Estate Planning and SMSFs
One of the main reasons an individual would use an SMSF is for estate planning as it can offer greater flexibility to beneficiaries than what is available via a public offer fund. Where a member …
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Federal Election 2025
During the Federal Election campaign, the Government made a number of election promises, which may impact your finances. There were also a number of support measures proposed in the recent Federal Budget. What could this …
Navigating market volatility
Financial markets have been erratic lately, understandably causing some concern for those of us with super and investments. While dips and major market events are a common feature of investing, markets generally trend upwards over …
Protect yourself: Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is when you use two or more different types of actions to verify your identity and you may already be using MFA. For example, when you receive an authentication code by SMS …
Spouse super contributions – what are the benefits?
If your partner is earning a low income, working part-time, or currently unemployed, boosting their super could be a smart financial move for both of you. When your partner isn’t earning much, or is out …
The absurdity and calamity of US tariff policies
US tariffs are poorly designed, badly implemented and are already damaging both the US and global economies. The economic damage will only get worse as uncertainty further undermines business and consumer confidence and results in …
Economic update May 2025
Global Global markets whipsawed following the “Liberation Day” tariff announcements on April 2, and subsequent developments throughout the month. Volatility was rife and trading volumes were robust. The Volatility Index (VIX) spiked to a 5-year …
Am I too old to get a home loan?
One of a property lender’s most important jobs is to make sure a borrower can manage the typical home loan term of 30 years. This becomes even more critical from the age of 50 because …
Winding up an SMSF
There are no prescribed steps for winding up an SMSF, however there are a number of specific requirements that must be satisfied. Overview There are a number of reasons why a fund may need to be …
What assets can you have before losing your Age Pension?
There are many benefits to receiving an Age Pension or even a part pension, but there are limits to what level of income or assets you can have, to be eligible. Regarding assets, the key …
Using the bucket strategy to make your money last longer
How do you find the sweet spot between using your retirement savings to enjoy a comfortable standard of living, and investing so you won’t run out of money in the future? It’s a big question …
Understanding the difference between ESG, ethical and green investing
For many investors, the promise of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing has been evasive. Confusion around what “ESG Investing” actually is has led to many investors becoming disillusioned with their portfolios. So, what is “ESG …
Megatrends for 2025 and beyond…
Megatrends are long-term structural changes that affect the world we live in. Importantly, they shape communities but they also create investment opportunities and risks. Learnings from historical megatrends include: 1) they often solve a problem …
The ins and outs of geared share funds
Geared share funds are high risk and high reward. When share markets are doing well, the returns can be very high, but the opposite is also true. We look at the pros and cons, and …
Economic update February 2025
Global The introduction of DeepSeek’s open-source R1 model shocked global markets in January, challenging our understanding of capex requirements and competition in artificial intelligence. Despite the DeepSeek rout, the MSCI World Equity Index ended January …
Australian home investing: New landlords to lose $23k+ in 12 months buying into two major cities
The average Australian property investor could lose money in their first year, with those in the nation’s two largest capitals likely to be more than $23,000 out of pocket in just 12 months. With a …
Pros and cons of Self Managed Super Funds (SMSFs)
While self managed super funds are not for everyone, they do offer significant benefits. Running an SMSF successfully requires investment, legal, super and admin skills – or the ability to get help from people who …
Nine bad habits of ineffective investors: common mistakes investors make
Introduction In the confusing and often seemingly illogical world of investing, investors often make various mistakes that keep them from reaching their financial goals. This note takes a look at the nine most common mistakes. …
AI and bank shares push super balances higher in 2024
Superannuation funds have recorded another impressive year of returns for members with international technology and Australian banking shares driving above average returns over 2024. Concerns over inflation caused a slow start to the year, with …
What is a distribution?
A managed fund generates income from its investments – for example, through share dividends, interest on cash or fixed interest investments in the fund, or any gains made when fund investments (like shares) are sold. …
How do hedge funds work in a volatile market?
While an exposure to hedge funds can provide a lift to a portfolio’s performance, they also offer the potential to generate high returns… at a risk. What’s a hedge fund and how do they work? …
Ever thought of investing in essential services?
Investing in infrastructure is about investing in the companies that provide essential services to society and earning predictable, reliable returns in the process. More than 350 infrastructure and utility companies are listed on global stock …
Economic and market overview November 2024
Investors maintained a healthy risk appetite for much of October, which enabled major share markets to make further progress. Movements in the US set the tone, with the S&P 500 Index rising to fresh all-time …
As value outperforms again, is your portfolio ready?
As value returns to market favour it’s time to check in on your portfolio – but not all value exposure is created equal. A notable comeback in value stocks over the past six months is …
There remain five reasons to expect the $A to rise
Back in November we saw five reasons to expect a higher $A. These largely remain valid and the $A seems to be perking up again. Source: AMP Firstly, from a long-term perspective the $A remains …
Mortgage versus super – a common dilemma
Conventional wisdom used to dictate Australians were better paying off their home loans, and then, once debt free turning their attention to building up their super. But with interest rates ramping up over the past …
Is it worth salary sacrificing into super?
Let’s explore the ins and outs of salary sacrificing into your super and help you determine if it’s worth considering as part of your financial strategy. We’re all familiar with the concept of super. It’s …
How to determine asset allocation
Asset allocation is the process of dividing funds between different asset classes including cash, bonds, property and shares. This takes place as spreading resources across different asset classes can help diversify the portfolio’s holdings, which …
Economic and market overview
Australian shares fared well in July, buoyed by suggestions that no further interest rate hikes will be necessary. With inflation coming off the boil, there was optimism that borrowing costs have peaked and could be …
Decoding cognitive biases: what every investor needs to be aware of
Common human biases that investors should understand when it comes to investing is extremely important. These biases are ingrained in human nature, leading to tendencies to oversimplify, rely on quick thinking or exhibit excessive confidence …