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The federal government’s Stage 3 tax cuts will take effect from 1 July, which will benefit the borrowing power of the average home loan customer. Starting from the 2024-25 financial year, the new tax thresholds will be: $0 to $18,200 – 0 cents in the dollar. $18,201 to $45,000 – 16c. $45,001 to $135,000 – … Read more
There’s been a welcome reduction in properties being urgently listed for sale, which usually occurs due to financial difficulty on the part of the vendor. There were 5,100 ‘distressed listings’ across Australia in May, which was 2.5% less than the month before and 8.5% less than the year before, according to SQM Research. That said, … Read more
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has flagged three key areas of concern at tax time – one of which is tax returns by property investors. The reason the ATO is focusing on investors is because, in previous years, 90% of investors have made mistakes on their tax returns. “This year, we’re particularly focused on claims … Read more
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers last night presented the federal budget for 2024/2025. The Budget comes amidst a cost-of-living crisis, high inflation, struggles in the construction sector and an income election. The challenge was always going to be around helping Australians cope with rising costs without further fuelling inflation. The Labor Government said it focussed on … Read more
When you buy a property, your initial ‘equity’, or ownership stake, is whatever deposit you put down to qualify for the loan, which is often 20%. Typically, your equity rises as the years advance, through a combination of you paying down your mortgage and your property increasing in value, as this hypothetical example shows: You … Read more
Borrowing power can vary significantly from individual to individual, based on their financial circumstances and choice of lender. That’s why two friends who appear to have a similar profile can be approved for very different amounts of finance. It’s also why the same consumer might find the amount of money they’re able to borrow today … Read more
Securing finance for your business is part of a broader strategy to help your business achieve a particular goal. Your broker’s role is to design a finance package and loan structure to help take your business to the next level. The first step in your asset finance journey is to think about the goals you’re … Read more
Non-bank lender Firstmac has become the largest major organisation to be hacked, following high-profile cybersecurity breaches at Optus and Medibank. If a lender or any other organisation that holds your personal details has been hacked, you should change all your online passwords – particularly those for your bank, email and social media accounts – and … Read more
Bushfire and storm season has arrived in much of the country. So what can you do to protect your home? Fires One idea is to remove dry vegetation and flammable items from around the property, to create a buffer zone. Another idea is to add ember guards to your roof, eaves and windows, to prevent … Read more
Rents and property prices are rising strongly in much of Australia due to an undersupply of properties, leading some commentators to call for reforms that would stimulate the construction of a significant amount of new build-to-rent (BTR) housing. Generally, developers sell all the new housing they build, often during the construction period. But with BTR, … Read more
