array(1) { [0]=> &object(stdClass)#4736 (52) { ["id"]=> string(5) "15670" ["title"]=> string(37) "Capitalising on the COVID-19 pandemic" ["alias"]=> string(37) "capitalising-on-the-covid-19-pandemic" ["introtext"]=> string(208) "

More time at home means many Australians now have the opportunity to re-assess their lifestyle and spending habits and set some serious saving goals. So how can you actually go about it?

" ["fulltext"]=> string(1236) "

In this episode of The nestegg Podcast, host Grace Ormsby is joined by Melbourne-based Reventon’s Billie Christofi to talk all things finance and the impact of isolation on our hip pockets.

In stage 4 lockdown, Billie shares the importance of going back to basics when it comes to budgeting, methods to re-assess spending habits, and some of the less conventional ways people can boost their wealth at this time.

Thanks Billie, for sharing your insights with the nestegg podcast team!

Have an investment story to share? Get in touch at [email protected] and you might get featured on an upcoming episode!

" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["catid"]=> string(3) "302" ["created"]=> string(19) "2020-09-01 07:00:26" ["created_by"]=> string(4) "2386" ["created_by_alias"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2020-09-02 02:50:12" ["modified_by"]=> string(4) "2386" ["modified_by_name"]=> string(12) "Grace Ormsby" ["publish_up"]=> string(19) "2020-09-02 02:50:12" ["publish_down"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["images"]=> string(218) "{"image_intro":"images\/podcasts\/Billie_Christofi_WEB_ne.jpg","float_intro":"","image_intro_alt":"","image_intro_caption":"","image_fulltext":"","float_fulltext":"","image_fulltext_alt":"","image_fulltext_caption":""}" ["urls"]=> string(121) "{"urla":false,"urlatext":"","targeta":"","urlb":false,"urlbtext":"","targetb":"","urlc":false,"urlctext":"","targetc":""}" ["attribs"]=> string(782) "{"article_layout":"","show_title":"","link_titles":"","show_tags":"","show_intro":"","info_block_position":"","info_block_show_title":"","show_category":"","link_category":"","show_parent_category":"","link_parent_category":"","show_associations":"","show_author":"","link_author":"","show_create_date":"","show_modify_date":"","show_publish_date":"","show_item_navigation":"","show_icons":"","show_print_icon":"","show_email_icon":"","show_vote":"","show_hits":"","show_noauth":"","urls_position":"","alternative_readmore":"","article_page_title":"","video_url":"","channel_id":"UCLBR-2LtTtui_WiRuEfW3qA","show_publishing_options":"","show_article_options":"","show_urls_images_backend":"","show_urls_images_frontend":"","send":"0","test":"0","readingDiff":"3","canonical_link":""}" ["metadata"]=> string(68) "{"robots":"","author":"","rights":"","xreference":"","metatitle":""}" ["metakey"]=> string(105) "podcast, savings, financial goals, financial freedom, lockdown, pandemic, wealth, wealth creation, saving" ["metadesc"]=> string(186) "More time at home means many Australians now have the opportunity to re-assess their lifestyle and spending habits and set some serious saving goals. So how can you actually go about it?" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["hits"]=> string(3) "525" ["xreference"]=> string(0) "" ["featured"]=> string(1) "0" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["readmore"]=> string(4) "1236" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "0" ["category_title"]=> string(7) "Podcast" ["category_route"]=> string(17) "resources/podcast" ["category_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["category_alias"]=> string(7) "podcast" ["published"]=> string(1) "1" ["parents_published"]=> string(1) "1" ["lft"]=> string(2) "82" ["author"]=> string(12) "Grace Ormsby" ["author_email"]=> string(33) "[email protected]" ["parent_title"]=> string(9) "Resources" ["parent_id"]=> string(3) "300" ["parent_route"]=> string(9) "resources" ["parent_alias"]=> string(9) "resources" ["alternative_readmore"]=> NULL ["layout"]=> NULL ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4737 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4742 (95) { ["article_layout"]=> string(14) "momentum:newne" ["show_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_titles"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_intro"]=> string(1) "0" ["info_block_position"]=> string(1) "0" ["info_block_show_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_category"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_category"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_parent_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["link_parent_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_associations"]=> string(1) "0" ["flags"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_author"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_create_date"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