Take a sec to check

Scammers aim to take advantage of weak security and plan on you being distracted with everyday life.

To keep yourself safe:

• Stop – Don’t share your personal information such as your myGov sign in details, Tax File Number (TFN), or bank account details, with anyone unless you trust the person and they genuinely require your details.
• Check – Take a sec to check. Ask yourself could the message or call be fake? Is it really the ATO contacting you?
• Protect – Act quickly if something feels wrong or you’ve noticed suspicious activity on your ATO accounts.

Always be aware of what information you share. If a scammer gets your personal information they can use it to access your bank account, sign in to your myGov account, or steal money and commit fraud in your name.

If an interaction doesn’t feel right, don’t engage. You should either:

• go to Verify or report a scam
• check our latest Scam alerts
• or phone the ATO on 1800 008 540 to check.

If you are the victim of a data breach and your personal information has been accessed, go to Data breach guidance for individuals.

Your personal information

To commit identity crime or fraud, scammers only need some of your personal information. This may include:

• full name
• date of birth
• current address
• myGov and ATO online login details
• TFN
• passwords
• bank account numbers
• credit card details
• driver’s licence details
• passport details.

They can use this information in a variety of ways, such as to commit refund fraud in your name, access your myGov account to steal your tax refund, steal your superannuation or sell your identity to organised crime groups on the dark web or via other means.

If you suspect your personal information, such as your TFN, has been stolen, misused or compromised, phone the ATO as soon as possible on 1800 467 033 between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday. They will investigate and can place extra protection on your ATO account.

Consequences of identity theft

If your identity is stolen the consequences can extend far beyond immediate financial loss (such as your super being cleaned out or refund fraud committed in your name) and lead to significant personal and professional challenges. Such as:

• impact to your credit rating, making it difficult to be approved for a loan or credit card
• making it difficult for you to prove who you are and get new identity documents
• damage to your reputation, potential for access to your social media accounts and spreading misinformation in your name
• it can also take victims of identity theft years to recover their identity and undo any damage

The emotional toll is also significant. Victims of identity theft often experience stress, anxiety and a sense of vulnerability knowing that someone else is capable of exploiting their personal information at any moment.

Protect yourself

Here are some top tips to keep your personal information safe:

• Don’t give out your personal information to anyone unless you trust the person and they genuinely require your details.
• We never send unsolicited emails or SMS with QR codes or links to an online portal. Scammers often use these methods to steal your personal information or plant malware on your devices. If you receive a notification asking you do this, it is a scam.
• Always access online services by directly typing the URL into a browser, not by clicking on a link.
• Protect your TFN – only give your TFN to organisations or people who have a legitimate need for it, such as your tax agent, current employer or bank. It’s important to verify that the person you’re giving your TFN to is who they say they are.
• Never share your passwords. Consider using passphrases instead of passwords, a password manager can help you generate or store passphrases. You should also consider updating them regularly.
• Enable multifactor authentication. If scammers obtain your password, it will be significantly harder for them to access your account.
• Keep your devices up to date. Scammers can use viruses, malware and programs to access or steal your personal information on your devices including phones, computers and tablets.
• Use your Digital ID (such as myID), set to the strongest level you can achieve, to access ATO online services through myGov.

To learn more about myID visit How to set up myID.

For top cyber security tips, visit Top cyber security tips for individuals. You can also set up Voice authentication to help protect your tax account and reduce the chance of scammers accessing it.

More information on securing your devices is available from the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

How the ATO keeps your information safe

They take the security and privacy of your personal information very seriously and have steps in place to make sure your data and online transactions are secure and safe.

They keep your personal information safe by:

• confirming your details when you contact them
• having a range of systems and controls in place to make sure your data and transactions are secure
• logging access to your personal information (to help the ATO identify any unusual behaviour).

To help you stay safe online, they:

• won’t ask you for your TFN or bank details via return email, SMS, or on social media
• won’t give your personal information to anyone without your consent, unless the law permits
• won’t communicate with you on behalf of another government agency or ask another government agency to represent them.

How they communicate with you

They may use SMS or email to ask you to contact them, but they will never send an unsolicited message with a link asking you to return personal information or log in to their online services.

The ATO has a Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn account, but will never use these platforms to ask you to provide personal information, documentation or ask you to make payments.

