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21 January 2025
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Everyone seems to be watching The Last Dance, a fascinating sports documentary about the pursuit of excellence by one of the greatest athletes of all time. Let's not stretch the business analogy too far.
Managed Accounts are not only an investment platform and administration system. They represent a flexible way to offer financial advice, with scale and transparency advantages, but watch the cost.
The Royal Commission will change financial advice, focussing more directly on conflicts of interest and client best interests. What can you flush out of your adviser immediately?
A good financial adviser can become a life-long guide to financial security, which makes taking the time to select one a major part of an investor's plan. Make it a two-way conversation and learn how the adviser works.
Does the Treasurer realise the extent of the super 'gift' he has delivered to financial planners for Christmas? We're beginning to understand how complex the system has now become.
Retirement isn't what it used to be, especially for those whose job gave them purpose, pride and self-esteem. After full-time work, strategies are required to stay engaged and energised.
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.