23 November 2025

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Home / Author: Christine Benz

Christine Benz

Three retirement checks for when you have enough

Not every retiree needs to gun for higher returns, but a conservative portfolio can court its own risks, especially with bond rates so low. But some retirees prefer to settle for a lower income.

Christine Benz
23 September 2020
11

Is the '4% rule' for retirement broken?

The traditional 4% rule was designed to ensure retirees do not run out of money, but low interest rates and expensive equity markets question the sustainability of the level. What are the alternatives?

Christine Benz
22 July 2020
6

How do your financial priorities stack up with our pyramid?

Make sure you're not focussing on minor investment problems while giving short shrift to the game-changers. This pyramid describes the important decisions and it might surprise what comes last.

Christine Benz
8 January 2020
3

Income-seekers: these 'myths' could come back to haunt you

Low interest rates have left many income-oriented investors scrambling for yield. If interest rates rise, will individual bonds, dividend paying stocks or cash be safer than the core bond funds so often recommended?

Christine Benz
23 April 2015

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How much does it really cost to raise a child?

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Exchange traded products

Passive ETF investors may be in for a rude shock

Passive ETFs have become wildly popular just as markets, especially the US, reach extreme valuations. For long-term investors, these ETFs make sense, though if you're investing in them to chase performance, look out below.

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The real winners from the AI rush

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Economic experts, including the RBA, get plenty of forecasts wrong, but that doesn't make such forecasts worthless. The key isn't to predict perfectly – it's to understand the range of possibilities and plan accordingly.

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13 reflections on wealth and philanthropy

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