Source: ato.gov.au May 2025
Reproduced with the permission of the Australian Tax Office. This article was originally published on https://www.ato.gov.au/newsroom/smallbusiness/ .

If you’re a first home buyer in today’s market, you’ve likely been reading about interest rate cuts – finally, some good news! But then, just as you’re getting hopeful, you check house prices again and… yikes. Affordability is still delivering a cold splash of reality as property prices are predicted to increase over the next year.

If you’re feeling like someone forgot to give you the key, it might be time to look at which path you could tread to your first purchase.

Leverage government support (it’s there for a reason!)

There are a number of schemes and incentives aimed at helping first home buyers – both federally and through the states and territories. Here is a quick overview:

• First Home Guarantee – Allows eligible buyers to purchase with as little as 5% deposit, without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).
• First Home Super Saver Scheme – Use your super to save for a deposit with tax advantages.
• Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee – For eligible buyers purchasing in regional areas and only 5% deposit is required.
• Family Home Guarantee – Allows eligible single parents and single legal guardians of at least one dependent to purchase a home with a deposit as little as 2 per cent.
• A grant or support from your state or territory government – Many states and territories offer grants as one-off payments for eligible buyers purchasing or building a new home as well as reduced or zero stamp duty for first home buyers, often based on the value of the property.

Each state offers its own unique cocktail of grants and concessions, so it’s worth checking out what’s available and we can help you weigh up which one might be the most suitable for your circumstances.

The Bank of Mum and Dad

Still the fastest-growing lender in Australia, parental support is more common than ever. More than 60% of first home buyers in Australia receive some form of financial assistance from their parents to buy their first home.

Assistance can be in the form of a gift, a loan or going guarantor. If your folks are open to helping financially, it can make a huge difference.

That said, not everyone has this option, and it’s worth remembering that family money can sometimes come with strings attached.

Consider co-buying with a friend

If you are single, it can be particularly hard to get into the market and buying with a friend can make owning a home more affordable by splitting the deposit and the repayments down the middle. Plus, sharing ongoing costs like maintenance and bills can take some pressure off your budget.

That said, things can get tricky if one of you wants to sell early, or if your priorities suddenly diverge. Legal and financial clarity is essential, so if you go down this path, make sure you’ve got a solid agreement in place and some honest conversations under your belt.

Rentvesting – buy where you can afford, live where you love

Recent research found 54% of first home buyers were considering ‘rentvesting’ to get into the property market, so rentvesting is certainly gaining traction. The idea is simple: you buy in a more affordable area and rent where you want to live.

It’s not the traditional white-picket-fence dream, but it can be a clever way to build equity while maintaining lifestyle flexibility.

Compromise to achieve your dream

We know you’d love a three-bedder, walking distance to your favourite café, with a study, backyard, AND water views. But unless you’re sitting on a trust fund, you’ll probably need to adjust your wish list. The three big levers are:

• Location – Look at up-and-coming suburbs or regional areas.
• Condition – A fixer-upper can be a long-term win if you’re handy (or handy with a budget).
• Size – A smaller footprint or apartment can be a smart first step.

Think about your priorities and use the levers above to work within your budget. If you’re still feeling like the great Australian dream is out of reach, take a breath. There are many ways to get into the market, and a little creative thinking can go a long way.

We help first home buyers like you find your own way in, every day. So, if you’re ready to chat about what your journey could look like, come talk to us.

If you have any questions or need any information please give us a call on 039723 0522.

Some people genuinely enjoy tracking their spending. They carefully categorise expenses, balance the numbers, and colour-code everything in a spreadsheet. And then there’s the rest of us. Maybe you’ve tried budgeting before, and it felt restrictive and time-consuming. Maybe it didn’t stick and that’s okay.

Here’s the thing: you don’t necessarily need a budget to be good with money. You can still save, still feel on top of things, and still plan for the future without ever opening a spreadsheet or managing every single dollar you spend. It’s just a matter of picking an approach (or a combination of approaches!) that works for you.

Pay yourself first and separate your savings

The first thing you should do is move your money before you even see it. This simple shift can make a surprisingly big difference. Set up an automatic transfer right after payday so a portion of your income goes directly into a savings account. Don’t overthink the amount. It doesn’t have to be large or ambitious. Even a small, consistent transfer builds over time. What matters is that it happens first, before your brain has a chance to decide it needs that money for something else.

