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The federal government has performed a major U-turn on controversial tax changes that critics warned would push grieving...
25/06/2026

The federal government has performed a major U-turn on controversial tax changes that critics warned would push grieving spouses into "financial hardship." 🛑 👇

Under the initial budget proposal, if a partner passed away or a couple divorced, the surviving spouse would have had their grandfathered Capital Gains Tax and negative gearing settings completely wiped.

Independent Senator David Pocock sounded the alarm on the "unintended consequences," labelling it a "widow tax" that would disproportionately harm women’s retirements.

Following intense pressure, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher confirmed the government will amend the rules to protect grieving spouses.

The government has also struck a deal with the Greens to ban self-managed super funds (SMSFs) from purchasing residential property, in a move Nationals Leader Matt Canavan has lashed as a "dodgy deal" and a "massive attack on every Australian's superannuation funds."

What do you think of the government's tax reforms? Are everyday Australians being treated fairly when it comes to retirement planning?

Full story: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9298848/how-the-smsf-property-ban-and-cgt-changes-hit-older-australians/

Think the "rich boomer" stereotype is true? It’s officially time to put the myth to bed.With house prices doubling compa...
25/06/2026

Think the "rich boomer" stereotype is true? It’s officially time to put the myth to bed.

With house prices doubling compared to average income growth since the 1980s, more Australians are stepping onto the property ladder much later in life.

In fact, an increasing number of over-50s are turning to a little-known government scheme to finally secure their first home.

The First Home Super Saver Scheme, can significantly fast-track your savings, but experts say most first-time buyers are not aware of it.

"If you're putting money away for a deposit, you might as well use it, because it's money in your back pocket - better in yours than the government's."

Read the full report: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9298243/

For Port Macquarie retiree Peter O'Connor, 70, trading a rigid holiday schedule for a month-long stay in Vietnam was the...
24/06/2026

For Port Macquarie retiree Peter O'Connor, 70, trading a rigid holiday schedule for a month-long stay in Vietnam was the best decision he ever made.
From relaxing beach afternoons with fresh coconut water to mastering his weekly golf routine in Da Nang, slow travel gave him the ultimate freedom to unwind.

Whether you're looking for deep cultural connections, affordable extended stays, or the confidence to conquer your very first solo trip like great-grandmother Paula, slow travel is changing the way we see the world.

👇 Read the full story to discover how you can plan your own relaxing long-stay escape:
https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9297578/

24/06/2026

What happens when a 1990s formula one world champion trades his steering wheel for a six-string guitar?

Before he heads to Australia for his upcoming speaking tour, racing legend Damon Hill opened up about his secret life as a rock star—from growing up on the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix to playing impromptu post-race gigs with F1 teammates and international music icons.

But it wasn't all rock and roll. Hill also reveals the terrifying, high-speed physical toll of racing jet lag, including the exact mid-race dizzy spell in Japan that forced him to walk away from the track forever.

👉Read the full story here:
https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9296993/f1-champion-damon-hill-on-netflix-jamming-with-rock-stars-and-jetlag/

Within just three months of undergoing a lifestyle overhaul, Newcastle local Karen Adams had reversed her type 2 diabete...
24/06/2026

Within just three months of undergoing a lifestyle overhaul, Newcastle local Karen Adams had reversed her type 2 diabetes.

Three years on, she’s lost nearly 30 kilos, is sleeping is better, and no longer needs medication for high blood pressure.

"I started to have more energy, I was walking more, I was going to the gym more," she said. "It's a lifestyle change. It's not a diet."

Now, compelling new Australian research shows Karen isn’t alone.

A study into a science-backed diet overhaul has found patients were not only able to manage their diabetes, they were also improving their blood pressure, liver health, and overall wellbeing.

Experts say cutting back on carbs to manage blood glucose could even protect our long-term heart and brain health.

Have you tried a low-carb, high protein diet? How did you feel?

Read more: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9297652/

Are you a fan of the breezy, jangly sounds of The Go-Betweens, who have written seminal hits like, 'Streets of Your Town...
23/06/2026

Are you a fan of the breezy, jangly sounds of The Go-Betweens, who have written seminal hits like, 'Streets of Your Town'?

At 68, the band's founding member Robert Forster is getting ready to hit the road on a national tour, which he'll be doing completely sober.

After a health scare in his 40s, the Brisbane music legend said farewelling alcohol provided "an unforeseen great benefit."

From the underground music scene of the '80s to becoming an award-winning writer, Robert has quite a story to tell.

Full story: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9295456/former-go-betweens-star-robert-forster-on-aging-well-and-new-music/

Did you have the freedom as a child to wander between friends' houses, ride your bike until dusk, or walk to the local s...
23/06/2026

Did you have the freedom as a child to wander between friends' houses, ride your bike until dusk, or walk to the local shops completely unaccompanied? 🚲

Growing up in Sydney’s inner west, Dr Helen Little remembers roaming the neighbourhood and catching the train to school alone at just nine years old.

Today, things are very different. Data shows keeping kids too close could actually be holding them back, with a growing number of children now starting school "developmentally vulnerable" when it comes to basic physical skills like jumping, hopping, and catching a ball.

The collective job of neighbours watching out for local kids has changed, according to experts.

"We've gotten to a point, for whatever reason, where the sense of community has been eroded. Neighbours don't necessarily know their neighbours."

Do you think previous generations had better childhoods?

What was your neighbourhood like growing up, and do you think we're being too protective of kids today?

Read the full story: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9295131

"That's not fair between generations."As the federal government moves to cut private health insurance rebates for over 6...
23/06/2026

"That's not fair between generations."

As the federal government moves to cut private health insurance rebates for over 65s, dropping them from up to 32 per cent down to 24 per cent, people over 65 are facing extended wait times and rising upfront costs.

Health Minister Mark Butler argues the move restores fairness, but older Australians who have scrimped and saved to keep their cover feel they are being actively punished.

With chronic disease costs climbing up to $29,000 in the first year alone, many fear being forced back into an overstretched public system with six-month specialist wait times.

Have you received a notice from your health fund? Will these rebate cuts force you to drop or downgrade your cover?

Read more: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9296418

"Everyone just seems to assume that single age pensioners, who happen to be lucky enough to have their own house, are ro...
22/06/2026

"Everyone just seems to assume that single age pensioners, who happen to be lucky enough to have their own house, are rolling in money, and that is not on."

78-year-old Margaret Anne Ryan from Perth is one of 2.7 million Australians receiving the age pension.

With the skyrocketing cost of living, she says she now has to rely on the occasional win at bingo just to afford her favourite cuts of meat at the supermarket.

From dodging an $8 block of chocolate to putting off replacing her shoes and deferring her council rates, Margaret is far from alone. Experts say grocery prices are simply rising too fast for older Australians to adjust.

How are you managing with rising costs? Are you scouring the shelves for specials or swapping out red meat to keep costs down?

Read more: https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/9296571/pensioners-using-bingo-wins-to-buy-groceries-as-costs-soar/

Think your online banking and MyGov accounts are completely safe because you use two-factor authentication (2FA)? Think ...
22/06/2026

Think your online banking and MyGov accounts are completely safe because you use two-factor authentication (2FA)?
Think again.
A new digital scam is catching thousands of australians off guard by silently slipping past your toughest security steps.
Cybersecurity expert Peter Stancik explains how the trick works—and the one simple rule you must follow to avoid being permanently locked out of your private information.

👉 Here's what to do to keep safe: www.thesenior.com.au/story/9293944/

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