Property James Cruz Property James Cruz

Do's and don'ts of property investing

Low interest rates are giving many investors an added incentive to look at investing in property – either directly or through their SMSF. We look at some of the things you should look out for before you sign on that dotted line.

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Financial advice James Cruz Financial advice James Cruz

It's not just a house

When buying a house, it is standard to consult the help of a local real estate agent and a home loan specialist because you want expert help with one of the biggest financial decisions in your life.

Why then wouldn't you also enlist the services of a financial adviser?

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Financial advice James Cruz Financial advice James Cruz

Financial management for Gen Y

Planning for the future while you are still young can have a lot of benefits for you in the long term, particularly when it comes to your retirement. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in 2006, 31% of young people in their twenties were still living with their parents, mainly for financial reasons.

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Insurance James Cruz Insurance James Cruz

Is your insurance structurally sound?

When you take out life insurance, it’s an investment for your future. With that cover in place, you know that if you ever experience a serious accident or illness, you have financial support to help pay your medical bills and maintain your lifestyle.

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News James Cruz News James Cruz

How to poach the perfect egg

I have been trying for years to poach the perfect egg. Don't get me wrong, nobody does an Eggs Benedict better than Sirocco in Ballina, but to be able to cook a couple of poached eggs on toast on a Sunday morning has always eluded me.

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Superannuation James Cruz Superannuation James Cruz

SMSF owners, hold on to your caps

If you have a Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF), you should be keeping a close eye on your contributions throughout the financial year – not just at year-end.

There’s always a lot of talk about super contributions towards the end of the financial year. But 30 June doesn’t have exclusive rights on super strategies.

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Financial advice James Cruz Financial advice James Cruz

Put your money where your heart is

No longer is it enough to simply make money, we want to know how that money is being made. In particular, that the money isn’t being made at the expense of people and the environment.

This socially-responsible mindset is changing the way people choose what they buy, which companies they want to work for, and where they invest their money.

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Financial advice James Cruz Financial advice James Cruz

Paying the mortgage

You’ve been paying the mortgage for a while now. It’s reducing steadily. So what now? Your number one commitment may still be to reduce your mortgage as quickly as possible. However, during this time there are other things you can do to secure your financial future.

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Financial advice James Cruz Financial advice James Cruz

What women want

Worldwide, women are increasingly making the key financial decisions — yet research shows they are often held back by a lack of confidence in their investment knowledge. Can financial advice help bridge the gap?

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Tax James Cruz Tax James Cruz

Beat the clock at tax time

Every year around this time, a window of opportunity opens to help maximise your end of financial year tax strategies. And if you leave it too late, the chance to improve your financial position could go begging.

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Investing James Cruz Investing James Cruz

Blame it on the brain

When it comes to making investment decisions, research shows we are our own worst enemies, with our brains better hardwired for stone-age survival than complex economic decisions in the modern world.

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Financial advice James Cruz Financial advice James Cruz

Building trust

Investors are reaping the benefits of developments across the financial planning landscape.

Major changes to the way financial advice is provided are leading to a growing professionalism in financial planning.

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Estate planning James Cruz Estate planning James Cruz

The importance of having a valid will

If you are one of the many Australians who does not have a current will, your family could be left financially vulnerable if you were to die unexpectedly. Having a valid will is important for everyone, but it becomes particularly essential in the event that you have dependents or a family.

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