Finance stuff you should know
Many of us leave school having learned how Pythagoras measured the area of a triangle but don’t know anything about compound interest, superannuation or how to invest.
With this in mind, Miss Money Box is going to drop a few little knowledge bombs on you.
Understanding compound interest from an early age, when we are best placed to make the most of its benefits, can have a huge impact on our financial future.
Compound interest is basically interest that you earn on interest. Money that is compounded over a long period of time can end up being worth a fair bit. If children and teenagers had a better understanding of compound interest, they could use the one thing that they have over the rest of us – more time to build wealth.
It’s never too late to become more financially literate. If you grasp the concept of compound interest, it will pay off big time in your future.
Measuring the angles of this triangle will help you secure a comfortable retirement, right?
Having at least a basic understanding of the stock market, how it works and the importance of investing could make a huge difference in the financial futures of many Australians.
The stock market is seen as confusing by many, with women in particular feeling locked out of possible investment returns due to a financial services industry targeted towards, and dominated by men.
Investing in the stock market is something you can do as a way to build wealth that has a much lower barrier to entry than property.
The superannuation guarantee means that every wage-earning Australian sees 9.5 percent of their salary placed into their nominated super fund.
However, with people living longer and the cost of living going up, this amount may not be enough.
Salary sacrificing extra money into your super account will not only see you enjoy a comfortable retirement, the tax benefits (a low rate of 15 percent) make it a great way to invest.
Both low and high-income earners have great reasons to make extra contributions. The Australian government has incentivised additional super contributions for low-income earners. This means that if your annual income is less than around $50k per year and you contribute additional after-tax $$$ into your superannuation, the government will make a co-contribution payment.
For those on higher salaries, there’s the possibility of paying less income tax if you salary sacrifice into your super as contributions – up to certain limits – are not counted as assessable income for tax purposes.
That’s it. Three little tips that could make a big difference to your finances.