25 July 2026

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The strange effect of the 30% minimum capital gains tax High quality businesses are on sale Does your will qualify for the discretionary testamentary trust exemption?Ranking three common retirement strategies Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 667 with weekend update

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Home / Author: Graham Hand

Graham Hand

A capital gains tax discount is legitimate but how much?

Like negative gearing, discounted capital gains tax, especially on residential investment properties, is criticised for giving investors an edge over first-home buyers. A discount is justified but at what level?

Graham Hand
14 June 2023
29

Return of our 'Wealth of Experience' podcast

James Gruber hosts regular guests, Firstlinks' Graham Hand and Morningstar's Peter Warnes, to discuss key investment issues to help build your wealth. Going forward, there'll also be interviews with Australia's top fund managers.

Invest in equities until you reach your sleeping point

Benjamin Graham wrote that everyone should hold between 25% and 75% in equities, with the rest in bonds. That's a big range, but equities give the best long-term returns. The right level is the point where you sleep easy.

Graham Hand
7 June 2023
17

Opening Gates: AI is as revolutionary as the internet

Microsoft's Bill Gates says AI innovations will come much faster than when he started in computing. For investors, the challenge is deciding at which point too much money has flowed into AI stocks.

Graham Hand
31 May 2023
11

Super prospects from Australia’s most powerful CIO

Mark Delaney of AustralianSuper manages more retirement savings than any other person in the country. He explains his views on illiquid assets, bonds versus equities, internal funds management and a coming recession.

Graham Hand
31 May 2023
7

Eight investment pools in the new tax hierarchy

The new tax on super over $3 million brings alternatives into play for tax efficiency. For investors who can be bothered juggling different types of pools, there are ways to avoid the tax on unrealised gains.

Graham Hand
24 May 2023
27

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Latest Updates

Superannuation

Are you making these SMSF mistakes?

After four decades advising investors, there are a few common mistakes I've seen SMSF investors make. From holding too much cash and chasing yield to overtrading and trusting tips. Are these errors costing you?

Marcus Padley
22 July 2026
14

Retirement

Retirement spending is not one-size-fits-all

New data challenges the idea that Australians are underspending their super. The bigger issue may be helping retirees navigate complexity, make confident decisions and use their savings to support security, wellbeing and choice.

Matt Werakso
22 July 2026
6

Taxation

The missing link in the CGT debate

A little-noticed consequence of Labor’s tax changes could have implications well beyond investors’ tax bills. The issue raises bigger questions about incentives, capital allocation and the drivers of long-term economic growth.

Tony Dillon
22 July 2026
22

Investment strategies

The surprising beneficiaries of the AI boom

While markets obsess over AI winners, a larger, more predictable growth engine is forming. A surge in electricity demand and infrastructure build‑out reveals the quiet, durable assets evolving beneath the AI story.

Tim Humphreys
22 July 2026

Superannuation

When losses in super become irreplaceable

The notion of 'you can afford more risk' assumes that losses can be replaced. Above a $2.1 million super balance the law says otherwise, and a worked example shows the refill takes decades, or never happens.

Trevor Schmid
22 July 2026
1

Retirement

Why I object to ‘hitting a number’ for retirement

Many investors dream of “hitting their number” and walking into retirement. But what if reaching that milestone is the moment they should be asking the tough questions? After all, there's a lot more to life than a high portfolio value.

Christine Benz
22 July 2026

Planning

Does your will qualify for the discretionary testamentary trust exemption?

Treasury has confirmed the exemption many families were hoping for. But buried in the fine print are two conditions that could leave some wills on the wrong side of the exemption, despite years of careful planning.

Rachael Rofe
15 July 2026
13

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