Starting Young

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Starting Young

So if you have a child who’s ready to hurtle into adulthood, here’s how your financial adviser can help them make smart financial decisions from the get-go.

Learning to budget

Many young people find that money seems to just trickle through their fingers. In fact, 44% of people under 35 say they often buy things on impulse.¹ Your financial adviser can help, by teaching your child how to approach their financial independence responsibly.

A careful and realistic budget is your child’s most valuable tool when it comes to staying on top of their cash flow. As the first step, your adviser can show them how to balance their earnings against their expenses like rent, bills and groceries.

That way, your child will know when they have money left over for the occasional splurge. They’ll also be able to see exactly how much they can spend on a night out without blowing the rest of the week’s budget.

Creating a savings plan

When kids are just starting out in the workforce and living life to the full, they’re often living from one paycheque to the next – which can make it hard to save for life’s necessities.

That’s where your financial adviser can play an important role, by explaining some basic savings strategies that could make a big difference in the long run.

For instance, just say your son or daughter wants to save for a car. By looking at their regular earnings and expenditure, your financial adviser can help them work out how much they can afford to put away each week or month. Your adviser can also offer guidance on different types of financial products, like high-interest savings accounts, to find out which one is right for your child.

Managing debt

For many young people, there’s a temptation to think of credit cards as free money. The result? They end up in a debt spiral that can take years or even decades to escape. That’s why it’s important for your children to learn to nip debt in the bud before it gets out of control.

Your financial adviser can help your child consolidate their debts – or at least prioritise them so they can focus on paying off the ones with the highest interest rates first.

With your adviser’s guidance, your child will also be able to put together an achievable repayment plan so they can avoid paying as much interest as possible. This will lay a strong foundation for your child to manage their finances successfully when they decide to take on an even bigger debt down the track, like a mortgage.

Looking to the future

When it comes to building a nest egg, time is our greatest asset. Chances are, retirement planning is probably the last thing on your child’s mind right now. But even though they’ll reap the benefits of compulsory employer super contributions throughout their working life, adding a little extra can go a long way towards funding a comfortable retirement.

With their specialised investment knowledge, your financial adviser can demonstrate how your child could benefit from salary sacrificing a small portion of their earnings into super. For example, if your 21 year old son or daughter earns $50,000 a year and salary sacrifices just $30 a week from their pre-tax income, they could end up with a $65,000 boost to their super by the time they retire.

As with any long-term strategy, the sooner they start, the better. So talk to your adviser today about your children’s options for beginning their own financial advice journey

Speak to us for more information If you have any questions, please call SMART Financial Planning for Life on 03 5911 7000.

Important information This document has been prepared by Count Financial Limited ABN 19 001 974 625, AFSL 227232, (Count) a wholly-owned, non-guaranteed subsidiary of Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124. ‘Count’ and Count Wealth Accountants® are trading names of Count. Count advisers are authorised representatives of Count. Count is a Professional Partner of the Financial Planning Association of Australia Limited. Information in this document is based on current regulatory requirements and laws, as at 26 June 2017, which may be subject to change. While care has been taken in the preparation of this document, no liability is accepted by Count, its related entities, agents and employees for any loss arising from reliance on this document. This document contains general advice. It does not take account of your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider talking to a financial adviser before making a financial decision. Taxation considerations are general and based on present taxation laws, rulings and their interpretation and may be subject to change. You should seek professional tax advice before making any decision based on this information. Should you wish to opt out of receiving direct marketing material from your adviser, please notify your adviser by email, phone or in writing.