There are no prescribed steps for winding up an SMSF, however there are a number of specific requirements that must be satisfied. Overview There are a number of reasons why a fund may need to be wound up including: The members have insufficient assets to justify having an SMSF. Running the SMSF has become too onerous. The … Read more
There are many benefits to receiving an Age Pension or even a part pension, but there are limits to what level of income or assets you can have, to be eligible. Regarding assets, the key limits as at 20 September 2024 are as follows: To receive a full pension, assets (excluding the value of the … Read more
How do you find the sweet spot between using your retirement savings to enjoy a comfortable standard of living, and investing so you won’t run out of money in the future? It’s a big question for many retirees. Two in three retirees (69%) are concerned about running out of money in retirement, according to new … Read more
For many investors, the promise of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing has been evasive. Confusion around what “ESG Investing” actually is has led to many investors becoming disillusioned with their portfolios. So, what is “ESG investing”? Is this the same as ethical, responsible or green Investing? The straightforward answer is ‘no”. Unfortunately, many in the industry … Read more
Megatrends are long-term structural changes that affect the world we live in. Importantly, they shape communities but they also create investment opportunities and risks. Learnings from historical megatrends include: 1) they often solve a problem through innovation; 2) the scope of the megatrend can initially be underestimated; and 3) the duration of a megatrend is … Read more
Geared share funds are high risk and high reward. When share markets are doing well, the returns can be very high, but the opposite is also true. We look at the pros and cons, and the role of geared share funds in a diversified investment strategy. Geared share funds can be a great way for … Read more
Global The introduction of DeepSeek’s open-source R1 model shocked global markets in January, challenging our understanding of capex requirements and competition in artificial intelligence. Despite the DeepSeek rout, the MSCI World Equity Index ended January +3.5% higher, led by strength in European equities as investors rotated out of US tech exposures and into defensive and … Read more
The average Australian property investor could lose money in their first year, with those in the nation’s two largest capitals likely to be more than $23,000 out of pocket in just 12 months. With a mix of stamp duty and land tax outstripping rental returns and major capitals thought to be approaching home value peaks, … Read more
While self managed super funds are not for everyone, they do offer significant benefits. Running an SMSF successfully requires investment, legal, super and admin skills – or the ability to get help from people who have those skills. Having control over how your retirement savings are invested is one of the many benefits of SMSFs. … Read more
Introduction In the confusing and often seemingly illogical world of investing, investors often make various mistakes that keep them from reaching their financial goals. This note takes a look at the nine most common mistakes. Mistake #1 Crowd support indicates a sure thing “I will tell you how to become rich…Be fearful when others are … Read more