_modify_date"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_publish_date"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_item_navigation"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_vote"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_readmore"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_readmore_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["readmore_limit"]=> string(3) "100" ["show_tags"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_icons"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_print_icon"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_email_icon"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_hits"]=> string(1) "1" ["record_hits"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_noauth"]=> string(1) "0" ["urls_position"]=> string(1) "0" ["captcha"]=> string(0) "" ["show_publishing_options"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_article_options"]=> string(1) "1" ["save_history"]=> string(1) "1" ["history_limit"]=> int(10) ["show_urls_images_frontend"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_urls_images_backend"]=> string(1) "1" ["targeta"]=> int(0) ["targetb"]=> int(0) ["targetc"]=> int(0) ["float_intro"]=> string(4) "left" ["float_fulltext"]=> string(5) "right" ["category_layout"]=> string(14) "momentum:newne" ["show_category_heading_title_text"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_category_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_description"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_description_image"]=> string(1) "0" ["maxLevel"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_empty_categories"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_no_articles"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_subcat_desc"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_cat_num_articles"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_cat_tags"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_base_description"]=> string(1) "1" ["maxLevelcat"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_empty_categories_cat"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_subcat_desc_cat"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_cat_num_articles_cat"]=> string(1) "1" ["num_leading_articles"]=> string(2) "14" ["num_intro_articles"]=> string(1) "0" ["num_columns"]=> string(1) "0" ["num_links"]=> string(1) "0" ["multi_column_order"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_subcategory_content"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_pagination_limit"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter_field"]=> string(4) "hide" ["show_headings"]=> string(1) "1" ["list_show_date"]=> string(9) "published" ["date_format"]=> string(0) "" ["list_show_hits"]=> string(1) "0" ["list_show_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["orderby_pri"]=> string(4) "none" ["orderby_sec"]=> string(5) "rdate" ["order_date"]=> string(9) "published" ["show_pagination"]=> string(1) "2" ["show_pagination_results"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_featured"]=> string(4) "show" ["show_feed_link"]=> string(1) "1" ["feed_summary"]=> string(1) "0" ["feed_show_readmore"]=> string(1) "0" ["sef_advanced"]=> int(1) ["sef_ids"]=> int(1) ["custom_fields_enable"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_page_heading"]=> NULL ["layout_type"]=> string(4) "blog" ["menu_text"]=> int(1) ["menu_show"]=> int(1) ["page_title"]=> string(70) "Retirement - Strategies and Guides for your Retirement Goals | nestegg" ["menu-meta_description"]=> string(191) "We all want to enjoy our retirement, so Nest Egg has compiled a dedicated section to superannuation options, retirement planning, and what you can do to get the most out of your golden years." ["secure"]=> int(0) ["page_description"]=> string(7) "nestegg" ["page_rights"]=> NULL ["robots"]=> NULL ["page_heading"]=> string(70) "Retirement - Strategies and Guides for your Retirement Goals | nestegg" ["access-view"]=> bool(true) } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["displayDate"]=> string(19) "2020-09-02 02:50:12" ["slug"]=> string(43) "15670:capitalising-on-the-covid-19-pandemic" ["catslug"]=> string(11) "302:podcast" ["link"]=> string(56) "/resources/podcast/capitalising-on-the-covid-19-pandemic" ["image"]=> string(43) "images/podcasts/Billie_Christofi_WEB_ne.jpg" ["image_alt"]=> string(0) "" } }

Latest Podcast

Capitalising on the COVID-19 pandemic...

Resources

There is $17.5 billion in lost and unclaimed super across ...

Retirement

Pensioner payments set for September boost

By Grace Ormsby

August 23 2019
Share

Retirement

Pensioner payments set for September boost

By Grace Ormsby
August 23 2019

Single pensioners could be up to $804 a year better off, while couples could be more than $1,000 a year better off after September’s deeming rate drop, new modelling has shown.

