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22 July 2024
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Australians are generally optimistic about retiring comfortably but their confidence lags retirement savers in other countries. They are also the most unsure about future returns and withdrawal rates in retirement.
REITs come in many forms and the impact of inflation varies by the type of inflation and the REIT subcategory. Some trends, such as the end of 'just in time' and greater power of labour, have a widespread impact.
Our sincere thanks for the amazing personal stories of how wealth was built by hard work or where some were not as fortunate. Another 600 readers have taken part in the survey since the last update.
The investment industry is looking for the best ways to engage with millennials. While younger people want to invest, they are either saving for a home or cannot afford to invest at the moment.
While every generation has its unique opportunities, the majority of Firstlinks readers agree that Boomers have had a better run than others. But the real highlights here are in the comments.
Young woment are showing increasing confidence in the sharemarket, promising a better future than the Boomers and Gen X women who hold significantly less assets than males of their generation.
Mercer says the nature of the workforce is changing and many part-time workers in the gig economy are excluded from super. It contributes to widespread disengagement and apathy towards super.
Bernard Salt's smashed avocados are now part of our lexicon, even if the way we are using it was not his original meaning. Whatever, lots of expenses such as concert tickets add up significantly with compounding over time.
The future of ETFs appears strong as the millennials increase their share of the investment pie, and the majority of financial advisers now comfortable with ETFs.
Research suggests a strong trend toward responsible and ethical investing. Valuation effects of disclosure in NZ recently were dramatic, and Australian financial institutions should take heed.
History does not always repeat, and the future will not be the same as the past. Investors need to watch these five megatrends to minimise the chance that some of their assets may become worthless.
Impact investing is moving out of the fringe and into mainstream investing, and the trend is supported by millennials who will soon benefit from a massive wealth transfer.
There seems to be more confusion than clarity about the mechanics of how the new $3 million super tax is supposed to work. Here is an attempt to answer some of the questions from my previous work on the issue.
Here are 10 rules for staying happy and sharp as we age, including socialise a lot, never retire, learn a demanding skill, practice gratitude, play video games (specific ones), and be sure to reminisce.
A new report suggests Australian housing is twice as expensive as that of the US and UK on a price-to-income basis. It also reveals that it’s cheaper to live in New York than most of our capital cities.
The discounts on listed investment vehicles are at historically wide levels. There are lots of reasons given, including size and liquidity, yet there's a better explanation for the discounts, and why a rebound may be near.
The best way to lose money in markets is to chase the latest stock fad. Conversely, the best way to build wealth is by pursuing a timeless investment strategy that won’t be swayed by short-term market gyrations.
The life expectancy tables used throughout the financial advice and retirement industry have issues and you need to prepare for the possibility of living a lot longer than you might have thought. Plan accordingly.