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22 February 2025
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Micro investing at Raiz, poor retail FX rates, spouse super, disability insurance, longevity and sequencing risk, living to 1,000, SMSF spruiking.
On 21 June 2018, Raiz Invest (formerly Acorns) listed on the ASX, valuing the company at $119 million. How does this 'micro investing' platform stack up as a place to invest or buy shares in the company itself?
Australian retail customers typically still pay a hefty fee on FX transactions at the airport or through the banks. Fintech solutions are more competitive, and global banks are also offering multi-currency accounts.
A couple can benefit if the person running against the $1.6 million cap on super pension balances contributes to the spouse’s super. It’s worth checking the eligibility requirements and tax offsets.
Disability insurance can be either inside or outside of superannuation. There are premium, payout amount and tax consequences of those decisions that should be analysed to achieve the best cover.
Low interest rates have created problems for retirees, leading to the threat of a reduced lifestyle quality, running out of cash or accepting the age pension. Taking high risks at this point may make things worse.
Over the next few decades, average life expectancies as well as healthy outlier human lifespans could rise substantially due to medical engineering and gene modification. Aging is now better understood than ever before.
SMSFs are being targeted by property marketers, but is a single, illiquid investment a good super strategy, with its associated leverage? ASIC is worried SMSF trustees are not seeing the full picture, so we went looking.
While encouraging people to draw down on their accumulated wealth in retirement might be good public policy, several million retirees disagree because they are purposefully conserving that capital. It’s time for a different approach.
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 CIO of Australia’s fourth largest super fund by assets, John Pearce, suggests the odds favour a flat year for markets, with the possibility of a correction of 10% or more. However, he’ll use any dip as a buying opportunity.
Getting regular, growing income from stocks is tougher with the dividend yield on the ASX nearing 25-year lows. Here are some conventional and not-so-conventional ideas for investors wanting to build a dividend portfolio.
Australians are used to hearing dire warnings that they don't have enough saved for a comfortable retirement. Yet most people need to save a lot less than you might think — as long as they meet an important condition.
It’s well documented that many retirees draw down the minimum amount required and die with much of their super balances untouched. This explores the reasons why and some potential solutions to address the issue.