RGF Finance

30/06/2026

Happy EOFY!

EOFY is here...time for a financial check and a closer look at your finances and your goals.

Thinking about buying a home, investing, refinancing, consolidating debt or upgrading? We are here to help.

Now is a great time to review your finances and make sure you're set up for success in 2026/27.

Let's start the new financial year with a plan.

📞 Contact RGF Finance today for a no-obligation chat.

26/06/2026

Borrowing Capacity for Investors has Changed for Established Properties

If you have a pre approval in place for an investment purchase, please ensure you check with your broker or bank before you sign a contract.
The amount you could borrow a little over a month ago, is now different today, if you are buying an established property.

The pre approval you have will not be valid for your purchase, if the property is established. Check before you sign a contract.
This is due to the Federal Government budget changes around negative gearing for established investment properties. It has substantially changed the loan servicing position, which the bank considers for your finance application.

The good news:
A) you may still have sufficient borrowing capacity to buy an established property - the numbers just need to be updated to know your new maximum price and
B) your borrowing capacity is not impacted if you are purchasing an off the plan property, a new apartment/townhouse or building a new investment property
C) With less investors able to purchase, it becomes a buyer's market and provides more access to properties for you to purchase your property - if you still meet loan servicing requirements (based on A & B above)

If you knew what you could borrow for your next purchase even 1-2 months ago, it's time to get an update and get the numbers confirmed again.

25/06/2026

More bad news on property investment from Labor-Greens today - now impacting SMSF too

If you are considering purchasing a residential investment property in SMSF - now is the time to act - you have a short window, but it is possible.

The government is introducing a ban on SMSF loans for residential property. The ban will apply 45 days from Royal Assent, which is expected by 1-5th July. This should give you time to sign a contract up until around mid August (TBC). There is time but you would need to act quickly...

If contracts are signed before the start date, existing rules still apply, and current properties won’t be impacted.

However, to proceed before the deadline, everything must be set up correctly - including the SMSF, bare trust, and ideally to have obtained advice from a licensed financial adviser.

After the changes, SMSFs can still invest in commercial property using loans, but these can carry higher risk and complexity.
For clients considering this strategy, it’s really important to get proper financial and tax advice before making any decisions.

The sudden policy shift comes despite federal Labor declaring just last May that it had no intention of banning the super borrowing arrangement.

24/06/2026

Tax Depreciation Reports

If you own an investment property, a tax depreciation report could be putting money straight back in your pocket 💰

✅ One-off cost
✅ Fully tax deductible
✅ ATO-compliant
✅ Can even be backdated if you’ve never done one (generally 2 years)

Most investors don’t realise how much they’re missing.

👉 If you’ve purchased an investment property (even years ago), it’s worth checking if you’re maximising your deductions.

📩 Message me if you’d like a quick review or to be referred to a trusted quantity surveyor.

An example: A client had a property generating $550 per week, and with a depreciation report we helped them uncover around $12,000 in deductions. That reduced their tax by approximately $4,000 for the year - effectively improving their cash flow by about $75 per week without doing anything. AND the tax depreciation report fee was 100% tax deductible! 😎

22/06/2026

Banks look at more than just your income...

Spending habits, existing debts and credit history are all important factors in assessing you for a loan.

That's why it's important to do the following before applying finance:

- Know what you spend and set a budget
- Obtain a credit report from Equifax.com.au if you don't know your credit score or aren't sure on your credit history (we can obtain one for you too)
- Reduce credit card limits, close 'buy now pay later' accounts and consider paying out small debts

We can look at your numbers, discuss your options and get you prepared so that you are guaranteed a finance approval when you apply for finance.

19/06/2026

The invisible advantage of starting early...

Two people buy property:

– One at 25
– One at 35

Same salary. Same savings. Same effort.
But one has 10 extra years of growth, equity, and leverage.

Time in the market quietly beats almost everything else....

But if you haven't been able to start early, it's not too late.
Talk to us about your situation, income, ability to save and goals.
We help borrowers of all ages. It's not too late to start or to start over!

18/06/2026

Big Tax Changes Announced - What It Means for Business Owners & Investors

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers have announced major updates to proposed tax reforms following industry backlash:

✅ Small Business Boost
– CGT concession turnover threshold increasing from $2M to $10M
– Now covers 98% of Australian businesses (around 2.7 million)

✅ New Start-Up Incentives
– Additional CGT tax breaks being developed for tech and high-growth businesses

✅ Trusts Protected
– Testamentary trusts (used in estate planning) will be exempt from the new minimum tax

✅ Investor Clarity Coming
– “New build” definitions will be written into law (important for negative gearing & property investors)

✅ Reduced Government Discretion
– Treasurer’s powers within the legislation are being scaled back

In summary -
More businesses will access CGT concessions, but broader property and investor tax changes are still moving ahead.

17/06/2026

How far in advance should you apply for a pre-approval?

Around 2-3 months ahead of purchasing. Why? Because it’s not just about getting a pre approval letter from the bank - it’s about:

✅ Knowing your numbers (how much can you borrow)
✅ Understanding how much deposit you need to save
✅ Knowing your max purchase price
✅ Understanding your future monthly repayments and what's left over

Most pre-approvals lasts 3 months - giving you time to find the right property and negotiate with confidence.

Start your journey now - the earlier we plan, the smoother your path to a purchase!

16/06/2026

Congratulations to our youngest clients!
They settled on their first home today in regional Qld and we couldn't be happier for them.

We have many clients that purchase their first home in their early 20s and we are proud of every one of them - they have a goal, work through the details with us and save hard to buy their first property. However, we thought we'd make special mention today of these clients as they are the youngest we have assisted at just 19 & 20.

Well done to all first home buyers, whatever your age. Entering the property market is not always easy - obtaining your first property is exciting and sets you up for your future.

You could be 19 or 49 - whatever the age or stage, we are here to help you achieve your finance goals!

16/06/2026

RBA leaves rates on hold this month...

The RBA advised in their statement today that "Following the three increases in the cash rate target since the beginning of the year, financial conditions are now tighter than they were, and there are signs that the economy is slowing as expected. But inflation is still too high and the Board judged that it was appropriate to leave the cash rate target unchanged while it assesses the response to previous interest rate rises and the impact of the oil supply disruption."

However, as always, the RBA confirmed that they will increase the cash rate if necessary - "Monetary policy is well placed to respond to developments and the Board is focused on its mandate to deliver price stability and full employment. It will do what it considers necessary to achieve that outcome, including increasing the cash rate target further if required".

Read the full RBA statement - below:

At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate target unchanged at 4.35 per cent.