Guides
Plain-language guides for Australians
Deep dives on tax, super, and investing — each one backed by a real calculator so you can run your own numbers.
Adding to super before 30 June: personal contributions and the Notice of Intent
Salary sacrifice can't be backdated — personal deductible contributions work right up to year-end, if the Notice of Intent paperwork and dates are right. The full process, step by step.
Australia's 2027 CGT changes: what they mean for your investments
The 50% CGT discount disappears on 1 July 2027. Here's exactly how the new indexation + 30% floor rules work, who gets hit hardest, and what to do before the deadline.
Salary sacrifice into super: the complete Australian guide (2025–26)
How the tax saving works at every income level, whether it beats paying down your mortgage, the carry-forward rules most people miss, and how to set it up in 5 minutes.
Negative gearing 2027: what changes, who's affected, and what to do
From 1 July 2027, negative gearing on established investment properties is ring-fenced for new buyers. Here's exactly who's grandfathered, what the cashflow impact is, and whether buying before the deadline is worth it.
Portfolio by age: how Australians should invest at every life stage
Drag a slider to your age and see an illustrative core/satellite allocation — plus plain-language explanations of the glide path, one-fund lazy portfolios, and which platform to use.
First home buyer guide Australia 2025: grants, schemes, and step-by-step
How much deposit you need, which government schemes apply (First Home Guarantee, FHSS, state grants), stamp duty concessions, and the exact steps from saving to settlement.
How to invest in ETFs in Australia: a beginner's guide (2025)
What ETFs are, how to choose one, which brokerage account to use, how distributions are taxed, and how to build a simple long-term portfolio with 1–2 funds.
HECS/HELP explained: repayments, indexation, and when to pay it off
When HECS repayments start, how indexation grows your debt, and the exact maths for deciding whether to pay it off early or put money into your mortgage instead.
Australian tax return checklist 2025–26: everything to gather before you lodge
The complete list of income, deductions, and documents to prepare before opening myTax — plus common mistakes that cost Australians money every year.
What to invest with your first $1,000 in Australia
Emergency fund first, then ETFs. Which platform to use, which fund to pick, how dollar-cost averaging works, and how to place your first trade step by step.
How often should you invest? Dollar-cost averaging explained
Lump sum beats DCA two-thirds of the time — but DCA reduces regret and is practical for salary earners. Weekly vs monthly, and how to set up auto-invest.
Do you need an emergency fund? How much and where to keep it
The 3–6 month rule, why HISA vs mortgage offset matters depending on whether you rent or own, and how to build your buffer while still investing.
Should I pay off HECS or invest? The Australian answer
At 2.4% indexation, investing beats paying HECS early — unless you're buying a home soon. The decision framework, a worked example at $60k income, and the borrowing capacity angle.
How much super do you need to retire in Australia?
ASFA comfortable standard ($51,814/yr single), the 4% rule gives $1.3M target, super benchmarks by age, Age Pension as backstop, and how to model your gap.
The CGT deadline you can't miss: what to do before 30 June 2027
The 50% CGT discount ends 1 July 2027. Who is affected, a worked $100k gain example, the case for selling before vs holding through, and what to review now.
Salary sacrifice into super vs extra mortgage repayments: which wins?
Salary sacrifice wins by ~$12k over 10 years due to tax — but the mortgage offset gives you liquidity. Worked example at $100k income and $500k mortgage at 6.5%.
Australian financial year-end checklist: what to do before 30 June
Super contributions, CGT harvesting, investment loan interest prepayment, WFH expenses, private health cover, and charitable giving — the complete 30 June action list.
Best all-in-one ETFs Australia 2025: DHHF vs VDHF compared
DHHF (0.19% MER, 100% growth) vs VDHF (0.27% MER, 90/10 with bonds). Both brilliant for beginners — here's which one fits your situation.
Hedged vs unhedged ETFs: what every Australian investor needs to know
VGS or VGAD? NDQ or HNDQ? Currency hedging adds cost and rarely helps long-term investors. Here's the complete decision framework.
VAS vs A200: which Australian shares ETF should you buy?
Vanguard VAS (0.07% MER, ASX 300) vs BetaShares A200 (0.04% MER, ASX 200). Both excellent — the real difference is smaller than most people think.
Starter portfolio allocation: how to build your first Australian ETF portfolio
Pre-investing checklist, three portfolio options (1-fund, 2-fund, 3-fund), and a 4-step getting-started guide. From $500 to your first trade.
FIRE number Australia: how much do you need to retire early?
Your FIRE number is 25× your annual expenses. The 4% rule, Australian super considerations, the 5 FIRE paths, and why your expenses matter more than your income.
Franking credits explained: how the Australian imputation system works
How the 30% corporate tax is passed to shareholders as a credit — with worked examples at every marginal rate and which ETFs carry the most franking.
Dollar cost averaging: the strategy most Australians already use
Lump sum beats DCA two-thirds of the time — but for salary earners, DCA is the practical default. When each approach makes sense, and how to set up auto-invest.
Dividend vs growth ETFs: which is right for Australian investors?
VHY vs VAS vs VGS — high-yield dividend ETFs vs total-market ETFs. For accumulation, total-market wins. For retirement income with franking credits, dividends have a case.