Bryan Ashenden

Sep 10, 2024 | westpac.com.au | James Thornhill |Sarah Conte |Hannah Stenning |Bryan Ashenden

In a new series, Tim Howard from BT’s Technical Services team offers guidance on a range of personal finance topics, from superannuation and tax to social security payments. Tim is a technical consultant with BT, with close to 20 years of experience assisting financial advisers and their clients with all aspects of financial planning. BT’s Technical Services team receives around 8,000 queries a year from financial advisers on superannuation, tax, social security and regulatory topics.

Sep 3, 2024 | westpac.com.au | James Thornhill |Sarah Conte |Hannah Stenning |Bryan Ashenden

With many households feeling the pinch from cost-of-living pressures, it pays to find savings where you can. And with energy bills on the rise, making your home more energy efficient is a great place to start.  Here are eight steps to consider:Step 1: Identify and seal air leaksMany homes, particularly older ones, are draughty, allowing cold air in during winter and hot air in summer. This can result in an uncomfortable living environment as well as raising heating and cooling expenses.

May 29, 2024 | westpac.com.au | Kripa Krithivasan |Ben Young |James Thornhill |Bryan Ashenden

While retirement can herald an exciting new phase of life, for many it also comes with challenges. Some retirees enter retirement on their own terms while others may be forced to retire due to ill health, workplace changes or family circumstances. Retirees can also face competing priorities, such as balancing the need for income with the fear of outliving their savings -– a valid concern, as improvements in medical science mean we are now living longer.

Feb 13, 2024 | westpac.com.au | Ben Young |James Thornhill |Josh Wall |Bryan Ashenden

Money can be a source of friction for many couples, and in most cases the root cause is a lack of communication on the topic. Research commissioned by Westpac shows that many Australians feel more comfortable talking about what they get up to with their partner in the bedroom than about their shared finances, with 89 per cent of survey respondents agreeing that they find the subject of money awkward.

Feb 8, 2024 | westpac.com.au | James Thornhill |Bryan Ashenden |Josh Wall |Besa Deda

Australian businesses are showing resilience in the face of a slowing economy, managing to offset declining turnover by reducing their costs, according to Westpac Business Bank’s latest quarterly snapshot. The report, which draws on the Group’s proprietary data from commercial and SME customers, showed that while turnover fell by 3 per cent in the December quarter, expenses dropped by 4 per cent to their lowest level since the March quarter of 2022.