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David Bell

Should much of our financial advice be outlawed?

Highly respected author and academic David Blake makes a compelling case for a major overhaul of financial advice, especially the way in which projected outcomes are communicated to investors.

The time has come for actuaries

The unique and practical skills of actuaries will be essential for the superannuation industry to tackle such complex issues as providing adequate retirement outcomes and effectively managing big data.

Learning from my investment mistake

Even the experts can slip up sometimes with insufficient diligence when making investment decisions, but it's important to self-assess mistakes to avoid a repeat experience.

Global index flaw has flow-on consequences

Some global index calculations understate the performance of the portfolio, making it easier for fund managers to outperform. Investors should know this and manage the consequences.

CIPRs are coming and that’s exciting

Comprehensive Income Products for Retirement, or CIPRs, are almost a reality and there is much excitement around what this means for superannuation and retirement outcomes.

Are you an informed or a naive investor?

Everyone can be a naive investor at times, even the professionals. Outside of a sphere of expertise, the quality of investment decisions can suffer. Try to avoid being the 'patsy' in a transaction.

Latest Updates

Fixed interest

Higher yields are creating opportunities in global bonds

Bond markets are adjusting to a new reality, but not in the ways investors expect. With markets repricing and capital competing for attention, investors may need to rethink where resilience and opportunity lie. 

Economy

Are we in a recession?

What if the warning signs are already everywhere? From supermarket aisles to company failures, investors are being bombarded with recession signals. But most face a different risk that can be just as dangerous for portfolios. 

SMSF strategies

Meg on SMSFs - Division 296 actuarial certificates

The tax bill might be yours, but the event that caused it may not be. A key Division 296 calculation can sometimes attribute earnings in ways that many SMSF trustees won't instinctively expect or fully appreciate.

Property

The first impact of negative gearing reform is not the tax bill

Negative gearing changes formally begin in 2027, but the first consequences may already be here. A subtle shift is quietly influencing who can borrow, how much they can access and which property strategies still stack up.

Economy

The oil market is running out of easy answers

The biggest threat to markets may not be what investors are watching. The numbers have stopped adding up and supply is harder to measure, with forecasts becoming simple guesses. A more fragile reality is being masked.

Investment strategies

The state of investor knowledge in Australia

Australians are investing more than ever, yet a surprising divide is emerging between those building wealth effectively and those making costly mistakes. Surprisingly, the gap has little to do with income, age or starting capital.

Taxation

Complexity and capital gains

A case study shows that the ‘30% minimum CGT’ is a poorly conceived tax that adds significant complexity to an already over-complex system. A less complicated model would create a much fairer progressive tax scale.

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