Coronavirus - May 19th Australians accessing average of $7.5K from their super: How can you make up the shortfall? New data shows more than 1.3 million Australians financially impacted by COVID-19 have applied to access their super early, taking out an average of $7,546 from their nestegg. How could they recover the shortfall?
Finance News - May 19th Reduce Home Loans does it again: New lowest variable rate loan Reduce Home Loans just beat itself to offer the lowest variable home loan on Canstar's database after slashing its rates even further, but it no longer holds first place for the lowest fixed rate loans. Non-bank...
Coronavirus - May 5th COVID-19 crisis, two months in: What's the state of finances, property and our mood? Two months after the first recorded death in Australia from COVID-19, the country is keenly feeling the economic fallout of the crisis, new statistics show. Here's what's happening to household finances, the property market and the...
Coronavirus - May 1st Coronavirus: How hard is it really to get a home loan now? Thinking about applying for a new loan or refinancing during COVID-19? It can help to know what lenders are looking for. Two insiders reveal the red flags that lenders may consider when assessing your application. If...
Finance News - April 30th Vulnerable bank customers issued debit cards: Your guide to setting up a new debit card A number of elderly Australians and people who would typically rely on cash are about to receive a debit card from their bank, but many of them may be unfamiliar with how to set one up...
Finance News - April 28th ACCC report: Savvy borrowers could be $59,000 ahead of passive home owners A report investigating home loan pricing at the big four banks has highlighted the importance for existing customers to take the reins and find a better home loan rate, or risk paying a "lethargy tax" of...
Coronavirus - April 28th Which home insurers are offering financial relief during COVID-19? If you’re looking to cut down on your household expenses during the coronavirus crisis, it might be a good idea to contact your home insurer to see if they are offering relief to customers who need...
Credit Cards - April 27th Lower interest rates flowing to credit card holders with NAB rate cut While shareholders of the bank may not be happy today, National Australia Bank has lowered one of its credit card interest rates for its customers ahead of the other major banks, continuing the trend of lower...
Credit Cards - April 24th What will happen to your Velocity Frequent Flyer Points and linked credit cards? Virgin Australia has gone into voluntary administration, leaving many Velocity account members and credit card holders wondering what will happen to their frequent flyer points. While we wait to hear if a rescue package will emerge...
Coronavirus - April 21st Coronavirus: 5 questions to ask when looking at your health insurance policy As Australians take stock of their financial situation during the coronavirus crisis, some may be looking closely at the value of their private health insurance. The cancellation of non-urgent elective surgeries and the closure of some...
Finance News - April 14th Coronavirus changes how ING assesses residential mortgage applications ING will temporarily change its home loan application process due to the widespread disruption to many Australian incomes from the coronavirus fallout. Casual employees or contractors may not be considered for a mortgage under the bank's...
Coronavirus - April 14th Refinancing a home loan: Rates hit new lows Coronavirus has delivered a financial blow to many homeowners. One way to potentially bring your costs down could be to refinance your loan, to take advantage of the lowest interest rates recorded in Australia’s history. Is...
Finance News - April 8th 8 experts weigh in on smart things to do with your money during the COVID-19 outbreak Many Australians are doing it tough as the economic impacts of coronavirus are beginning to be felt. While these are hard times financially for many people, there are some things that you can take charge of...
Finance News - April 8th Fixed rates hit record lows: Is now a good time to lock in your rate? Tracking of average home loan interest rates on our database shows the lowest rates can be found on fixed terms. An expert reveals what to consider when locking in during a time of high uncertainty. Australians...
Finance News - April 8th Pausing mortgage repayments due to COVID-19: Does it impact your credit score? If you have have been granted a six-month pause on your home loan repayments due to the coronavirus crisis, your credit rating will not be impacted, the Australian Banking Association (ABA) has announced. To support Aussies...
Finance News - April 7th Commonwealth Bank slashes variable home loan rates before cash rate decision Australia’s largest bank is not waiting on the Reserve Bank of Australia, deciding to cut some variable interest rates prior to today’s monetary policy meeting for new borrowers and some existing customers. Commonwealth Bank has changed...
Finance News - April 2nd Reduce Home Loans slashes variable rates to record low It was no April Fool's Day gimmick – Reduce Home Loans has slashed its home loan rates further, introducing the new lowest variable rate on Canstar's database. Non-bank lender Reduce Home Loans has surpassed all others...
Finance News - April 2nd Canstar’s Innovation Excellence Awards reveal financial products at the cutting edge in 2020 Canstar’s Innovation Excellence Awards showcase a selection of the cutting-edge financial products that are helping Aussie consumers. Here we reveal why the judges selected this year’s Award winners. Each year, financial institutions are invited to submit...
Coronavirus - March 30th Health insurance to cover coronavirus hospital visits and premium hikes put on hold Australians paying for hospital cover in their private health insurance policy will now be fully covered if they need to be hospitalised due to coronavirus, and most people’s premiums won’t go up for at least six...
Finance News - March 30th Life insurance, income protection cover and renting: The changes you should know about New laws that will impact super savings, rental tenancies and income protection insurance are kicking in. Here’s a timeline of what to expect and who will be affected. 23 March 2020: Sweeping changes to NSW residential...