Expert Advice

These recent months have been a stark reminder of the volatility of share markets and the impact it can have on your life savings and your retirement. In 2002, United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld famously stated: "there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also...

The not-for-profit (NFP) Governance and Performance study released in late 2014 shows that financial sustainability is still a concern for many organisations. Additionally, with the announcement of funding cuts prior to Christmas, the challenge continues into the new year for many NFP organisations. At the release of the study, Vanessa Nolan-Woods, General Manager for the NFP sector at Commonwealth Bank...

2015 has well and truly arrived. Hopefully the holiday period gave you the opportunity to regroup and recharge before another busy year. Now is the perfect time to refresh your business, by paying some much deserved attention to your Terms and Conditions. Your Terms and Conditions form the contract between your business and your customers; they lay down what your...

Regular readers of B2B will recall that in previous editions I have written about the ability of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to recover unpaid taxes in insolvency situations. Over the past two years the scope of those recovery powers has widened significantly and this has implications for company directors and insolvency practitioners alike. Many company directors still believe that...

Renovating or building a new home can be exciting. But dream builds can quickly turn upside down if the contractor isn't suitable. Legislation in each state or territory differs; however there are some commonalities helping you spot the good builders from the bad: Choosing a builder checklist: Q: Has your builder got the correct registration or license for the job?...

As personal technology devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets, are becoming increasingly prevalent, the ATO will be focusing its attention on individuals claiming tech items as work-related tax deductions. Currently, Australians claim almost $19.5 billion each year in work related expenses, and an increasing number of tech items are being included each year. It is common for individuals to...

There has been significant public scrutiny about the cost of advice. Much concern has centred on the charging of commission which is often not aligned with the hours of service provided. Such concern raises the question for many Australians - how much am I paying for advice and what do I get for that? The government's introduction of the Future...

With the outlook uncertain for permanent positions in the public sector, the use of temporary assignments is increasing as employers move towards hiring contractors to fill immediate needs. However, a flexible workforce is about a lot more than just fulfilling short-term project requirements. It's certainly true that a significant advantage of hiring contractors is that they can be engaged and...

Just because someone visits your website doesn't mean they are ready to buy. Your sales life cycle will vary depending upon the nature of your business. However, one thing is evident in the recent times; the old style of advertising is just not working anymore. Customers now-a-days do their research before they buy. It is no longer about 'bombarding people...

It is fascinating how many investors are drawn into the "lifestyle promises and the potential investment returns" made by agents and marketers. Buying an investment property is a high dollar, long term commitment, with serious consequences if you get it wrong. Sales and marketing agents have a very clear interest in you buying what they have to offer. They are...

It is common for people or companies in the ICT industry to "team" up for various reasons. There are a wide range of examples such as: a. a software / app developer subcontracting some development of code; b. an incorporated or an unincorporated joint venture being formed for an ICT project; c. software / hardware or other ICT products being...

For clients looking to accumulate funds in a growth portfolio using a regular savings plan, many Financial Planners will recommend they use a strategy commonly known as dollar cost averaging. How does Dollar Cost Averaging work? Share markets, as an example, exhibit volatility. That is, the value of particular share, or the market in general, may increase, or decrease in...

As family lawyers we often hear from clients at the outset that "they know what to expect (in their situation) because a friend/colleague/ family member went through a divorce or separation". More often than not, the "advice" that they have been given is incorrect or misleading. Every family law matter is different and it is important to seek specialist advice...

In early November The Australian Institute of Company Directors' released its Director Sentiment Index (DSI) which is the only indicator measuring the opinions and future intentions of directors. The key findings were that directors were very pessimistic on a range of issues and their overall sentiment was back to a level in 2013 when the then Labor Government was in...

For most businesses their intellectual property (IP) make up a significant proportion of their goodwill and ultimate value. It is therefore imperative that proper safeguards are in place to allow you to identify what IP is yours and to protect it. Every business should have an IP management system to ensure that any (relevant) IP relating to / created in...

It is that time of year again, when retail fervour increases along with spending expectations in what has become euphemistically known as the 'silly season'. Shoppers abound and the retail environment seems awash with cash. The pre-Christmas and traditional Boxing Day sales bring about the long-awaited cash 'rains' for retailers, big and small. But this visage hides what is all...