Ken is director of Metropole Wealth Advisory and gives strategic expert advice to property investors, professionals and business owners. He is in a unique position to blend his skills of accounting, wealth advisory, property investing, financial planning and small business. View his articles
If you’re feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis, you’re not alone. New analysis reveals that the average Australian now needs to earn $107,730 a year just to maintain the same standard of living they had a few years ago. This is a significant jump from the $90,000 salary that was once considered…
The total value of new housing loans rose 3.9 per cent in July to $30.6 billion, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The value of new investor loans rose 5.4 per cent to $11.7 billion, which was 35.4 per cent higher than July 2023. The value of owner-occupier loans rose 2.9…
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released the July monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) data. The monthly CPI indicator was 3.5% in the 12 months to July 2024, falling from 3.8% in June, the second monthly drop in a row. This is the lowest result since March 2024. The most significant price rises were Housing…
All parents want to provide for their children and hopefully create wealth to leave to them and their children, too. These days, with higher property prices, many people also want to help their children financially so they can buy their first home or property investment. However, sometimes these desires outweigh practicalities, such as tax planning…
While being a property investor might see you forced to pay a number of unforeseen bills each month, there are several tax breaks for investment properties that can significantly boost your financial returns. I’ve been an investment property owner for many years now, and I’ve been slugged with just about every property expense that you…
A new client recently came to see me. He was a little hesitant at first as he had been using an accountant, lawyer, and financial planner and was apprehensive about the value Metropole Wealth Advisory could give. He left my office almost in tears when he realised the cost of his poor previous advice. Given that…
What is land tax? Who should pay for it? And can I reduce this major property cost which seems to eat into my rental income disproportionally? These questions are often asked by serious property investors who already have or are in the process of building a significant property portfolio. As is the case for most…
You’ve probably heard that most wealthy people own nothing in their own names, but control everything through structures such as a trust. If Australia’s richest people use trusts, maybe it’s something you should consider also. Did you know that trusts have been around since the 12th Century? The Lord Chancellor at that time could decide…
Foreign cash flowing into Australian homes has surged by an additional $400 million, according to new figures, solidifying Queensland as the new hot spot for overseas investors. Data from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) for the October to December 2023 quarter shows 1,580 residential real estate investment proposals worth $1.9 billion were approved. The…
Australians are going without everything from prosecco to private health insurance as cost of living pressures persist, according to new research by Finder. Their survey of 1,012 respondents revealed more than 1 in 2 (54%) – equivalent to more than 11 million people – admit the cost of living has had a negative impact on…
