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Annika Bradley

Admin fees on large super funds vs SMSFs

From going it alone with an SMSF to defaulting into a large super fund's balanced option, administration time and fees for super vary materially. Here's a guide to the costs involved and the potential impact on returns.

Is your industry super fund too illiquid for its safety?

The long-term retirement system allows super funds to buy illiquid assets, but they must be prudently managed. Measuring liquidity is complex but how do our five major funds compare and are their levels safe?

The super wars revisited: Vanguard vs AustralianSuper

Vanguard has thrown down the gauntlet to the superannuation industry by launching its Super SaveSmart accumulation offering. How does its current offering stack up against local juggernauts such as AustralianSuper?

The super wars: Vanguard versus AustralianSuper

Vanguard Super will launch later in the year with details yet to be confirmed, but it's likely to look like the Vanguard Personal Investor product. Will it really compete with the big, established super funds?

Can you trust industry super fund valuations?

There is a cloud of suspicion over which was the best performing fund of the year in FY22 due to doubts about values of unlisted assets. US funds must reveal valuations but there is a lack of transparency in Australia.

The role of retirement villages in retiree housing

The majority of Australians prefer to ‘age in place’, and legislation on retirement villages is complex. They are increasingly popular but understanding the options is not for the faint-hearted.

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Economy

Ray Dalio on 2025’s real story, Trump, and what’s next

The renowned investor says 2025’s real story wasn’t AI or US stocks but the shift away from American assets and a collapse in the value of money. And he outlines how to best position portfolios for what’s ahead.

Superannuation

No, Division 296 does not tax franking credits twice

Claims that Division 296 double-taxes franking credits misunderstand imputation: franking credits are SMSF income, not company tax, and ensure earnings are taxed once at the correct rate.

Investment strategies

Who will get left holding the banks?

For the first time in decades, the Big 4 banks have real competition in home loans. Macquarie is quickly gain market share, which threatens both the earnings and dividends of the major banks in the years ahead.

Investment strategies

AI economic scenarios: revolutionary growth, or recessionary bubble?

Investor focus is turning increasingly to AI-related risks: is it a bubble about to burst, tipping the US into recession? Or is it the onset of a third industrial revolution? And what would either scenario mean for markets?

Investment strategies

The long-term case for compounders

Cyclical stocks surge in upswings but falter in downturns. Compounders - reliable, scalable, resilient businesses - offer smoother, superior returns over the full investment cycle for patient investors.

Property

AREITs are not as passive as you may think

A-REITs are often viewed as passive rental vehicles, but today’s index tells a different story. Development and funds management now dominate earnings, materially increasing volatility and risk for the sector.

Australia’s quiet dairy boom — and the investment opportunity

Dairy farming offers real asset exposure, steady income and long-term growth, yet remains overlooked by investors seeking diversification beyond traditional asset classes.

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