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25 November 2025
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The intention to save more is common, but it's often easier to procrastinate. There are useful techniques the wealth industry should consider to overcome this reluctance to save, to everyone's benefit.
It's too simple to assume that more choice is better for consumers and investors. It can lead to indecision and inaction, and yet some platforms persist in adding dozens of funds each year to an already vast range.
Financial literacy levels in Australia and around the world are worryingly low, which impacts the way financial advice is received and understood. Is the message getting through, or should advisers give clients this simple test?
By focussing specifically on hedge fund disclosure, ASIC has missed an opportunity to address the bigger picture of investor protection in a world of complex investments.
Life annuities is a product with theoretical appeal but it does not gather significant market acceptance. These behavioural reasons need to be addressed before substantial increases in sales occur.
Lifetime annuities have some attractive features but remain neglected by most retirees. There are rational reasons for this, which the annuity industry has to overcome if the product is to address more longevity worries.
With fertility rates at a record low, many say young people aren’t having kids because they’re too expensive. Turns out, it’s not that simple and there are likely other factors at play.
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.
The Big Four banks shrugged off doomsayers with their recent results, posting low loan losses, solid margins, and rising dividends. It underscores their resilience, but lofty valuations mean it’s time to be selective.
AI is booming, but like the 19th-century gold rush, the real profits may go to those supplying the tools and energy, not the companies at the centre of the rush.
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.
Wealth keeps growing, yet few ask “how much is enough?” or what their kids truly need. After 23 years in philanthropy, I’ve seen how unexamined wealth can limit impact, and why Australia needs a stronger giving culture.