This Month
The ‘singles tax’ stings, but can you put a price on happiness?
Studies suggest the price of choosing to live alone could be anywhere between 3 per cent and 15 per cent.
- Updated
- Lucy Dean
December 2024
Brookfield-backed debt collection giant Panthera finds new owner
Privately owned credit agency Francom has emerged as the new owner of the company, which collapsed this year following a dispute between its founders.
- Kylar Loussikian
July 2024
‘I had my bank account cleaned out and $5000 is all I got back’
With scammers getting increasingly sophisticated, don’t rely on your bank to bail you out.
- Duncan Hughes
May 2024
‘I lost my 95-year-old mother’s $1.6m life savings to scammers’
Great-grandmother Elaine Spring is ‘too frail’ to be told that the proceeds of the sale of the family home are gone.
- Duncan Hughes
January 2024
Why we fight about money – and how to avoid it
A spending spat is never just about the finances – it’s all about working out your shared values.
- Nicole Haddow
October 2023
Sporting icon’s family in 71-year inheritance spat
Walter Lindrum is considered one of the nation’s all-time great sporting heroes. His legacy has lessons on avoiding being snookered in family disputes.
- Duncan Hughes
May 2023
- Explainer
- Wellness
How top professionals are using nudge theory for self-improvement
Nudge theory, used by governments and corporations to direct consumer behaviour, can also be used at a personal level, for self-improvement.
- Sally Patten
February 2023
How to deal with a midlife crisis, Millennial style
Hitting midlife for a Millennial needn’t be a source of panic – lacking the means to blow up your life can actually be freeing, say some advisers.
- Mark Ellwood
November 2022
- Exclusive
- Money psychology
Buy now, pay the mental health consequences later, report finds
The financial experiences of young people are closely linked to what else is going on in their lives, a new report finds.
- Julie Hare
Cost pressures forcing tough decisions on kids’ education: survey
As families struggle to pay rising bills, their children’s education comes under pressure.
- Julie Hare
September 2022
Red flags to show your relationship has money troubles
One partner may have much more control over the finances, either deliberately or due to the other person’s lack of interest. Here’s how to restore the balance.
- Lucy Dean
April 2022
Predatory lending will worsen if CDR expands, say consumer groups
Treasury has put the foot down on expanding the consumer data right to speed up credit growth, but consumer advocates warn it has potential to exacerbate harm.
- Ayesha de Kretser
February 2022
Joint accounts that make couples more money
Tempted to tie the financial knot on Valentine’s Day? While accountability and an investment plan can boost savings and security, read these tips first.
- Duncan Hughes
January 2022
Court boosts de facto partners’ rights to share in joint property
Family contributions are as big a factor as financial commitments when courts decide how real estate will be divided between couples living together.
- Duncan Hughes
May 2021
Millennials see joint bank accounts as outdated, survey finds
A survey has found that 75 per cent of Millennial respondents think joint bank accounts are not suited for modern relationships.
- Natasha Gillezeau
October 2020
Court decision highlights financial risks of de facto relationships
Lawyers advise couples to be aware of the risks and reach agreements about who owns what before a bust-up.
- Duncan Hughes
August 2020
COVID-19 causes spike in family disputes
Lockdowns have proved too much for many couples, but lost jobs, falling property values and social distancing means many are forced to stay under the same roof.
- Duncan Hughes
July 2020
New 'Centrelink loans' scheme tips ASIC's banning hand
People have been lugged with repayments of 490 per cent of the original loan, and an old player is involved, ASIC says.
- Liam Walsh
February 2020
The ATO changes the meaning of love
The romantics of the Australian Tax Office have changed their official definition of "love", toughening rules for the wiping of costly debt in time for Valentine's Day.
- Tom McIlroy
May 2019
Four out of 10 Americans would struggle to find $US400 cash
Americans' savings are next to non-existent; About one in three would have to borrow or sell something to pay back a $US400 loan, the Federal Reserve says.