You can even take it a step further by keeping your savings in a separate bank account that’s harder to access. No debit card. No app that shows your balance every time you open it. The more friction between you and your savings, the more likely it is to stick around.

Clear the path of temptation

Once your savings is in motion, work out what’s pulling you into spending money unnecessarily. The sale emails, the apps you open when you’re bored, the brands that pop up when you’re trying not to shop. These tiny nudges are more powerful than they seem.

You don’t need to delete everything or cut yourself off completely, but even unsubscribing from a few promotional emails or hiding shopping apps in a folder you rarely open can create just enough space to think twice. When you’re not constantly being invited to spend, you’re far less likely to do it on autopilot.

Try a soft delay instead of a hard no

That extra space you’ve created helps with impulse spending too. Not by banning every fun purchase, but by adding a small pause. Try giving yourself a 24-hour buffer before buying anything over a certain amount. It gives you time to decide if you actually want or need the item or if it just caught you at the right (or wrong) moment. This gentle pause often results in walking away from things that seemed urgent but weren’t.

Let saving feel good

As your balance starts to look a little healthier, saving can even become satisfying. Not in a charts-and-goals kind of way, but in the quiet moments of progress. Maybe it’s a day where you don’t spend anything and feel oddly proud. Or maybe it’s realising you didn’t make any impulse purchases this week and still felt fine.

Try turning this into a habit by choosing one day a week to avoid all non-essential spending. Call it whatever you like. It’s not about being strict or punishing yourself. It’s about pressing pause, resetting your habits, and noticing how little effort it can take to save when you give yourself a break from the constant flow of spending.

These small changes tend to build on each other, even if you’re not consciously tracking them.

Use tools that save without asking

Some of the best saving happens without effort. Many banks and apps now offer round-up features that add a few cents to your savings every time you make a purchase. Buy a $5.20 coffee, and 80 cents goes into your savings account automatically. It’s like a digital jar where your spare change quietly collects, without requiring you to do anything.

Cash to help save

If you like having some limits but don’t want to track every detail, try using cash for small, everyday spending. Withdraw a set amount each week for things like coffee, snacks, or takeout. When it’s gone, it’s gone. You’re still free to enjoy your day-to-day treats, but now there’s a built-in stopping point.

None of this is traditional budgeting. But it works. And the best part? You didn’t have to give up your coffee or your peace of mind to get there. You just gave your money a chance to grow.

If you have a poor credit score or an error in your credit report, it may affect loans or credit you apply for. You have a right to get errors fixed for free, and you can arrange this yourself.

What you can get fixed (for free)

Here are some of the typical errors in credit reports. You can get these fixed for free.

Errors by the credit reporting agency

The credit reporting agency may have reported your information wrongly. For example:

• your name, date of birth or address needs updating
• a debt is listed twice
• the amount of a debt is wrong

To fix this kind of error, contact the credit reporting agency. They may be able to fix it straight away or help you get it changed.

Errors by the credit provider

A credit provider may have reported information wrongly. For example, they:

• incorrectly listed that a payment of $150 or more was overdue by 60 days or more
• did not notify you about an unpaid debt
• listed a default (an overdue debt) while you were in dispute about it
• didn’t show that they had agreed to put a payment plan in place or change the contract terms
• created an account by mistake or as a result of identity theft

To fix this kind of error:

• Contact the credit provider and ask them to get the incorrect listing removed.
• If the credit provider agrees it’s wrong, they’ll ask the credit reporting agency to remove it from your credit report.

If you can’t reach an agreement, contact the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) to make a complaint and get free, independent dispute resolution.

If you’re struggling to get something fixed, you can contact a free financial counsellor for help.

What you can’t change or remove

You can’t change or remove any information on your credit report that is correct — even if it’s negative information.

For example:

• All payments you’ve made during the last two years — on credit cards, loans or bills, whether you paid on time or not.
• Payments of $150 or more that are overdue by 60 days or more — these stay on your report for five years, even after you’ve paid them off.
• All applications for credit cards, store cards, home loans, personal loans and business loans — these stay on your report for five years.

For a full list, see what’s in your credit report.

Check before you use a credit repair company

You may see ads from credit repair companies offering to fix errors on your credit report about credit products (like credit cards).

Before you go ahead, check the credit repair company is licensed on ASIC’s website. Choose ‘Credit Licensee’ or ‘Credit Representative’ in the drop-down menu when you search.

