Wealth Advisors to Business and Families - Since 1985
Financial Insights
Welcome to the Hoddinott Consulting blog, where we share insights on market trends, economic developments, and key financial issues shaping today's business environment.
The information is general advice only. For personal advice designed for your unique circumstances, please contact us first.
Budgeting on an irregular income: A guide for sole-trader contractors and freelancers
October 2026
Budgeting can be hard enough for those in regular employment, who need to cover today’s bills as well as, hopefully, tomorrow’s emergency savings and investment in their future.
But if you’re a self-employed sole trader, you have three more financial headaches to add to the list: setting aside correct amounts to pay the ATO, covering your own super contributions, and dealing with periods when there is no income flowing in.
It can seem like a formidable task, but with the right advice, you can create a budget that will help you to navigate this potential minefield.
The hidden risks of working from home
October 2026
Working From Home (WFH) has been around for years. Since the COVID Pandemic, though, Australian organisations have embraced it to reduce expenses and offer employees a true work-life balance.
For workers, there are costs associated with WFH, like increased utilities usage and internet upgrades, often outweighed by the benefits.
But what about the not-so-obvious consequences? Those quiet, often intangible impacts?
Here are a number of hidden WFH traps that could potentially shape your career or long-term financial position.
Why your borrowing capacity can change even if your income hasn’t
October 2026
It’s been a while since you last had a salary increase, so the amount you could borrow as a home loan is the same as last time you checked, right?
Wrong.Your salary is only one of the factors that can affect your borrowing capacity.
There are many others, relating to changes in the economic and regulatory environment, adjustments in lenders’ loan assessment criteria, and changes in your personal financial circumstances unconnected to your earnings.
Here are some of the main reasons your borrowing power can change.
Income Protection Insurance: Is it still worth the premiums?
July 2026
Income protection insurance is a financial tool that’s essential for some people, ‘nice to have’ for others, and possibly quite unnecessary for a third group.
In other words, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to whether the premium cost justifies the risk.
It depends on your circumstances, so it’s worth examining what the cover provides and the factors that should influence your decision-making.
Strategies to avoid income tax bracket creep in a rising wage environment
July 2026
You earn more money; you pay more tax. So far, so fair.
But what’s not so fair happens when your wage rise bumps your earnings into a higher tax bracket, even though your pay increase may only be in line with inflation. This is known as ‘bracket creep’, and the combination of inflation and a higher tax rate can mean you have less purchasing power than before your pay rise.
However, you can avoid bracket creep by putting your earnings to work in a way that means they won’t be consumed by tax. Here’s how.
Blended families and money: How to protect assets fairly
July 2026
About one in 10 families in Australia is a blended or step family, according to census data, and this trend has increased in recent years.
Blended families can work well, but it’s best to aim to avoid any potential problems with the division of money and other assets.
These may occur when there are children from previous relationships, a new spouse, shared assets and sometimes former partners in the background, making the question of what is ‘fair’ quite complex.
