http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au en-us Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:38:40 +1000 Rocketspark http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12866/discretionary-trust-minimum-tax-changes/ On 28 May I joined Kat Feeney on ABC Brisbane alongside Neal Dallas, a lawyer with Business Depot, to talk about something that has been coming up in a number of conversations I am having with clients at the moment. The Federal Government has announced its intention to introduce a 30 per cent minimum tax on discretionary trusts from 1 July 2028. It was part of the 2026–27 Budget, and I want to be clear: as I write this, it is not yet law. But if you have a discretionar... Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:30:40 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12866 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12824/when-the-ground-shifts-beneath-your-financial-life/ Every so often, something happens in the wider world that causes people to pause and look inward. Not at the headlines themselves, but at their own situation. The 2026 Federal Budget has been one of those moments.In the past few weeks, I have sat with clients and families carrying a quiet unease. Not panic. More a dawning awareness. The structures they had put in place, trusts, investment portfolios, future plans, suddenly felt less settled than they had before.  I kept hearing the sam... Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:44:51 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12824 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12784/the-story-beneath-the-numbers/ We are taught to think of money as maths. Add one dollar to another and you have two. Subtract one and you have one. Simple. Clean. Rational. But the longer I sit with people and listen, the more I see that money behaves nothing like logic. Money behaves like a story. It carries memory. It carries identity. It carries longing, fear, hope, and history. And the meaning it holds for each person is shaped by their past, their relationships, their culture, and the chapter of life ... Mon, 25 May 2026 21:06:54 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12784 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12745/why-family-and-money-are-inseparable/ There is an old saying in Italian families; “you never come between an Italian and their money, nor an Italian and their children”. I grew up hearing this. And the older I get, the more I understand why those two things, money and family, are spoken of in the same breath. They are not separate. They never really were. In my Nonna's kitchen, I watched this play out quietly and consistently over many years. Women would arrive at her table carrying financial problems that we... Mon, 18 May 2026 10:29:01 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12745 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12731/to-the-mothers-and-the-women-who-hold-families-together/ Mother's Day always makes me think about the quiet strength that runs through families. The women who carry so much, often without being asked, and rarely without grace. Whether you are celebrating today, being celebrated, or simply holding someone in your heart, I hope the day brings you a moment of warmth and stillness. From my family to yours, happy Mother's Day. Helen ... Sun, 10 May 2026 16:20:00 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12731 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12687/a-long-weekend-and-a-moment-to-pause/ Some of my favourite conversations happen when life slows down a little. Over a cup of tea, without the usual rush of the week. The Labour Day long weekend is one of those welcome pauses. Helen Russo Advisory will be closed from Saturday 2 May through to Monday 4 May, returning on Tuesday 5 May.If something is on your mind over the break, a family conversation you have been turning over, or simply a sense that it might be time to talk, you are welcome to leave a message via the contact form... Sat, 02 May 2026 19:42:47 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12687 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12660/why-my-services-evolved-beyond-traditional-financial-planning/ Over the years, my work has gradually evolved beyond what many people think of as traditional financial planning. When most people hear the words ‘financial planner’, they often imagine someone helping them choose investments or organise their superannuation. Those things are certainly part of the work, but I have come to see them as the final step in a much larger conversation. The real work usually begins much earlier. In my experience, financial planning... Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12660 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12599/confidentiality-as-a-personal-responsibility/ One of the things I understand deeply about living and working in regional communities is that privacy matters.In smaller towns, people know each other. Families have history together. Businesses are connected. News can travel quickly, often without anyone intending it to.Because of this, many people feel cautious about who they speak to when it comes to personal things, especially financial matters.Over the years, I have had many people tell me they delayed seeking advice simply because they we... Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:41:10 +1000 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12599 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12406/a-moment-to-pause-this-easter/ Easter is often a time to slow down and spend time with the people who matter most.For many families across regional Queensland, it offers a small pause in the year. A chance to gather, reflect, and enjoy a little time together before the busy seasons continue.I will also be taking a short pause over the Easter period to spend time with my own family.The office will be closed from Good Friday, reopening again on Tuesday 7 April 2026.Our team wishes you and your family a safe and restful Easter.... Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:52:28 +1100 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12406 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/post/12392/the-experience-that-led-me-into-an-advisory-career/ People sometimes ask how I came to work in financial advice.Like many things in life, it was not a straight path. It really began years ago when I was living in Far North Queensland and working in a bank. People would come into the branch and ask what they should do with their money. At the time my role was quite limited. I could help with term deposits or superannuation, but beyond that there was very little guidance I was able to offer.Still, those conversations stayed with me. I found myself ... Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:38:50 +1100 http://www.helenrussoadvisory.com.au/blog/#post12392