Only deal with a licensed credit repair company.

You don’t need to pay a credit repair company to clean up errors in your credit report. They may charge you high fees for things you can do by yourself for free. Paying a credit repair company may not improve your credit score.

How to improve your credit score

If your credit score is low, there are steps you can take to help improve it. You can:

• lower your credit card limit
• limit how many applications you make for credit
• pay your rent or mortgage on time
• pay your utility bills on time
• pay your credit card on time each month — either pay in full or pay more than the minimum repayment

As you do these things, your credit score will start to improve. So you’ll be more likely to be approved next time you apply for a loan or credit.

Source:
Reproduced with the permission of ASIC’s MoneySmart Team. This article was originally published at https://moneysmart.gov.au/managing-debt/credit-repair

If you have any questions or need any information please give us a call on 039723 0522.

What is a retirement village

There are so many options when it comes to moving into a retirement village. Here we explain what some of them are along with the contractual arrangements you may have for each accommodation.

A retirement village is accommodation:

• intended for people who are 55 years or older
• that may be independent living units, serviced apartments, care facilities or a combination of these
• providing services and communal facilities to residents
• operated by government, commercial businesses or as a charitable retirement village by a charitable body.

Retirement villages don’t include residential care as defined in aged care legislation or commercial residential property.

Types of occupancy arrangements

Retirement village contracts aren’t the same as ordinary residential property contracts. A retirement village contract is normally terminated on the death of a resident or when the resident leaves the village, for example, to go to an aged care facility.

Retirement villages offer several different contractual arrangements to residents. The most common types of contracts are:

• long-term leases or licences
• periodic leases
• long-term loan leases or licences
• special share or unit classes
• strata title schemes
• purple titles (tenancy in common).

Long-term leases or licences

A long-term lease in a retirement village will typically be a lease or licence to live in a retirement village for a period of more than 49 years.

The lease doesn’t amount to ownership of the unit or part of the property but is registered on the title deeds of the retirement village.

The contracts are commonly known as lease premium arrangements.

Entry

Commonly in a leasehold situation, an incoming resident pays an entry contribution close to the market value of the dwelling. In return they’re given:

• a long-term lease on that unit
• the right to use the communal facilities in the retirement village.

Upkeep

The residents pay for the upkeep of the communal facilities. This may occur on a continuing basis through a regular fee or levy. The communal facilities remain your property as the operator of the retirement village.

Termination

Depending on the contractual agreements, on termination of the lease the outgoing resident or beneficiaries may be entitled to a lease termination payment. This might be higher than the entry contribution due to capital growth (if there is any entitlement to capital growth or appreciation). Deferred management, refurbishment and other fees (commonly referred to as exit fees) are charged either on the incoming or outgoing price of the dwelling.

Periodic leases

Another form of lease is the prepaid or periodic rental lease, where a resident pays a period of rent in advance.

Entry

Residents with this kind of lease pay a fortnightly or monthly instalment that includes rent and a service fee. The rent is usually calculated in line with government pensions and rent assistance payments. Entry may be subject to a means test for the incoming resident.

Termination

If the lease is terminated before the stipulated years are up, the resident may get a refund for the time remaining.

Strata title schemes

Entry

Residents with strata title to their units are owners and have a separate certificate of title. They may either:

• share as tenants-in-common in the ownership of the communal facilities, or
• be granted rights to the use of communal facilities.

Upkeep

The residents may pay for the upkeep of the communal facilities, on a continuing basis, through a regular fee or levy.

Termination

When the resident leaves the retirement village, the tax consequences depend on the resident’s personal circumstances.

Purple titles (tenancy in common)

Entry

Each resident purchases an equal undivided share or ‘purple title’ in the retirement village. This means every co-owner would have an equal interest in every unit in the village. A resident would then be granted an exclusive use of one of the units in the village. In this way, each resident can occupy a residence to the exclusion of the other co-owners of the village. They don’t own the unit, but they do own a share in the whole property.

Upkeep

The residents may pay for the upkeep of the communal facilities, on a continuing basis through a regular fee or levy.

Termination

When the resident leaves the retirement village, the tax consequences depend on the resident’s personal circumstances.

To find out more about these types of accommodations, contact us for more information.

