Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.
30 June 2025
Recently trending
Professor Robert Deutsch: "This has got to be the best set of articles on economic and financial matters. Always something worthwhile reading in Firstlinks. Thankyou"
John Pearce, Chief Investment Officer, Unisuper: "Out of the (many many) investmentrelated emails I get, Cuffelinks is one that I always open."
Reader: "Congratulations on a great focussed news source. Australia has a dearth of good quality unbiased financial and wealth management news."
John Egan, Egan Associates: "My heartiest congratulations. Your panel of contributors is very impressive and keep your readers fully informed."
Reader: "Keep it up - the independence is refreshing and is demonstrated by the variety of well credentialed commentators."
Reader: "I can quickly sort the items that I am interested in, then research them more fully. It is also a regular reminder that I need to do this."
Reader: "I subscribe to two newsletters. This is my first read of the week. Thank you. Excellent and please keep up the good work!"
Ian Kelly, CFP, BTACS Financial Services: "Probably the best source of commentary and information I have seen over the past 20 years."
Ian Silk, CEO, AustralianSuper: "It has become part of my required reading: quality thinking, and (mercifully) to the point."
Andrew Buchan, Partner, HLB Mann Judd: "I have told you a thousand times it's the best newsletter."
Reader: "Carry on as you are - well done. The average investor/SMSF trustee needs all the help they can get."
Scott Pape, author of The Barefoot Investor: "I'm an avid reader of Cuffelinks. Thanks for the wonderful resource you have here, it really is first class."
David Goldschmidt, Chartered Accountant: "I find this a really excellent newsletter. The best I get. Keep up the good work!"
Reader: "Great resource. Cuffelinks is STILL the one and only weekly newsletter I regularly read."
Eleanor Dartnall, AFA Adviser of the Year, 2014: "Our clients love your newsletter. Your articles are avidly read by advisers and they learn a great deal."
Steve: "The best that comes into our world each week. This is the only one that is never, ever canned before fully being reviewed by yours truly."
Reader: "An island of professionalism in an ocean of shallow self-interest. Well done!"
Reader: "It's excellent so please don't pollute the content with boring mainstream financial 'waffle' and adverts for stuff we don't want!"
Reader: "The BEST in the game because of diversity and not aligned to financial products. Stands above all the noise."
Don Stammer, leading Australian economist: "Congratulations to all associated. It deserves the good following it has."
Reader: "Best innovation I have seen whilst an investor for 25 years. The writers are brilliant. A great publication which I look forward to."
Reader: "Is one of very few places an investor can go and not have product rammed down their throat. Love your work!"
Noel Whittaker, author and financial adviser: "A fabulous weekly newsletter that is packed full of independent financial advice."
Australian Investors Association: "Australia's foremost independent financial newsletter for professionals and self-directed investors."
Reader: " Finding a truly independent and interesting read has been magical for me. Please keep it up and don't change!"
Reader: "Love it, just keep doing what you are doing. It is the right length too, any longer and it might become a bit overwhelming."
Jonathan Hoyle, CEO, Stanford Brown: "A fabulous publication. The only must-read weekly publication for the Australian wealth management industry."
Rob Henshaw: "When I open my computer each day it's the first link I click - a really great read."
Each week, Firstlinks receives far more articles than we accept. We usually publish seven articles a week, with selections based on relevance of the topic for our audience, quality of the writing and expected popularity.
After almost a decade of publishing, we usually have a decent idea how popular an article will be. Sometimes, we publish an article which is fresh and smart although we know it will not attract high views. It will work well for a minority of readers and so it has a place. It's about the quality not only the metrics.
What distinguished 2021 was the number of articles that unexpectedly went 'viral'. While a typical good quality read on an investment topic might receive 5,000 views on our system, we had eight articles this year over 20,000 hits.
Often, an article hits a chord with a particular group, such as financial advisers, and it is widely circulated to their clients. Other times it is linked by other publications or social media and attracts a bigger audience. It is not easy to predict or cause these events.
