5 Financial

16/10/2026

This week’s term in our financial literacy series: collateral. It connects to a few earlier terms, since a lender will usually value the asset first and then lend only a portion of that value.

If you’re weighing up a loan and want to understand what you’d be securing it against, our finance broking team is glad to walk you through it.

11/10/2026

Pizza with Pizzaz in 2008.

That’s Anne and Matt Farrell at one of our client nights, twenty years after Matt founded the firm.

The name still makes us smile and the idea behind it hasn’t changed. Get people in a room to share a meal and talk about life, not just money. Because good advice starts with knowing the person. And you can’t do that from behind a desk.

Some of the people who came that night are still part of the 5 Financial family today.

Were you there? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

09/10/2026

This week’s term in our financial literacy series: liquidity.

If you’d like to talk through how liquidity fits into your retirement planning, our wealth management team would be glad to walk you through it.

07/10/2026

Most people who sit down with us aren't in trouble.

They've worked hard and done a lot right. But there's a question underneath it all: Am I going to be okay?

If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. And you're not behind.

03/10/2026

"What do you want out of life?"

So many people have never stopped to answer it. That first conversation is where it all begins.

Here's a short moment from the story of Val and James. They've been with us for 18 years. Watch the full interview here: https://www.5financial.com.au/about/testimonials

01/10/2026

Here's the simple version: a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) means investing a fixed amount automatically on a regular schedule, instead of putting it all in at once. Because you're investing the same amount regardless of what the market's doing, you end up buying more when prices are low and less when they're high, which smooths things out over time. It doesn't guarantee a profit or protect against a downturn, but it does take a lot of the guesswork out of when to invest.

This is part of our weekly financial term series, where we take one finance word and explain it properly.

If you're curious how a regular investment approach could work for you, our wealth management team is always happy to chat.

29/09/2026

Rates are up again.

The main reason is that prices are still rising faster than the RBA wants. Higher fuel and energy costs, plus businesses putting their prices up, are a big part of that.

The RBA also said the economy is slowing, and it will keep watching closely before its next move.

If today's news has left you with a few "what does this mean for us?" questions, you're not alone. It's a very normal feeling. We're always happy to have a chat.

Source: Reserve Bank of Australia, 29 September 2026.

27/09/2026

Last month Basis Points asked Jason, along with Citi Global Markets Director Elizabeth Tian, to come on and explain what the new rules around leverage mean for advisers.

Not many advice firms in Australia are doing real work in this area. Ours is one of them. That's what sits behind the advice you get.

What he actually told them: slow down. The legislation isn't settled, and unwinding early can cost real money.

25/09/2026

Here's the simple version: a valuation is just an estimate of what something is actually worth right now. Lenders, buyers and sellers all rely on it, because the price someone's asking isn't always the same as what something is worth.

This is part of our weekly financial term series, where we take one finance word and explain it properly.

If you're buying, refinancing, or just want to understand how a valuation could affect your numbers, our finance broking team is always happy to help.

24/09/2026

Research says a real friendship takes hundreds of hours to build. Which is a problem, because retirement often takes away the very thing that was supplying those hours: work.

Gillian Witham wrote about why a good retirement plan needs a list of people in it. It's part of how we think about retirement income planning at 5 Financial. The whole picture, not just the portfolio.

Have a read and let us know what you think.

A good retirement plan has a number attached to it, but new research says it should have a list of people too. Gillian explains why retirement planning needs to cover your relationships, not just your balance. Here's what the research says, and how to start planning for both.