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Home / Author: Rick Cosier

Rick Cosier

There’s no such thing as an average investor

Models, statistics, historical data and forecasts can paint a picture of the average investor, but just who is average? Financial planning and investment decisions need to consider the individual.

Wealth managers need a new car not a faster horse

Sit through a dozen fund manager presentations and they all start to sound the same. There's been little significant innovation in the managed funds industry in the last 15 years. Why is this and what are the consequences?

Price statistics in the (un)real estate market

Auction clearance rates are often quoted as a barometer of the health of the residential real estate market, but do they really reflect what is happening after the bidding stops?

Lessons from 32 years of investment returns

Future returns from different asset classes are always uncertain and subject to contrary forecasts, but there are useful lessons from the past. As Shakespeare wrote in The Tempest, "What is past is prologue."

Everyone needs a plan

We cannot afford to ‘make things up as we go along’. We need a plan that addresses short, medium and long term goals, and we need to take action to address those goals now, not later.

Is a ‘transition to retirement’ pension worthwhile?

If you are between 55 and 59 years old, the merit of a transition to retirement pension depends on a complex set of variables. But it is worth doing the numbers.

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
  • 28
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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