Pensioner payments set for September boost

By Grace Ormsby

August 23 2019
Share

Single pensioners could be up to $804 a year better off, while couples could be more than $1,000 a year better off after September’s deeming rate drop, new modelling has shown.

The research from AMP was in response to the government’s announcement earlier this year that the deeming rate would change for the first time since 2015.

The change to the deeming rates will be backdated to the beginning of the financial year and, as a result, will see single part-pensioners receiving a lump sum of up to $178, while couples could receive up to $234 as soon as the change occurs.

For individuals, it’ll mean a maximum fortnightly pension boost of $30.92 for non-homeowners holding financial investments up to $540,000, according to AMP’s research.

For non-homeowning couples holding the maximum $670,000 in total financial investments, it could mean a fortnightly pension increase of $40.50.

What are deeming rates?

“Deeming rules are used to assess income from financial investments for social security purposes,” according to AMP’s technical strategy manager, John Perri.

“Deeming assumes that financial investments are earning a set rate of income, regardless of the amount they are actually earning,” he explained.

Deeming applies to most financial investments, including listed and unlisted shares, insurance bonds as well as saving and term deposit accounts, among other assets, Mr Perri also noted.

According to the strategy manager, “Deemed income is added to a recipient’s social security assessable income from all other sources, and the total is then used to calculate the rate of social security entitlement under the income test.”

Scheduled pension increase also coming

The deeming rate change date will coincide with a scheduled increase to the age pension, the amount of which the government is yet to announce, AMP highlighted.

Mr Perri commented that it means “pensioners will have two reasons to smile in September”.

“Although the changes for the vast majority of pensioners are relatively small, having some extra money in their budgets to tackle cost-of-living expenses is a positive thing,” he offered.

“The pension is means tested and looks at a single or couple’s level of financial investments, income and assets to determine how much they receive each fortnight.”

Mr Perri considered that “having a good understanding of how many investments and other assets you can hold before your pension is impacted and by how much is a key tool to help plan for retirement”.

Forward this article to a friend. Follow us on Linkedin. Join us on Facebook. Find us on Twitter for the latest updates

Rate the article

About the author

Grace Ormsby

Grace is a journalist on Momentum Media's nestegg. She enjoys being able to provide easy to digest information and practical tips for Australians with regard to their wealth, as well as having a platform on which to engage leading experts and commentators and leverage their insight.

About the author

Grace Ormsby

Retirement Planning

Work backwards and buffer: How to set (and stick to) financial goals

Working backwards is one of the most effective ways for individuals to set financial goals that actually work, according to a finance director. ...Read more

Retirement Planning

What are self-funded retirees most worried about in 2020?

The national economy, the value of investments and the ability to manage long-term finances are top of mind of self-funded retirees reeling from the effects of a worldwide economic slump. ...Read more

Retirement Planning

Boost your super in the comfort of your own home

There’s a new way for retirees to top up their super through the downsizer contribution without having to move out of their home – and it’s got the approval of the ATO. ...Read more

Retirement Planning

How you’ll retire depends on personal values as much as dollars

Ever wondered why some people accumulate more wealth than others, even when their incomes are on par? It probably stems from their personal values, writes Helen Baker. ...Read more

Retirement Planning

Intergenerational wealth gap grows to 2-decade high

Falling rates of home ownership, government spending skewed to older Australians and deteriorating environmental factors are causing intergenerational wealth to grow, new research has shown. ...Read more

Retirement Planning

COVID set to ruin retirement plans

Australians are becoming increasingly gloomy about their retirement prospects, with many believing that the flow-on impact of COVID-19 will mean they will have to work longer, new research has found. ...Read more

Retirement Planning

‘Release the Retirement Income Review ASAP’

An industry body has demanded the immediate release of the Retirement Income Review to the public, stating that by not doing so, the government is raising concerns around transparency and policy issue...Read more