Can You Really Coast to Retirement?
Financial Planning
Why Spring Is Made for Financial Planning
What to Do with an Inheritance When You’re Starting a Family
The Overlooked Deadline in Family Trusts
Coast FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) promises a tempting middle path between grinding until 65 and retiring at 40. Save hard early, let compounding do the heavy lifting, then ease into part-time work or a less demanding career without adding another dollar to your retirement savings. In Australia, the idea works a little differently because superannuation sits at the centre of the plan. Here is how the maths works, where super fits in, and the risks that the online calculators tend to gloss over.
Spring is here, and the research says it’s a good time to think about your money. Studies suggest that pleasant, sunny weather can lift our mood and help us think more broadly, as long as we get outside to enjoy it. That makes the warmer months a good time to step back, look at the whole picture, and ask where your finances are heading. In this article, we look at what sunshine does to our thinking, why financial planning covers far more than most people expect, and six spring questions worth asking.
A sudden inheritance can feel like the ultimate financial safety net, especially when it lands just as a young family is preparing to grow. But turning a windfall into lasting security takes more than good intentions. With Australia on track for a $5.4 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer over the coming decades, more families than ever will face the same question: what's the smartest way to use a lump sum, whether that means clearing the non-deductible debt, topping up super, investing for the long term or simply buying back a little breathing room in those early years of parenthood.
Families across Australia rely on trusts to protect their hard-earned wealth and pass assets down to the next generation, often viewing these structures as permanent safety nets. However, many trusts contain a hidden expiry date known as a "vesting date". Passing this milestone unchecked does not cause the trust to simply vanish, but it can unexpectedly strip trustees of their decision-making power and trigger a messy web of tax obligations. Before assuming your financial setup is secure indefinitely, taking the time to uncover the lifespan written into your original deed could save your family from a costly administrative headache.