Funerals: IPART greenlights wrongdoing
8 September 2021
NSW funeral directors must publish price lists and stick to them. Problem is, only some do, and an even bigger problem is that regulators clearly don't care whether directors comply or not.
Social housing going backwards in NSW
8 September 2021
In NSW spending on social housing is down, social housing as a proportion of total housing is down but the waiting list for social housing is also down, how is that possible? Some moves by the NSW Government play a large part.
Self-managed super: could you do your own accounts and save?
1 September 2021
Do you pay thousands in fees to have your SMSF accounts and SMSF tax return prepared and audited? Did you know that you don't really have to get an accountant to do it?
Home Care Packages: aids and equipment may be harder to get
1 September 2021
From 1 September, the Government is paying Home Care Package providers in arrears for services provided to care recipients. A logical measure but one that may make getting aids and equipment even more difficult than it was before.
Electricity: how to register as a life support customer
1 September 2021
If you or someone you live with needs to use life supporting medical equipment at home such as home dialysis, ventilators or oxygen concentrators, you should register as a life support customer with your energy retailer as soon as possible.
20 Age Pensioners on cashless welfare card, what does it mean for you?
25 August 2021
The Government has always maintained and continues to maintain that it won’t put Age Pensioners on the Cashless Welfare Card, but now the truth is out.
Energy vouchers up and free payphones
25 August 2021
Households in financial hardship can access more assistance for energy costs and Telstra has made its payphones free of charge.
Afterpay or afterdebt, don’t be fooled by the no-interest promise
25 August 2021
Remember the old lay-bys? You wouldn’t get what you wanted until it was paid off, without interest. Now there’s a new version. You get what you wanted to buy straight away, no interest. Sounds too good to be true?
Financial services compensation scheme an insult to victims
25 August 2021
Australians ripped off by funeral insurance schemes will be excluded from the Federal Government’s compensation scheme for victims of financial scandals.
COVID Check-in cards make signing in without a smartphone easier
18 August 2021
COVID-19 check-in cards are now available to use to enter stores in NSW instead of using a smartphone or a pen and paper. Find out how to get yours.
Your home care is changing soon, here’s what we know
18 August 2021
From July 2023, less than two years from now, things are going to change in a big way for anyone getting home care. The question is: is it going to be an improvement?
Why your super fund will short-change you in your retirement and how it could be different
18 August 2021
What happens to your super once you retire? Would you know how to make it last until you eventually die? Your super fund would know, right?
Home care workers victims of early vaccine rollout mistake
11 August 2021
Home care workers, nursing home workers and many other workers are struggling to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Who should go first? Or is that even a question?
What happens when there’s an emergency and the NBN is down?
11 August 2021
When the NBN goes down, internet and home phone services become inaccessible. So, what happens during an emergency? How can you make a call for help without the NBN?
How to stop computer scammers targeting you
11 August 2021
It used to be bank robberies and muggings but the criminals making a living committing those crimes are increasingly moving online. Here’s what to do if you are concerned you may be a victim or could become a victim.
Your pension is going up but not by 3.8 per cent
4 August 2021
The inflation spike of 3.8 per cent in the June quarter will carry through into the pension, but it doesn’t mean your pension is going up by 3.8 per cent.
How to make your Home Care Package pay for less admin, more care
4 August 2021
High fees for administration, coordination and case management leave many older people with a Home Care Package wondering if their Package takes care of them or their provider’s bottom line.
Transport inequity: city vs country
4 August 2021
Country seniors and pensioners continue to enjoy the $250 Regional Seniors Travel Card among other transport discounts but is there enough on offer to match the benefits of the Gold Opal Card?
To SMSF or not to SMSF, that’s the half-a-billion-dollar question
28 July 2021
Do you really need your Self-Managed Superannuation Fund or could you live tax-free without it? The answer might surprise you.
How to jack up the price of nursing home bonds and look scientific about it
28 July 2021
Artificial intelligence is very real but when marketing consultants start spruiking it in pursuit of new business you ought to smell a rat, particularly if the aged care industry is involved.