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Home / Author: Gemma Dale

Gemma Dale

ETFs are not always simple index trackers

The suite of Exchange Traded Funds available today is extensive, both in Australia and overseas, allowing investors to back the most varied and unusual market views.

Deductibility of contributions after 1 July is a big deal

The deductibility of personal contributions due from 1 July is a bigger opportunity than most people realise, given many employees were not allowed to salary sacrifice, and some employers abused it.

Estate planning and your wishes after death

Estate planning involves making a lot of difficult decisions. In Part 3 of this series, three often-overlooked issues are explored: power of attorney, superannuation death benefits, and insurance.

Estate planning: where there’s a will, there’s a way

Part 2 in this series on estate planning focuses on wills. What a will can and cannot achieve, its objective, how wealth is transferred, and the importance of keeping things up-to-date.

Death and taxes on your own terms

Death and taxes might be two of life's certainties but you can influence how they impact you. While estate planning might be awkward, don't put it off until it's too late.

Latest Updates

Weekly Editorial

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 636 with weekend update

A new academic study shows that almost all Australians agree that there is a housing crisis yet we can’t agree on how to fix it and are sharply divided along generational and ideological lines.

  • 6 November 2025
  • 23
Taxation

13 ways to save money on your tax - legally

Thoughtful tax planning is a cornerstone of successful investing. This highlights 13 legal ways that you can reduce tax, preserve capital, and enhance long-term wealth across super, property, and shares.

Taxation

Taking from the young, giving to the old

Despite soaring retiree wealth, public spending on older Australians continues to rise. The result: retirees now out-earn the young, exposing structural flaws in the tax system and challenges for fiscal sustainability.

Investment strategies

An obsessive focus on costs may be costing investors

As a relentless fee war grips Australia’s ETF market, investors may be missing the real battleground. Beyond basis points, index design itself - not cost - may be the most powerful driver of returns.

Taxation

Clearing up confusion on how franking credits work

It seems the mere mention of franking credits generates a lot of heat but not much light. Here's a guide to how franking credits work, and the impact they have on both companies and shareholders.

Investment strategies

Are the good times about to end?

As the bull market revs up, some investors worry about a possible correction. History shows the real question isn’t timing the top, but whether you have the time and liquidity to ride out inevitable downturns.

Superannuation

Australia slips in global pension ranking

The 2025 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index shows Australia has dropped to its lowest ranking in the 17 years of the index. This explores why we're falling and what can be done about it.

Property

Where wine country meets real estate

High-profile wine regions don’t always see strong property growth - volume, exports, and infrastructure investment often matter more than reputation in driving regional property markets.

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