Equis News & Events

Debt.  Is it the devil in disguise or a useful tool to help us increase our standard of living? ..

Building a 'nest egg' rather than a place to nest....great work Gen Y!!  A recent survey by Mortgage Choice has found that Gen Y are a savvy generation when it comes to money and appreciate the need to grow assets and minimise their living expenses were possible.  Read more here: http://www.moneymanagement.com.au/news/gen-y-purchase-for-investment-first ..

Got questions?  Get answers!  Seriously sort out your situation!  With our quick, easy to use FREE Financial tools - our Facebook family LOVES them - budget planners, investment calculators and business balance sheets! 

How much do I need to retire? Should I refinance our mortgage? How much tax am I paying?  EQUIS Group has developed a series of FREE Financial Tools available on our website for immediate download, together with our Advanced Financial Tools to help answer even the toughest of YOUR questions!

http://www.equisgroup.com.au/free_downloads

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This interesting article suggests our 'living expenses' are set to rise by $200 a year, with a new survey suggesting Victoria will be hit "first and hardest" as a result of reliance on coal-fired electricity plants in the Latrobe Valley, which provides about 90 per cent of the state's electricity - there is a lot of negative publicity around the issue however there are still many who believe we are better off with a Carbon Tax.  What are your thoughts? ..

The answer is - probably YES. 



Hopefully your school issues an itemised account so that you can see what the lump sum is made up of (if they don’t, you might be able to request it).  There are many elements that have no impact on your tax, but there are two components to look for: ..

Health Insurance - it could be costing you without it!

Are you aware that if your taxable income is above $77,000 (for singles) or $154,000 (family), then you will be required to pay a Medicare Levy Surcharge of 1% - that’s on top of the 1.5% Medicare Levy that is paid on all incomes above $18,488 - unless you have eligible private hospital cover.  ..

Do you have school age children? A few years ago, the government introduced the Education Tax Refund.  For the 2010-11 financial year, you can claim up to $397 for every child you have in primary school and $794 for every high school student. But this only applies if you qualify for Family Tax Benefit Part A (see this EQUIS news item) and you must keep receipts.  ..

What will you do with your bonus this year?

If you are in the very fortunate position to be receiving a cash bonus for this financial year, you might want to consider 'sacrificing' it into your super. There are multiple benefits to this. ..

Yes, the end of the 2010-11 financial year is fast approaching.  Now is the time to start getting all your records in order.

If you are due a refund (and many are) then the sooner you get your tax return in, the sooner you will get that cash back in your hands to use as you choose.   The 2011 Tax Pack will be available in newsagents or from the Tax Office (www.ato.gov.au) after July 1, and all 'end of year' statements will start arriving in your letterbox from your financial institutions, employer, health insurer, and other relevant organisations at that time too.  ..

Our Aussie Dollar - are you a Winner or Loser? The skyrocketing Australian Dollar brings mixed emotions.  Are you are shopper, traveller or importer?  This is an interesting article which quickly outlines the pros and cons of our appreciating Australian Dollar and what it means to YOU! ..