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Noel Whittaker

Noel Whittaker

Noel Whittaker, AM, is the author of Making Money Made Simple and numerous other books on personal finance.

When it comes to pension eligibility, your investments might be weighing you down.

Why is Centrelink penalising me for shares I cannot sell?

Centrelink assesses share values based on the ASX. Unfortunately, this doesn’t help when companies are in extended trading halts.

  • Noel Whittaker

Latest

Distributing money from a property you’ve inherited will unfortunately affect your age pension.

I’m selling mum’s house. Will gifting grandkids the proceeds cut my pension?

Unfortunately, once you inherit a property, it becomes your asset, and Centrelink’s gifting rules kick in. But there is one easy work-around.

  • Noel Whittaker
Be careful that when helping your kids, you don’t run out of money yourself.

Should I sell my home to help my three children buy a house?

Be careful when helping your kids – you do not want to put yourself into a position where you are unable to fund your aged care costs.

  • Noel Whittaker
Starting to contribute extra to your super when you’re young is a great way to boost your retirement savings.

My 15-year-old just got his first job. How can he boost his super?

The sooner you start thinking about maximising your super, the better, and there are some government schemes available to help.

  • Noel Whittaker
You should notify Centrelink whenever you buy or sell gold bullion as it changes the value and structure of your assets.

How will my gold bullion affect my pension income?

Buying gold doesn’t create assessable income, but once you own it, the value must be declared to Centrelink.

  • Noel Whittaker
Retirement spending is a bit of a maze to wind yourself through, but having confidence is key to living a life with lower financial anxiety.

I’m 61 with no plan to retire soon. Should I start tapping into my super?

There are still plenty of misconceptions about transition-to-retirement pensions.

  • Noel Whittaker
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Friendships that span different social classes can not only make you happier; they can make you richer.

Should I use my super to buy a $100k car or get a loan instead?

It may seem silly to get a car loan so late in life but, depending on your super returns, it can make sense.

  • Noel Whittaker
The difference in interest is costing you $50 a week.

I’m 73 with $19k in credit card debt. Should I use my savings to pay it off?

The interest you’re paying on credit card debt is slowly eroding your savings, but it can feel like a lot to pay off at once.

  • Noel Whittaker
Ensuring you have enough insurance when you jump into retirement is key.

I’m 63 and plan to retire soon. Should I keep my life insurance?

As you approach retirement, it makes sense to reassess what financial damage would actually be done if you died.

  • Noel Whittaker
Senior moment.

I’m 74 with $1.6m in super. Am I eligible for a healthcare card?

If you earn too much, even in retirement, you won’t be eligible for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

  • Noel Whittaker