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Brendan Coates

How much do you need to retire?

Australians are used to hearing dire warnings that they don't have enough saved for a comfortable retirement. Yet most people need to save a lot less than you might think — as long as they meet an important condition.

Cut tax breaks to make super fairer and the budget stronger

The Grattan Institute argues that superannuation has moved so far beyond the purpose of providing income in retirement that the super tax breaks will do little more than boost the inheritances of wealthy people.

There’s a lot more to retirement incomes than super

Super counts for only 20% of the wealth of Australians. For retirement incomes, most younger people today will still receive most of their income from the age pension when they retire in three decades’ time.

Housing cost is biggest threat to a comfortable retirement

Most Australians are comfortable in retirement provided they own their homes. We’re failing retirees who rent but we also need to include more of the family home in the pension assets test.

Off target: Mercer misses the mark on our retirement modelling

Grattan has released a response to the above Mercer critique, with this short summary of their position and the longer paper attached. The coming retirement review will need to cope with such diversity of opinions.

How investment property returns depend on politics

Economic growth and interest rates affect housing prices, but political decisions around zoning, migration, and taxes are also strong influences. Overall, the current climate suggests a much slower growth in house prices.

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Retirement

Will you run out of money in retirement?

Fear of running out has become a defining retirement anxiety. Why do some retirees die with substantial wealth while others deplete their nest egg? Evidence suggests the answer is more complicated than we think. 

Investing

The investment that sidesteps the new tax traps

Tax rules have changed, but many investors are still using yesterday’s strategies. Insurance bonds may offer advantages for those seeking greater control, tax efficiency and certainty about their wealth.

Shares

The role of shareholder yield in a portfolio

Investors may be overlooking a timeless source of returns in a volatile market. The companies that consistently generate and return cash to shareholders have often proved remarkably resilient through uncertainty.

Shares

Australian inflation still well above the RBA's target

The RBA has spent more than three decades pursuing its 2%-3% inflation target. But the numbers tell a far more complicated story than the headlines. The results may surprise both its strongest critics and most loyal defenders.

Retirement

Retirement in reality - 5 months in

Retirement planning doesn't end when work does. Five months in, Joanne reflects on retiring at a different time to your spouse, coping with setbacks and the importance of rest. Some lessons only become clear after the fact.

Latest from Morningstar

What 6 key market indicators are telling investors right now

Are markets still expensive? There are the seven key indicators every investor needs to know. From gold and equities to bonds, oil, bitcoin and the US dollar. The data reveals where opportunities and risks may lie for investors today.

Investing

Can you ride the AI bubble without overpaying?

AI may prove as transformative as the internet, but markets are behaving as if success is guaranteed. As capital races towards unprecedented levels, investors should ask whether enthusiasm is getting ahead of reality.

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