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
In an increasingly digital world, the frequency and sophistication of financial scams have escalated, posing a significant threat to unwary Australians. The government projects that scams cost Australians $3.1 billion per year. So let’s dissect the common tactics used by scammers and look at a few strategies to avoid falling prey to these schemes. What…
In 2023, the Australian property market witnessed a distinctive shift, as homeowners and investors navigated the changing financial landscape. According to PEXA’s latest Mortgage Insights Report, the total amount borrowed for property purchases across Australia was $300.9 billion, marking a 12.7% decrease from the previous year. This trend reflects the dual impact of rising interest…
Property investment is one of the best wealth-creation strategies out there. In part, because it has a long history of solid performance, so is therefore relatively low risk. It’s important to understand, however, that it is not completely without risk. That’s because every investment opportunity has an element of risk. The trick is to manage…
Australian Tax Office (ATO) data shows that only 9% per cent of investors own three or more properties. So, if property was such a good investment, why do many stop at one? Unfortunately, most people simply buy the wrong property, buy emotively, sell quickly and never buy again, or stubbornly hold onto it hoping things…
What’s happened to your salary recently? Has it gone up? The average Australian salary is $1,888.80 per week or $98,217.60 annually, according to the latest data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This represents an increase of 4.5% year-on-year and you won’t be surprised to find out mining remains the highest-paying sector with an average salary of $2,951.80…
How are you with your credit card payments? Well, according to new research from Finder, an alarming number of Australians are falling behind on their credit card repayments. In fact, based on Finder’s Credit Card Report 2024, 1 in 8 (13%) Australian credit card holders – equivalent to almost 1.8 million people – have missed…
Is money an important factor for a lasting relationship? Well, according to Finder’s latest research, millions of Australians have been dumped by a romantic partner due to their financial situation. The survey of 1,096 respondents revealed that 1 in 6 Australians (16%) – equivalent to 3.2 million people – have been through a break-up due…
What are the best and worst things about living in Australia? Immigration to Australia commissioned a survey to find out what Australians think are the five best and worst things that immigrants experience in Australia Not surprisingly soaring property prices and rent were a significant concern, with over 80% of Australians citing this as a…
Superannuation is one of the most effective wealth creation tools in Australia today. The taxation benefits of voluntary contributions into your superannuation are well-known, as is the ability to access your super funds (via a self-managed super fund) to invest in property. Unfortunately, however, there are simple mistakes that people regularly make which means their…
Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals a 0.6% rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the December 2023 quarter, marking the slowest quarterly increase since March 2021. This brings the annual inflation rate down to 4.1% from 7.8% in 2022, hinting at a potential pause in the Reserve Bank of…
