Lifestyle

By Dr. Ross Walker The function of every organism is to survive. This survival is achieved by the finely tuned processes of metabolism and homeostasis. Metabolism is defined as the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life. Homeostasis is defined as the tendency towards a relatively stable equilibrium between…

By Dr. Ross Walker Well, it is that time of the year when the very common burnout sets in and most of our thoughts turn to the Christmas break. Although Christmas should always be a time for rest, reflection and rejuvenation, it often becomes a time for excessive partying, overeating and overindulging in other bad…

By Dr. Ross Walker Exercise-Is more better? I have repeatedly suggested that the ideal amount of exercise every week is somewhere between 3 to 5 hours. So, is this just my gut feeling or is there any good evidence for these comments? I would like to review three recent interesting studies around exercise which address…

By Mark Ellem, Executive Manager, SuperConcepts (on behalf of Cuffelinks) The introduction of the biggest tranche of change in the super rules in a decade will impact the estate plans for many. The changes will affect the amount of a deceased spouse’s super that a surviving spouse can retain in super and the ability to…

Last night, the Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison delivered a measured and largely uneventful Federal Budget. There were few announcements which impact superannuation and financial advice strategies, particularly when compared to the 2016 Federal Budget. There are many opportunities to enhance superannuation, and for others to reduce the impacts of the superannuation changes. Many of these…

By Julie Steed, Senior Technical Services Manager, Australian Executor Trustees  (on behalf of firstlinks) The introduction of the $1.6 million transfer balance cap, effective from July 1 this year, will impact the estate plans of many superannuation members. This article reviews the role of insurance as part of an SMSF’s investment strategy and the changes that people may…

By Simeon Levin A number of significant changes have been made to the taxation of income streams from 1 July 2017. This will have a practical implication on how to structure a property settlement in the most effective way. Click thumbnail to read more.

By Graham Hand, Firstlinks One of Australia’s leading research firms, Investment Trends, has revealed fewer people feel prepared for retirement than at any time since this question was first asked in 2012. The survey of almost 7,000 Australians over the age of 40 revealed only 44% feel prepared for retirement, but worryingly, this is down…

By Donal Griffin, Firstlinks When a famous person dies, particularly if they were involved in producing art of any type, the legal implications are like any death, but on steroids (or stronger). Soon after George Michael was found dead on Christmas Day 2016, different players involved in his affairs clashed. A boyfriend allegedly released some…