News

While Australia’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was among the best in the world, the speed and spread of the illness underlined just how fragile life can be. It was also a solemn reminder of the importance of ensuring your affairs are in order, so your wishes are met – […]

With Australia in a COVID-induced recession, residential property is not immune to falling economic activity. Yet housing prices are proving surprisingly resilient.  Only months ago, economists were forecasting a housing price slump of 20 per cent or more. Now, most have revised their forecasts to price falls of between five […]

Hugh recently chatted with Matt Johnson of The New Daily to discuss spending and surviving through COVID-19 Excerpt below — Centaur Financial Services director Hugh Robertson said now is a time for households to enter “survival mode” to shore up their finances, instead of ramping up non-essential spending. “It’s good […]

With COVID-19 dominating everyone’s thoughts, employers are being offered a brief window of opportunity to get their tax affairs in order with the new Superannuation Guarantee (SG) amnesty. There is also a range of virus related assistance on offer to help affected business and individual taxpayers.  Here’s a roundup of […]

As this financial year draws to a close, it will be viewed as a year like no other. COVID-19 (coronavirus) has impacted everybody’s life, albeit in different ways for different people. For some, staying at home has meant you have greater savings; for others, the virus has meant lower wages […]

To further support Australian businesses through the fallout resulting from COVID-19, the government has extended the $150,000 instant asset write-off for an additional six months to 31 December 2020.  Initially announced on 12 May and intended to last until 30 June, the government’s $17.6bn stimulus package in part temporarily increased […]

The Government has announced the new HomeBuilder program to support jobs and boost demand in the residential construction sector at a time when the construction industry is facing extreme uncertainty.  Prime Minister Scott Morrison says this will drive a “tradie-led recovery” of the economy. HomeBuilder will provide all eligible owner-occupiers […]

For every action there is a reaction. And while we’re not criticising the government’s policy response to COVID-19, we recognise that such intervention often has unintended consequences.  Take lower interest rates for instance. Central banks intended to make the cost of investment cheaper and be stimulatory. Instead, Australian households borrowed […]

The recent sell-off on global sharemarkets due to the economic impact of COVID-19 has highlighted the risks of depending too heavily on a single asset class. Even before the current crisis, the ATO was concerned about a minority of self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) with up to 90 per cent of […]

As this financial year draws to a close, it will be viewed as a year like no other. COVID-19 (coronavirus) has impacted everybody’s life, albeit in different ways for different people. For some, staying at home has meant you have greater savings; for others, the virus has meant lower wages […]

Hugh recently chatted with Matt Johnson of The New Daily to give some frank advice on mortgages Excerpt below — Centaur Financial Services managing director Hugh Robertson said it was unsurprising more of his clients asked about refinancing since Australia’s coronavirus lockdown began. “When times get bad, we want to […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our day-to-day lives in a dramatic way. One of the biggest changes to come from this period, was a transition to working from home for many people.  On top of this adjustment, parents had the additional challenge of monitoring remote schooling for their children. Social […]

It always takes some planning to get your finances in order for the end of financial year, and this year may look a little different, come June 30. The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted your circumstances and therefore your situation could be looking different to normal.  Perhaps you have been […]

We’ve all read internet fake news and passed down family stories about common retirement “rules of thumb”. Google the word “retirement” and you’ll get 748,000,000 results in 0.65 seconds. It’s no wonder there’s so much confusion. There’s rarely a one-size-fits-all solution to planning for retirement. So, don’t buy into the […]

At a time of uncertainty about the economy, not to mention unexpected social isolation, people are rethinking their personal and financial priorities.  Whether you are spending less by necessity or because you are living more simply at home, this could be a good time to reassess your spending and review […]

Hugh sat down for a chat with Noel Lord, Head of Retail Sales and Channel Development at MetLife Australia to discusses how COVID-19 has impacted the way he and his team work and engage with customers. “Good morning everybody, and welcome to the MetLife podcast series. My name’s Noel Lord, […]

Hugh recently chatted with Matt Johnson of The New Daily to weigh in on the redraw v offset account saga. Excerpt below — Centaur Financial Services managing director and financial adviser Hugh Robertson said the saga highlighted the low levels of financial literacy around both options. “If you talk to […]

Have you ever gone through a major life event that forced you to start again? For some, it’s a scary time filled with change, anxiety and confusion. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You’re human and starting over is not something you have to do alone. That’s what […]

The Morrison Government’s mind-bogglingly large support packages to get Australians through the COVID-19 shutdown have dominated headlines, and rightly so. Only months ago, the Australian economy was in relatively good shape and headed for a Budget surplus. It’s not just the Government that has swung into action. Behind the scenes, […]

The federal government has been releasing details of financial support available to Australians who have lost income due the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A huge number of us have been affected in some way and many have been left feeling stressed and confused about what to do to […]

“In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to…” Many people around us have been using this time to consider the kind of world they hope to live in. The values they wish to see and the aspects […]

Have you received an unexpected email or text asking you to ‘confirm’ personal details by clicking on a link or opening an attachment? It could be an attempt to steal your information for financial gain. Identity theft is on the rise, so it’s important to know how to protect yourself. […]

Global economic activity has grounded to a halt, prompting fears the world is in for a re-run of The Great Depression. While there might be similar scenes, the parallels are not as strong as you may think. Without a doubt, countries worldwide are in for sharp, deep recessions as they […]

With many people now working from home because of COVID-19, some of the expenses your employer normally pays – such as electricity, heating and cooling – are now coming out of your wallet. Although some employers may provide a daily allowance to help with these additional costs, if you’re not […]

Being stuck in isolation due to the coronavirus can be a real drain on your psychological health. But you can work through it. Your psychological health reflects how you feel, think, behave and relate to others. All of these areas are being affected by current global events and the need […]

In the current climate, many businesses are needing to make changes to accommodate staff working remotely. If you are able to work from home the ensuing changes to your work habits can be challenging to negotiate, however there are things you can do to ensure that you maintain productivity and […]

Hugh chatted to AFA to share his big hairy audacious goal for 2019, his most recent high-five moment plus advice to his younger self! Why financial advice?   I always wanted to be in a meaningful industry which I believe ours is, and it gives me the ability to help […]

Hugh recently spoke with Tahn Sharpe from Professional Planner to give his thoughts on the role of the CFP designation. Excerpt below: —- Hugh Robertson, who runs Centaur Financial Services on the Gold Coast, says the CFP is as rewarding as it is difficult. “It’s a really tough thing to […]

Hugh recently sat down with Adam Crabbe, Risk Strategy Specialist at Zurich Financial Services Australia to discuss the Centaur difference, fees and client engagement, and the process of informing clients after the initial client meeting. Listen to the podcast

On April 8th, the JobKeeper package was passed by both sides of Parliament and legislated. This update offers further guidance on the scheme. Workers with multiple jobs If you are employed by multiple businesses, you are only eligible to receive the payment from your nominated primary employer. Timing The JobKeeper […]