05 Oct

Posted at 23:27h in Uncategorized

If the financial markets could talk, then bonds would probably be saying: “We’re not convinced the story is over yet”. Bond yields have been rising around the world as investors reassess the outlook for inflation, economic growth and government borrowing. The moves have been significant enough to influence mortgage rates, government finances and investment portfolios. Experienced bond investors will be well aware of what’s been happening. For everyone else, the developments offer the chance to understand why professional investors see the bond market as one of the economy’s most important barometers. You might never have bought a bond, researched a bond ETF or...

05 Oct

Posted at 23:27h in Uncategorized

If your insurer offers a cash settlement instead of organising repairs, it’s important to understand what you’re agreeing to. What is a home insurance cash settlement?  If you submit a claim on your home insurance, the insurer might offer to pay you an agreed amount (a cash settlement) instead of arranging repairs or replacing damaged items. If you accept the payment, you’re usually responsible for organising and paying for repairs yourself. A claim may be settled by a full or partial cash settlement. A partial cash settlement is where the insurer repairs or rebuilds part of the damage, and cash settles part of the damage.  A...

05 Oct

Posted at 23:27h in Uncategorized

Many people are surprised to learn that some of their largest assets may not be covered by their will. With recent changes affecting testamentary trusts and ongoing complexity around superannuation death benefits, now is a good time to review your arrangements.   New rules announced in the 2026-27 Federal Budget, combined with the growing complexity of superannuation death benefits, mean that it’s worth reviewing your arrangements to make sure your wishes can be carried out. Testamentary trusts under the spotlight Testamentary trusts have long been a popular estate planning tool because they can provide asset protection, flexibility and potential tax advantages for beneficiaries, particularly...

28 Sep

Posted at 23:06h in Uncategorized

When growing up, many kids earned pocket money by babysitting, mowing lawns, walking dogs or washing cars for their neighbours. Part-time jobs delivering local papers or circulars (junk mail) were also popular. At home, some kids got a weekly allowance in cash that increased slightly each year. Others didn’t – the amount and the “inflation rate” of these payments depended mainly on how wealthy a family was. The norm was that you did the chores your parents told you to do. Normally, you’d get your allowance whether or not you did your chores. The rise of kids’ money apps, spending trackers and more...

28 Sep

Posted at 23:06h in Uncategorized

There is something deeply hopeful about the fact that we are living longer than previous generations. Advances in medicine, safer living conditions and better healthcare have given many of us more time than our grandparents could have imagined.  But alongside that good news is a quieter reality that deserves attention.  Researchers now talk about the difference between lifespan and healthspan. Lifespan being the total number of years we live and healthspan is the number of those years we live in relatively good health, free from chronic illness or disability.  Ideally, those two would move closer together. Increasingly, they are not.  Globally, the average gap...

28 Sep

Posted at 23:06h in Uncategorized

Separation or divorce can bring emotional and financial change. Super is often overlooked at this time, but it can be one of the most significant assets to understand when dividing property and planning for the future. Separation or divorce can turn your world upside down. There’s the emotional fallout, the logistics, the life admin – and then there’s the money. Superannuation often sits quietly in the background at a time like this. But for many women, it can be one of the most important assets to protect. If you’ve taken time out of work to raise children, scaled back hours to care for...

21 Sep

Posted at 22:58h in Uncategorized

Diversification is an investment management strategy that reduces the impact of some of your investments performing poorly. What is diversification When it comes to investing your money, diversification means spreading your money across a number of different investments, to reduce the overall volatility of your portfolio. For example, you can spread your money across types of assets, across investment sectors, across countries and across investment styles. Diversification reduces the volatility of your portfolio, because different types of assets do well at different times. If one business or sector fails or performs badly, these losses might be offset by strong performances of other investments you...

21 Sep

Posted at 22:58h in Uncategorized

Retirement can be a time when people may try to take advantage of your trust. Protect your money from people you know Elder financial abuse Elder financial abuse is a form of financial abuse and a serious problem in Australia. Many older Australians can be at greater risk of elder financial abuse as they are more likely to rely on family members, caregivers, or others for help in managing their finances. Many have significant assets, such as property, savings, or superannuation – which can create opportunities for abuse. Some of the signs of elder financial abuse during retirement may involve: feeling intimidated or pressured to sign...

21 Sep

Posted at 22:58h in Uncategorized

Family trusts have long been a popular structure for managing business income, investments and succession planning. However, a major change is proposed from 1 July 2028, with the Federal Government planning to introduce a 30 per cent minimum tax on discretionary trust income and reduce some of the tax advantages these structures have traditionally offered.i Treasury estimates there are approximately 840,000 discretionary trusts in Australia and around 350,000 active small businesses operating through these structures.ii The proposal, outlined in a consultation paper, is that from 1 July 2028, trustees will pay 30 per cent tax at trust level before distributions to beneficiaries.iii Because...

14 Sep

Posted at 22:24h in Uncategorized

  Key takeaways Australia is no longer just a China proxy – demand for its resources is increasingly being driven by global themes including AI infrastructure, energy transition, defence spending and supply-chain security. Structural scarcity is replacing cyclical commodity dynamics – years of underinvestment in mining, combined with rising demand for critical minerals, are creating a more durable backdrop for Australian resource companies. Australia offers a rare combination of global growth exposure and domestic resilience – backed by strong institutions, a growing superannuation system and exposure to powerful long-term trends including deglobalisation, resource security and AI adoption. For many global investors, Australia remains easy to...