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4 May 2024
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Learn to invest early, the unreported costs of doing business, diversifying away from market leaders, the momentum of winners and losers, expectations around advice fees, changes for SMSFs and ATO penalties.
Bernstein's 2014 booklet is a simple recipe for young people starting on an investment journey. It aims to help establish the savings discipline needed to set the millennial generation up for a comfortable retirement.
SMSFs are more heavily exposed to listed Australian equities than are default options in public funds, and particularly to the big S&P/ASX20 stocks. There are good companies in Ex20 segment which can help diversify a portfolio.
In 1993, researchers in the US studied the phenomenon of winning stocks continuing to outperform losing stocks. Using both long and short positions one could theoretically outperform the market on a regular basis.
The recent push for greater transparency on asset management fees has reignited the debate about what is fair and reasonable. Both managers and investors need to reset their expectations to find the common ground.
The activities of any company have an element of environmental and social cost not quantified in the profit and loss statement. In 2010 a global corporation pioneered a new form of reporting, which is gaining support.
It's not just super contribution limits that have changed since 1 July. The ability to provide insurance policies through SMSFs has been redefined and the ATO can now utilitse new administrative penalty powers.
The ATO has released all the superannuation rates and thresholds that will apply from 1 July 2024. Here's what’s changing and what’s not, and some key considerations and opportunities in the lead up to 30 June and beyond.
Life has radically shifted with my brain cancer, and I don’t know if it will ever be the same again. After decades of writing and a dozen years with Firstlinks, I still want to contribute, but exactly how and when I do that is unclear.
How useful are the retirement savings and spending targets put out by various groups such as ASFA? Not very, and it's reducing the ability of ordinary retirees to fully understand their retirement income options.
Australia will have 3.7 million more people in a decade's time, though the growth won't be evenly distributed. Over 85s will see the fastest growth, while the number of younger people will barely rise.
Investor disgust, consolidation, de-listings, price discounts, activist investors entering - it’s what typically happens at business cycle troughs, and it’s happening to LICs now. That may present a potential opportunity.
The $3 million super tax will capture retired, and soon to retire, public servants and politicians who are members of defined benefit superannuation schemes. Lobbying efforts for exemptions to the tax are intensifying.