Key points – Starting point valuations – like yields and price to earnings ratios – are key drivers of medium-term investment returns. – Valuation starting points for term deposits and bonds have improved. For shares they suggest constrained return potential, particularly from US shares but Australian, European and Chinese shares are a bit more attractive. … Read more
Overview Money you transfer from a foreign super fund to a complying Australian super fund may: count towards you super contributions caps, and be subject to additional tax if you exceed the caps be subject to Australian income tax be subject to rules and tax in the foreign country. Certain conditions must be met before … Read more
Salespeople and advertisers use tactics to pressure you to buy a product or sign up to a service. Knowing their techniques can help you avoid buying things you don’t need, or paying more than you should. Sales techniques to watch out for Salespeople and advertisers use a range of techniques to sell their products, particularly … Read more
Retirement is filled with opportunities and choices. There’s the time to travel more, work on long-delayed personal projects or volunteer your help to worthwhile causes. You also have a host of choices to make when it comes to funding your new life away from paid work. Here are four different options to consider.i Account-Based Pension … Read more
Key points – Many of the mistakes investors make are based on common sense rules of thumb that turn out to be wrong. – As a result, it’s often wise for investors to turn common sense logic on its head. – The easiest way to avoid many of these mistakes is to have a long-term … Read more
Some big companies have left the ASX recently. How do ETFs adapt to index changes? Share markets are ever changing. Companies come, and companies go. But what happens to share market indexes, and the exchange traded funds (ETFs) that use them as performance benchmarks, when a company is removed because of a merger or acquisition? … Read more
A third of Australians retire without a plan. Here’s why you should have one. Working and generating a stable income can be described as a comfort zone for most Australians. The same can be said for having a well-considered retirement plan that clearly identifies your current financial position and outlines what it will take for … Read more
Characteristics of goal-driven savers A ‘money mindset’ is a way of thinking about personal finance. Your money mindset can change over time, and it may help explain your spending and savings habits. Understanding this can help you build habits and strategies to better manage your money. If the following applies to you, you might be … Read more
Key points – A move towards more aggressive fiscal policy stimulus and property support measures should help drive a mild cyclical upswing in China’s economy. – However, it’s doubtful it will be enough to reverse longer term structural problems facing China – around excess saving, demographics and growing state control. – The Australian economy is … Read more
You may be able to take your superannuation as a lump sum payment when you retire. This is usually tax-free from age 60. How a superannuation lump sum works Depending on your fund’s rules, you may be able to withdraw some or all of your superannuation (super) as a lump sum. If so, you can … Read more
Are you thinking about buying an investment property? Buying a property that you do not plan to live in can help you increase your wealth and accelerate your financial wellbeing. Property is usually viewed as a long-term investment with many advantages. It is, however, important to understand how property investment works, the costs involved and … Read more
Many Australian investors are discovering the benefits from investing offshore. Australian financial markets are continuing to evolve, and that’s why more and more Australians are finally spreading their investment wings and leaving home. That’s very apparent based on the increasing investment inflows into exchange traded funds (ETFs), some of which offer exposure to thousands of … Read more
