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One of our surveys reveals that millions of Australians in their 20s and 30s have spending habits that could raise red flags with lenders and potentially see their mortgage application rejected. 👀 See which costly habits are more common among Gen Z and Millennials.👇 Our Mortgage Expert Mansour Soltani explains it all in this News Corp article.

Private health insurance benefits have hit their lowest level on record since APRA began tracking annual industry data in 2008. Despite rising premiums, Australians are paying more out-of-pocket than ever — $1.37 billion last year, up from $779 million just five years ago. Yet, despite shrinking benefits, more Australians continue to take out private health cover, because there's still value in it (e.g. shorter or no hospital wait times, choice of doctor and hospital, tax incentives and rebates, etc.) So, how can policyholders minimise out-of-pocket costs? ✅ Compare health funds that have no-gap agreements with hospitals and specialists. ✅ Check for ‘known gap’ agreements with specific medical providers to cap costs. ✅ Get written cost estimates from multiple hospitals and specialists before any elective surgery or treatment. Full story on Sky News: https://shorturl.at/pbQPP

Australia recorded its highest business turnover in 2024, with 88 businesses closing for every 100 that opened. In 2024, a record 505,474 new businesses were registered, but a record 443,395 businesses also deregistered or wound down — 15,238 more than the previous year. That’s the equivalent of 17% of businesses operating at the start of 2024 (2.61 million) that had closed by the end of the year. Read the full story in Inside Small Business. 👇

The national gender pay gap, adjusted for industry size, is at a record low of 12.5%, according to ABS data. But, it has widened in 10 industries in the past year. Money.com.au’s Research & Data Expert, Peter Drennan, says wage disparities persist in certain industries due to wage structures, career progression, and pay incentives. “In the industries where the wage gap widened most in the last year, women's wage growth lagged behind the average. For example, in wholesale trade — the sector with the largest gap increase — women’s wages grew by just 2.2%, not even keeping up with inflation,” he says. “The gender pay gap also widens in sectors where men dominate higher-paying roles or where wage growth is uneven, like in industries with commissions and bonuses.” See which industries saw the gender pay gap increase 👇

🏠 Home loans stretched over 4 decades could soon become the new standard as Australian #borrowers show increasing willingness to take on long-term debt.  Will this shift reshape the future of home financing? 🤔 Featuring key commentary from: 💭 Carolyn Xaftellis, Specialist Mortgage  💭 Grace Neo, Specialist Mortgage  💭 Mansour Soltani, Money.com.au

Private health insurance premiums will rise by an average of 3.73% on April 1 — the largest increase since 2018. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler initially rejected private health insurers’ proposed 5%-6% increases twice before settling on the 3.73% rise — effectively a midpoint between industry demands and what the government would allow. The rejections contributed to a delayed announcement, leaving consumers with little time to do their due diligence. Money.com.au’s General Manager of Health Insurance, Chris Whitelaw, says: "The premium hike aligns with market expectations, given cost-of-living pressures and the government’s efforts to keep it reasonable in the current economy. But that doesn’t make it any easier to swallow for Aussies who now have little time to adjust their budgets," he says. "This increase risks pushing more Australians’ budgets to breaking point, and consumers haven’t had fair warning. Many will be forced to scramble to compare policies, switch providers, or find a better deal before the hike kicks in.” Story below on Yahoo Australia.

Our data shows the average savings Australians have across gender and generations. Key takeaways: In 2025, the average Australian has $46,825 in savings.💸 Baby Boomers (58+ years) have the highest average savings at $61,232, while Gen Z (18–25 years) has the lowest at $40,185. This gap is expected, as Boomers have been in the workforce longer and have had more time to build their savings.🧓 On average, men have over $14,000 more in savings than women, a difference of approximately 27%. 👀 Check out our average savings statistics page for more insights, put together by our Senior Finance Write Jared Mullane: https://lnkd.in/gSU5zT7R

See all the latest trends in the home loan market and what's to come in 2025 👇

We’ve just released our latest Mortgage Insights report, highlighting key trends in the Australian home loan market from the last quarter of 2024 and their potential impact in 2025. 📈 Thanks to our research expert, Peter Drennan, for putting this together. Key findings: ➡️ Australia’s investor boom continues. Investor loans grew 22% annually, more than three times the 6% growth in owner occupier loans. ➡️ Victoria led the nation in 2024 with the strongest annual growth in owner occupier loans, up 10% year-on-year. Money.com.au's Property Expert, Mansour Soltani, says Victoria remains one of the most accessible property markets, with prices staying relatively steady compared to WA and QLD. ➡️ Queensland continues to solidify its position as Australia’s second-largest investor market, accounting for 23.8% of investor loans in 2024 — 1.7% more than Victoria. ➡️ First home buyer (FHB) loans rose 6% in 2024, but 2025 is shaping up to be their breakout year. The RBA’s first rate cut in nearly five years marks the first step toward improving borrowing outcomes. ➡️ The December 2024 quarter was the first positive quarter of the year for refinance loans, following their peak in 2023 when many borrowers came off their ultra-low fixed rates. DM us for the full analysis! 📧

The Big Four banks and plenty of punters are betting on an RBA rate cut next week, but that doesn’t mean homeowners aren’t feeling the pressure. More than half of Australian homeowners are generally concerned about the RBA’s cash rate decisions. Concern is highest among Gen Z homeowners (62%), followed by Millennials (60%), Gen X (54%), and Boomers (47%). That generational split is telling — younger homeowners are feeling the most anxious about rate decisions, despite having spent less time in the property market than older generations. Are they more financially stretched? More sensitive to rate changes? Or just more engaged with the conversation around affordability and debt?