News

Our very own Hugh Robertson provides his views on the year that was, where we’ve been and where we’re heading. As always, the team at Centaur Financial Services are always here to help and answer any queries that you may have. If you do have any questions or concerns, please […]

April is now here and started with a welcomed Easter break. As the vaccine rollout continues…

Stay up to date with what's happened in Australian and global markets over the past month. Our…

2021 is shaping up to be a much more positive year than 2020 in so many ways. For people who put holiday plans on hold or those with itchy feet because they haven’t had much of a break for a while, this year is the year to get out and […]

Separation and divorce can be a challenging time, often made all the more difficult when you have to divide your assets. So how do you go about decoupling your superannuation? In years gone by, superannuation was not treated as matrimonial property, so divorce settlements typically saw the woman keeping the […]

The recent sharp rise in bond rates may not be a big topic of conversation around the Sunday barbecue, but it has set pulses racing on financial markets amid talk of inflation and what that might mean for investors. US 10-year government bond yields touched 1.61 per cent in early […]

Hugh shared some knowledge in The New Daily article, ‘Why buyers should think twice before taking out a low-deposit home loan’. Beware of the hazards Centaur Financial Services managing director Hugh Robertson told The New Daily many low-deposit holders approach housing with a short-term mindset. As a result, they have neglected to […]

With the market volatility that has been seen of late, we wanted to give you a quick update from Hugh directly, which will hopefully put your mind at ease and remind you that the team at Centaur Financial Services are always here to help and answer any queries that you […]

Thoughts from the Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Team. The Australian Bloomberg Ausbond Composite Bond Index just completed its worst monthly return IN HISTORY with February returning a whopping -3.59% as bonds crumbled. We like to think the dysfunctional market conditions of March 2020 won’t be repeated for a long time, […]

After an eventful summer of weather extremes, on-again off-again lockdowns and the swearing in of a new US President, many will be hoping that Autumn ushers in a change of more than the season. As the vaccine rollout begins, there are also promising signs that economic recovery may be earlier […]

The past 12 months have been a challenging time for many of us on a personal level, with the pandemic having a far-reaching impact on so many aspects of our lives. While the Australian economy is proving remarkably resilient, personal finances have been affected in different ways by lockdowns and […]

Like trees losing their leaves in autumn, why not take a leaf out of their book and choose this time of year to shed some of your own financial baggage. In the style of Marie Kondo, the Japanese organising whizz who has inspired millions to clean out their cupboards, decluttering […]

Stay up to date with what's happened in Australian and global markets over the past month.   Our…

After spending their working life building retirement savings, many retirees are often reluctant to eat into their “nest egg” too quickly. This is understandable, given that we are living longer than previous generations and may need to pay for aged care and health costs later in life. But this cautious […]

With yesterday’s announcement of the AWOTE (Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings) figure for the December 2020 quarter, the super contributions caps are set to increase from 1 July 2021 as follows: Concessional cap increases from $25,000pa to $27,500pa Standard NCC (non-concessional contribution) cap increases from $100,000pa to $110,000pa Max NCC […]

A little over a week ago, Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment research,  announced the finalists of the 2021 Morningstar Australia Awards. This annual awards program is designed to recognise and celebrate the best of the Australian fund management profession, and the AAN Investment Committee are pleased to see that several funds […]

One of our fellow Directors and AAN Investment Committee Member, Marshall Brentnall was interviewed by IFA Magazine about the evolution of ethical investing in advice. The podcast with @IFAonlineAu their host Sarah Kendell joined Marshall Brentnall on all things ethical investing and the journey our AAN Investment Committee took last year to create our newly launched #AANSustainableGrowthModel on @praemiumltd platform. As a result of Facebook banning […]

Hugh shared some knowledge in The New Daily article, ‘Should I pay off my mortgage, or invest in shares?’. “Centaur Financial Services adviser Hugh Robertson said this is why it would make sense for “a conservative investor” to take advantage of record-low interest rates to get ahead on their mortgage. […]

Hugh recently chatted with Matt Johnson of The New Daily to discuss the stock market and investing amidst the unrest in the USA. Excerpt below — Centaur Financial Services adviser Hugh Robertson said although a major sell-off was unlikely, investors should still implement a number of “timeless principles” to mitigate […]

It’s February already, crazy how time flies. The kids are back at school and Australia is getting back to business. It’s still not business as usual, but with the vaccine rollout about to begin, there is a growing sense of optimism. There was a sense of relief on the global […]

The financial toll on parents of adult children living at home Whether you put it down to laziness, housing affordability, lavish lifestyle or wider societal changes, today almost one in three young people aged 18 to 34 live in the parental home.  That’s a figure up from about one in […]

If your New Year’s resolution was to spend less time glued to your phone, you’ve probably found that unexpectedly challenging this year. While the impact of COVID-19 differs from state to state, many of us have experienced social isolation and the call to stay and work from home where possible, […]

When the inflation rate fell into negative territory in the June quarter, it was so unusual it begged the question of what this means for the economy. Are we facing deflation or even stagflation and what is the difference? In the June quarter the annual inflation rate fell to minus 0.3 per […]

We all have bad habits, and they can be many and varied. They can be as big as poor time management which can impact your productivity, or as small as nail biting which drives your loved ones crazy! You might self-sabotage, such as tucking into that tub of ice-cream even […]

There’s no doubt we live in a curated world. Online algorithms serve up content designed to meet our needs based on what we’ve liked and engaged with in the past. And while this can help us find what we’re looking for, the problem is that while these algorithms reflect our […]

As anyone who has joined the weekend crowd at Bunnings knows, Australians love DIY. And that same can-do spirit helps explain why 1.1 million Aussies choose to take control of their retirement savings with a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF). As well as control, investment choice is a key reason for […]

At a time when many people have been focused on their family’s health and livelihood, having adequate life insurance has never been more important. Yet the gap between what we need and what we have, has been growing. Life insurance is all about ensuring your family can maintain their lifestyle […]

Does the summer break already feel like so long ago? If that holiday glow and relaxation didn’t last as long as you wanted, you’re not alone. New research indicates that the mental health benefits of a holiday unfortunately fade quicker than a tan. The study found that it takes us […]

With COVID-19 having a significant impact on traditional employment, many people are working as a contractor for the first time either by choice or necessity. It’s not just a lifestyle decision; from the tax and superannuation perspective, there are important differences between being an employee and a contractor. For employers, […]

As the economy starts to recover from COVID-19 shutdowns, some sectors may take longer than others to return to their normal operating capacity and some companies may never fully recover. That means there is still the chance that some employees could be made redundant. If you are offered redundancy, how […]