Mark Bristow

Investing in serviced apartments

Buying an investment property can let you benefit from both rental yields and capital growth, though there’s always a risk that there could be periods where your property fails to attract tenants. Investing in serviced apartments could potentially help to offset this risk, as someone else will be managing the tenants for you, though there are other complications to consider.

Will you get superannuation contributions on workers compensation payments?

Under the superannuation guarantee (SG), employers must make superannuation contributions of a percentage of most employees’ ordinary time earnings (OTE). But will you still receive these super contributions if you’re receiving worker’s compensation payments? The answer may vary based on a wide range of factors.

What is a home insurance premium?

Your home insurance premium is what you pay your insurance provider for covering your home under their home insurance policy. It is calculated based on the type of coverage you choose for your home as well as any additional coverage you buy for either your possessions or specific incidents. Your premium can either be paid annually or in smaller instalments.

Which banks have hiked term deposit and savings account rates in November 2022?

Good news for savers - some of the biggest banks and providers in Australia have hiked rates on their deposit accounts. This may allow Australian savers to benefit from interest rates of 4 per cent or even more on their savings account or term deposit, and grow their wealth more quickly. 

Who is still offering low-rate home loans after the November 2022 rate hike?

The latest hike to the national cash rate from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may continue to squeeze homeowners with higher interest repayments and restrict first home buyers by shrinking maximum borrowing amounts. Despite these rising rates, some mortgage lenders still have relatively low interest rates available for selected borrowers.

What do mortgage brokers do?

Mortgage brokers are finance professionals who help borrowers organise home loans with lenders. As such, they act as middlemen between borrowers and lenders.

Do Buy Now Pay Later companies run a credit check?

Not all Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) companies run a credit check when you sign up for memberships, and these checks may not always affect your credit score. However, your BNPL activity could still make an impact on your credit history, which could affect your chances of seeing future credit applications approved. 

Some of the best home loans in November 2022

The November 2022 meeting of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board saw the national cash rate increase by 25 basis points, bringing it to 2.85% - the highest level since April 2013. And with inflation now expected to peak at 8 per cent by the end of 2022, the RBA has indicated that more rate hikes are coming. 

Does car insurance cover driving while intoxicated?

Will your car insurance pay out if drunk driving causes an accident? Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal, however some insurers may still offer cover within the limits of their policy.

5 ways to protect yourself from fraud

With high-profile data breaches in the news and the RBA describing cyber-attacks as a significant threat to Australia’s economic stability, it’s easy to feel concerned about the safety of your personal information. Criminals with access to your details could steal your identity, fraudulently run up debts in your name, and ruin your credit score, making accessing money and credit in the future much harder.