Source: ato.gov.au February 2025
Reproduced with the permission of the Australian Tax Office. 

Key points:

• My Aged Care will be your first point of contact if you are looking to access Government funded aged care services
• A RAS or ACAT/S assessment can determine what services will best suit your needs
• If you are found eligible for government-funded services, you will then be able to start looking for aged care providers

UPDATE — from December 9, 2024, the Single Assessment System replaced the Regional Assessment Service, independent Australian National Aged Care Classification assessors and ACAT/ACAS specialists. Every approved assessor will be able to deliver an assessment for each level of support, whether in-home or for residential care. More information can be found on the Aged Care Guide website.

The first thing you need to do is register with My Aged Care. This is the agency that looks after all government-funded aged care programs.

When you first call the My Aged Care Contact Centre, on 1800 200 422, an operator will register you and ask you a number of questions about your personal circumstances and care needs.

These questions will be quite basic and shouldn’t take too long. All you will need is your Medicare card when you call as this information is stored with your other details on the My Aged Care database.

Examples of the questions you will be asked are:

• Are you currently receiving aged care services?
• Are you getting support from a carer or family member?
• Can you prepare your own meals and do housework?
• Do you need assistance taking a shower or bath and do you need help getting dressed?
• Are there any health concerns or did you have a recent fall?
• Do you feel lonely or isolated?
• Are there any safety risks in the home?

The aim of this screening is to figure out what needs and support you require and whether you are eligible for a further assessment in person.

Additionally, the information you provide during this quick process will be recorded on your application, so you don’t have to stress about remembering the information you provided during your eligibility check.

If you are worried about doing the eligibility check by yourself, you are allowed to have a family member, friend or carer with you for support while applying online or on the phone.

You can also nominate someone to apply on your behalf. In this case, you will need to appoint your family member, friend or carer as your representative on My Aged Care.

If you are successful in your application, the contact centre operator will refer you for either a RAS or ACAT/S home support assessment.

If the operator determines that you are eligible for basic home support through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) you will be assessed by a Regional Assessment Service (RAS).

Otherwise, if the operator believes you require higher care support, a member of an Aged Care Assessment Team/Service (ACAT/S) will visit you at home to assess you for a Home Care Package (HCP) that will meet your needs.

When you first contact My Aged Care, the contact centre operator will assign you an aged care client number and will open a central client record. This record will eventually contain your information about your assessed needs and government-funded care services you have been found eligible for.

What will a face to face assessment be like?

Your in-person assessment will be a lot more comprehensive than your over the phone eligibility check.

Be open and transparent about your wishes and what you believe will be of assistance around the home.

Your ACAT/S assessor may recommend things you haven’t even thought of, which will be of benefit around the home.

If you require higher level care than what a Home Care Package can offer, they may assess you as needing entry into an aged care home.

Checklist for a face to face assessment

To prepare for your face to face assessment, make sure to have:

• Medicare card and a form of identification, for instance, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) card, driver’s license, passport, or healthcare card
• Notes or referrals from your doctor
• Ask a support person to be present for the assessment if you want
• Prepared questions and information about aged care that you wish to discuss with the assessor so you have a better understanding about services
• Contact details for your doctor and any other health professionals you see regularly
• Information on support you receive from others or from the community
• Have a translator or Auslan interpreter pre-organised if you require it

What to expect

You may need to fill out an Application for Care Form which will be provided by the assessor.

You can expect a conversation with the assessor asking you about your needs or any health problems.

They will ask you about any support you receive, your current lifestyle, any health concerns or chronic illnesses, how you deal with day to day tasks at home, if you struggling with any cognitive issues or memory loss, whether you have problems at home or with personal safety, any activities you engage in with family or in the community, and they will ask if they can chat with your doctor.

If you have a family member, friend or carer with you, the assessor may ask you for permission to talk to them about any support they believe you might benefit from.

What next?

If you are eligible for CHSP service, you should be told during your face-to-face assessment.

However, if you are eligible for a Home Care Package, any short-term care options or nursing homes, there will be a period of time where your assessor reviews the information you provided and determines what option best suits you.

They will provide a recommendation to a “decision maker,” who will then make the final decision on your case.

You will receive a letter within two weeks of your assessment to let you know if you have been found eligible for aged care services.

Source:
This article was originally published on https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/assessing-your-needs. Reproduced with permission of DPS Publishing.