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21 January 2025
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Humans “are fantastically adept at rationalising and believing what we want to believe.” The Royal Commission received fascinating research on conflicts of interest and why financial advisers compromise best interests duty.
The Royal Commission focusses heavily on poor incentives amid a sea of damnation and exhaustively-documented case studies, but does not provide answers, especially on the vexed issue of best interests.
Labor has foreshadowed significant amendments to a wide range of financial policies, and while the new PM has time to make up lost ground, Labor is favourite to win the next federal election.
Round 5 of the Royal Commission focused on superannuation. Conflicts of interest, trustee responsibilities and delays in meeting the legal obligation to transfer default clients to MySuper products featured.
Cuffelinks has published 15 articles related to Labor's proposed franking policy. In this compendium, each article is summarised and linked to, plus a 'sample letter' to his local member from an aggrieved retiree.
The fundamentals point toward bankruptcies of major sovereigns like the US and Japan in the next decade. The after effects could be catastrophic on all major asset classes. It’s time to discuss the makeup and costs of insurance.
This examines the performance of key asset classes and sub-sectors in 2024 and over longer timeframes, and the lessons that can be drawn for constructing an investment portfolio for the next decade.
The outlook for equities in 2025 has been dominated by one question: will the US market's supremacy continue? Whichever side of the debate you sit on, you should challenge yourself by considering the alternative.
Negative gearing allows investors to deduct rental property expenses, including interest, from taxable income, but its tax concession status is debatable. The real issue lies in the favorable tax treatment of capital gains.
Trump's election has turbocharged US equities, but can that outperformance continue? Expensive valuations, rising bond yields, and a potential narrowing of EPS growth versus the rest of the world, are risks.
Untangling assets after a broken relationship can be daunting. But approaching the situation fully informed, in good health and with open communication can make the process more manageable and less costly.
Unlike their peers in the US and UK, policy makers in Australia haven't faced a bond market rebellion in recent times. This could change if current levels of issuance at the state and territory level continue.
Retirement village contracts often require significant upfront payments, with residents losing control over their money. While they may offer a '100% share in capital gain', it's important to look at the numbers before committing.