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Edition: 401

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Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 401

  • 31 March 2021
  • 4

It's doubtful we will see short-term rates above 5% for at least a generation, maybe a lifetime. It's a weird thing to say for someone who spent his first decade in money markets with double-digit rates and a bank bill rate of 17.5% in 1990. Plus Deborah Ralston on retirement income, and why picking fund managers is like selecting hot cross buns.

Ralston on accessing equity in the family home

A member of the Retirement Income Review explains the focus on home equity. For homeowners at retirement, homes represent three to four times as much wealth as superannuation, but the average age at which mortgages are paid out has increased from 52 to 62.

To your taste: hot cross buns and hot, cross funds

What do hot cross buns and funds have in common? In both, there is no answer to which is the best, as their characteristics appeal to different people. Select the ones that suit your taste and appetite, maybe with added spice.

How a sidecar can keep super motoring along

Two sides of the super debate - 9.5% is enough with better use in retirement versus 12% is the minimum for a decent income - are deeply divided, but what if a radical solution could bridge the gap.

Active funds in Australia land some punches

In Australia, the preference for passive funds is nowhere near as strong as it is globally. Australians added to their active funds in 2019 and 2020, and there's a type of active fund that is especially benefitting.

Risk in retirement: five strategies for finding the right balance

There is a spectrum of retirement investment strategies ranging from ‘business as usual’ to more complex ‘income layering’. They allow for varying degrees of personalisation in managing retirement risks.

Let's be clear: sustainability isn’t free

Efforts to become more sustainable will challenge many companies and perhaps even bankrupt some. Sustainability drives new opportunities but brings risks for others, and companies which cannot adapt will suffer.

Indexation complication! Four changes you need to know

Several superannuation thresholds will be indexed from 1 July 2021, and it's critical to check the new opportunities to put more into the tax advantages of super. Some of the calculations are tricky, others easy.

Most viewed in recent weeks

Ray Dalio on 2025’s real story, Trump, and what’s next

The renowned investor says 2025’s real story wasn’t AI or US stocks but the shift away from American assets and a collapse in the value of money. And he outlines how to best position portfolios for what’s ahead.

Making sense of record high markets as the world catches fire

The post-World War Two economic system is unravelling, leading to huge shifts in currency, bond and commodity markets, yet stocks seem oblivious to the chaos. This looks to history as a guide for what’s next.

3 ways to fix Australia’s affordability crisis

Our cost-of-living pressures go beyond the RBA: surging house prices, excessive migration, and expanding government programs, including the NDIS, are fuelling inflation, demanding bold, structural solutions.

Is there a better way to reform the CGT discount?

The capital gains tax discount is under review, but debate should go beyond its size. Its original purpose, design flaws and distortions suggest Australia could adopt a better, more targeted approach.

How cutting the CGT discount could help rebalance housing market

A more rational taxation system that supports home ownership but discourages asset speculation could provide greater financial support to first home buyers.

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 648 with weekend update

This is my last edition as Editor of Firstlinks. I’m moving onto a new role though the newsletter will remain in good hands until my permanent replacement is found.

  • 5 February 2026

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