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Home / Author: David Bell

David Bell

Pension eligibility age: the devil in the detail

Tightening pension eligibility is not as simple as just upping the age limit. There are valid arguments for and against any increase and it will depend on the details whether it will be good policy or not.

David Bell
2 May 2014
2

Age pension reform: income taper change is unlikely

Tapering is the rate at which pensions reduce as other sources of income increase. A change is unlikely to make it onto Joe Hockey's list of pensions amendments in the upcoming budget.

David Bell
17 April 2014
2

Squiggly lines and lessons in market timing

Obviously it’s best to sell high and buy low, but in the irrational world of stock markets, the past may offer little guide to the future. The most we can realistically expect is to learn how to tilt the odds in our favour.

David Bell
4 April 2014
2

Pension indexation is a $300 billion question

With the budget in deficit, debate about the sustainability of welfare and spending gathers pace. Looking at pension indexation alone, the two methods used differ by $300 billion in revenue between now and 2050.

David Bell
21 March 2014
4

Bruce Springsteen and Professor Robert Engle

Professor Engle received the 2003 Nobel Prize for his work on volatility, but he's moved on to systemic risk, and his calculations are far from reassuring. He also has a free website full of useful data.

David Bell
7 March 2014
1

Age pension reform and its consequences for financial plans

It's highly likely that the age pension will experience future reforms. A useful financial plan should model a reduction in pensions, rather than making an assumption that it'll be there when the money runs out.

David Bell
21 February 2014
3

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