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Home / Author: Noel Whittaker

Noel Whittaker

When age pensions were not welfare

It should be no surprise that many older Australians believe they have an entitlement to the age pension. Like an early version of the superannuation guarantee, pensions were once directly funded by personal tax.

How Canberra explained super changes to me

A conversation with Government officials on the proposed super changes shows there is some logic behind those numbers.

Time and tide should dampen negative gearing proposal

Estimates of the cost savings from abolishing negative gearing are overstated because the property becomes positively geared and incurs capital gains tax on sale, and allowing it on new homes only is dangerous.

There’s still time for some SMSFs to use 'anti-detriment' provisions

Superannuation's anti-detriment provisions may be abolished as part of the government's upcoming budget. It's worth checking whether your own circumstances can take advantage of these rules.

A lifetime of investing insights

Future retirees will be expected to be even more reliant on their own superannuation instead of the age pension. For the younger generation, your lifetime of investing should begin now, while time on your side.

How safe is my super from rule changes?

A common concern for superannuants is how changes to the super system will affect their retirement outcomes. In reality, the proposed changes won’t affect the majority, but poor investment choices will.

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Retirement

Supercharging the ‘4% rule’ to ensure a richer retirement

The creator of the 4% rule for retirement withdrawals, Bill Bengen, has written a new book outlining fresh strategies to outlive your money, including holding fewer stocks in early retirement before increasing allocations.

Shares

Are franking credits worth pursuing?

Are franking credits factored into share prices? The data suggests they're probably not, and there are certain types of stocks that offer higher franking credits as well as the prospect for higher returns.

Retirement

Inflation cruels a comfortable retirement

ASFA’s latest estimates reveal that home-owning couples need at least $690,000 in super for a ‘comfortable’ retirement, yet only around 30% of people meet these thresholds, and the shortfall may deepen.

Australia’s sleepwalk into a damaged society

The role of family and community as foundations of a healthy society have been allowed to weaken. This has brought about Australia's spiritual decline and a thirst for dopamine that explains our high debt levels.

Investment strategies

The simplicity of this investing method hides its power

Despite the perception that successful investors nimbly navigate each zig and zag in the market, the evidence suggests otherwise. This approach can help an investor avoid self-harming their returns.

Investment strategies

Four ways that global investors are reshaping their US exposure

It wasn't long ago that investors were asking if US exceptionalism could continue. They now appear to be diversifying away from dollar assets and shifting to a more active US equity allocation.

Investment strategies

The case for high yield bonds

This is a primer on high yield bonds - their risk and returns compared to investment grade securities, diversification benefits, and strategies for selecting high yield investments for enhanced portfolio yields.

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