgage was $321,000; Victoria came in at $298,000; and all other states ranged between $200,000 and $270,000. The very best result [...]
In January 2011, a bill to amend superannuation law was introduced into the Australian Parliament. The section that will affect most Australians proposes an increase to the Superannuation Guarantee (SG). Mornington Financial Services - Superannuation Guarantee on the rise In order to assist employees to attain higher retirement savings, the proposal is to Mornington Financial Services - Superannuation Guarantee [...]
Studies that tell us a healthy lifestyle will contribute to longevity aren’t new. But did you know that by adopting healthy habits mid-life, you can reduce your risk of dementia? Brain changes leading to dementia often begin years earlier, before symptoms show. And while doctors learn more every day, the fact remains that dementia cannot be cured, nor [...]