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6 November 2025

Home / Author: Graham Hand

Graham Hand

Ten funding models for nonprofits

* Nonprofit organisations need clear and succinct conversations about their long- term funding strategies. This article provides 10 funding models to consider.

Consider a LIC before you bite into equities

When the opportunity comes along to buy one of the long-established LICs at a good discount, it's the nearest thing to a free lunch the equity markets will give to a long-term investor.

Australian spending habits

* ASIC's Money Smart website shows what Australian households spend their money on. Expenditure averages $69,166 a year.

Sydney most expensive for a 'cheap date'

* Deutsche Bank issues a semi-annual 'cheap date' index, and the world's two most expensive cities are Sydney and Melbourne.

Minister's speeches and announcements

* Major announcements and speeches by the Minister in charge of superannuation, Bill Shorten, can be accessed on his website.

Government caps tax exemption on pension earnings

Here's the full Media Release of today's changes to superannuation, including capping the tax-free earnings from assets supporting a pension at $100,000 a year. The reforms will affect individuals with more than $2 million in super assets, or about 16,000 people in 2014-15. A concessional tax rate of 15 per cent will apply to earnings above $100,000.

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Taxation

13 ways to save money on your tax - legally

Thoughtful tax planning is a cornerstone of successful investing. This highlights 13 legal ways that you can reduce tax, preserve capital, and enhance long-term wealth across super, property, and shares.

Taxation

Taking from the young, giving to the old

Despite soaring retiree wealth, public spending on older Australians continues to rise. The result: retirees now out-earn the young, exposing structural flaws in the tax system and challenges for fiscal sustainability.

Investment strategies

An obsessive focus on costs may be costing investors

As a relentless fee war grips Australia’s ETF market, investors may be missing the real battleground. Beyond basis points, index design itself - not cost - may be the most powerful driver of returns.

Taxation

Clearing up confusion on how franking credits work

It seems the mere mention of franking credits generates a lot of heat but not much light. Here's a guide to how franking credits work, and the impact they have on both companies and shareholders.

Investment strategies

Are the good times about to end?

As the bull market revs up, some investors worry about a possible correction. History shows the real question isn’t timing the top, but whether you have the time and liquidity to ride out inevitable downturns.

Superannuation

Australia slips in global pension ranking

The 2025 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index shows Australia has dropped to its lowest ranking in the 17 years of the index. This explores why we're falling and what can be done about it.

Property

Where wine country meets real estate

High-profile wine regions don’t always see strong property growth - volume, exports, and infrastructure investment often matter more than reputation in driving regional property markets.

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