Is Your Financial House in Order?

by Dominique Schuh

This week the share market closed lower to finish a strong run, after financials and resource giants took a hit, including the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and Rio Tinto. In the US market, stock indexes retreated from record levels as a drop in oil prices pressured energy stocks.

What does this mean for you?
A steady week on the share market means investors can take the time to revisit their long-term plans, as well as their shorter term plans for the next twelve months.
Now is the perfect time to ask yourself the following questions: is my financial house in order? What do I mean by this? Firstly, do you know how much it costs you to live each year? Many Australians only have a vague idea about what their actual living costs are. Next, are your investments diversified and in a low-cost structure? Is your estate in order or does it need revisiting? No-one likes to think about these things but it is incredibly important to plan for. Is your personal insurance structured so that it's tax effective? Are you saving money or spending everything you earn? Getting these basics right are what will build your  wealth in the long term.

Unbelievably, it's tax time again, so if you think you're due for a refund this year, get your work into us early and we'll start processing it for you. Most people would agree that a tax refund before Christmas is always a good thing ...