Plan and Implement Financial Planning - Mary Favelle

Last year I participated in this important fund-raiser. Shining a light on su***de among ADF members and veterans. I am marching for the families and friends left asking themselves everyday if there was something they could have done. Please support me in this endeavour.

Support my 96km challenge to prevent veteran su***de and save lives This March, I'm be marching on to help prevent veteran su***de and save lives. Please sponsor me now

The amazing Patricia Routledge, best remembered as Hyacinth Bucket in the classic BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has spoken openly about her long life in a moving podcast conversation.

Now aged 97, she reflected on her decades in the spotlight, her more recent hobbies, and shared thoughtful words of encouragement for those who may be anxious about ageing.

Patricia told Jay Speaks:
“My life didn’t quite take shape until my forties. I had worked steadily—on provincial stages, in radio plays, in West End productions—but I often felt adrift, as though I was searching for a home within myself that I hadn’t quite found.”

“At 50, I accepted the role of Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances. I thought it would be a small part in a little series. I never imagined that it would take me into people’s living rooms and hearts around the world.”

In her sixties, Patricia began learning Italian so she could sing opera in its original language. At 70, she made a return to the Shakespearean stage, something she had once thought was behind her.

During her eighties, she discovered a love for watercolour painting, creating flowers from her garden and portraits inspired by faces she recalled from her years travelling on the London Underground.

Now in her nineties, she cherishes the simple joys of life, saying she enjoys handwriting letters and treasures “the quiet.”

“I’m learning to bake rye bread. I still breathe deeply every morning. I still adore laughter – though I no longer try to make anyone laugh. I love the quiet more than ever.”

“I am writing this to tell you something simple: Growing older is not the closing act. It can be the most exquisite chapter – if you let yourself bloom again.

Let these years ahead be your treasure years. You don’t need to be famous. You don’t need to be flawless. You only need to show up – fully – for the life that is still yours.”

Absolutely brilliant from Dame Patricia 👏🏻

Here is a good article about the positive and negative consequences of market risk, personalised throughvthe experience of a reputable fund manager. Being a smart investor is not about always getting it right. It is about investing appropriately for your timeframe and life stage.

Losing it all taught this fund manager how to invest to win Sydney fund manager Roger Montgomery learnt early the thrill of doubling your money.

Timely advice from the fantastic Moneysmart website. Most useful financial information tool the Government has.

Take a moment and think about the technological changes that people over the age of 70 have had to learn and adapt to over time. It is impressive.

With online banking and investing cannibalising traditional people-to-people client servicing, it is getting harder to track scams. I encourage everyone to check a request or offer made online and PLEASE, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK!!!!

Bridging the grandparent gap: Helping the elderly fight scammers Older Australians are facing a relentless onslaught of online scams, with new data revealing they were the only age group to suffer an increase in financial losses, totalling $120m.

How to deal with money and property issues in a relationship How to deal with money and property issues in a relationship

This is so common. If an offer sounds too good or too easy, share it with a trusted adviser to test the validity.

Here is my Budget Night summary. Feel free to contact me if you want to know more about your personal financial position.

Federal Budget 2025 “Hip Pocket” Summary Last night's Election Year budget has offered some financial benefits, promised others but left a swag of people asking

I have read through many Federal Budget briefing notes today, but I think this infograph from KPMG is a clever snap-shot of the benefits for different sectors of the community

For the first time I am struggling to get excited about Budget Night, and it is an Election Year!This is very strange for me, as it is my favourite TV night of the year.

It feels like I’ve just received my January credit card statement and I am dreading opening the envelope.

I fear the deficit and debt position is going to be bad. There is only so long you can exist with your head in the sand thinking you can spend your way out of trouble.

Productivity is the key to economic success. The solution to that little chestnut is unlikely to be revealed tonight, or even in the Budget reply, but raising productivity is the answer and should be the focus for all Australians if we want to remain a wealthy country.

Take a listen to this!

Overlooked tax deductions. Always a good idea to check with a tax professional to ensure you are getting everything you are entitled to.

A big mistake to avoid is making personal contributions to superannuation, with the intent of claiming them as tax deductions, but forgetting to notify your superannuation fund with a completed ‘Notice of Intent To Claim’ form.

If you lodge your tax return without first having the contribution acknowledged by your superannuation fund as concessional, it will be considered non-concessional and therefore will not be tax deductible.

Overlooked tax deductions could be costing you big money Forgotten tax deductions are costing Australians a huge chunk of money each year, but taxpayers have ways to claw back their missing refunds.