The 10 most-read articles follow three themes. Based on our reader surveys, two categories - retirement planning and housing - are understandable given our relatively wealthy, self-directed and 'older' audience. The third is unexpected, the widespread interest in social security issues such as pension eligibility. Are the high views due to a desire to learn about current eligibility, the potential as a future safety net, or something else? Any feedback welcome.
(Click on the article to read it).
Title
Date
Hits
1
10 little-known pension traps prove the value of advice
15 Dec
48298
2
House prices surge but falls are common and coming
6 Oct
37272
3
10 reasons wealthy homeowners shouldn't receive welfare
15 Sep
33867
4
Check eligibility for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
22 Dec
27046
5
Unexpected results in our retirement income survey
11 Aug
21599
6
The looming excess of housing and why prices will fall
1 Sep
21395
7
Survey responses on pension eligibility for wealthy homeowners
22 Sep
20031
8
Stop treating the family home as a retirement sacred cow
27 Oct
20013
9
Three steps to planning your spending in retirement
7 Jul
19619
10
100 Aussies: five charts on who earns, pays and owns
19079
11
24 hot stocks and funds for 2021
6 Jan
18225
12
Three good comments from the pension asset test article
29 Sep
17550
13
Three all-time best tables for every adviser and investor
18 Aug
16900
14
Importance of remaining rational and why Bitcoin is worthless
4 Aug
16790
15
Invest in Australian value stocks before it is too late
24 Feb
15699
16
Turning point: the 2020s baby boom retirement surge
24 Mar
15128
17
Four simple strategies deliver long-term investing comfort
20 Jan
14813
18
Super changes, the Budget and 2021 versus 2022
12 May
14802
19
Retirement income promise relies on spending capital
28 Jul
14416
20
400th Edition Special: 45 of the best investment ideas
14258
21
Five stocks that have worked well in our portfolios
25 Aug
14017
22
Great new ways the Government helps retirees
14012
23
Finding sustainable dividend stocks on the ASX
30 Jun
13694
24
Grantham interview on the coming day of reckoning
2 Jun
13229
25
Two strong themes and companies that will benefit
20 Oct
13061
26
Five stock recoveries not hanging on COVID predictions
16 Jun
13030
27
Cut it out ... millionaires are not wealthy
12893
28
Hamish Douglass on why the movie hasn’t ended yet
12796
29
The risk-return tradeoff: What’s the right asset mix for a 5% return?
14 Apr
12518
30
How long will my retirement savings last?
7 Apr
12382
31
Noel's share winners and loser plus budget reality check
19 May
12222
32
The hazards of asset allocation in a late-stage major bubble
13 Jan
12079
33
Five timeless lessons from a life in investing
28 Apr
11955
34
$100 billion! Five reasons investors are flocking to ETFs
10 Feb
11902
35
4 key materials for batteries and 9 companies that will benefit
13 Oct
11707
36
Buffett's favourite indicator versus all-in equities
21 Apr
11658
37
Peak to peak, which LIC managers performed during COVID?
11293
38
In fact, most people have no super when they die
11158
39
Best and worst performing equity funds of 2020
11005
40
20 punches: my personal investments are not a forecast
8 Dec
11000
41
Why mega-tech growth are the best ‘value’ stocks in the market
10937
42
Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 433 with weekend update
11 Nov
10821
43
Among key trends in Australian banks, one factor stands out
14 Jul
10808
44
Four bubbly market pockets show heightened risk for investors
10 Mar
10608
45
BHP v Rio v Fortescue: it's all about the iron ore price
10408
46
The sorry saga of housing affordability and ownership
10328
47
Reducing the $5,300 upfront cost of financial advice
10184
48
Why has Australia slipped down the global super ranks?
10 Nov
10162
Many thanks to the hundreds of experts who wrote for us in 2021 and we look forward to publishing the best again in 2022. And thanks to our readers of these and the hundreds of articles published each year.
Graham Hand is Managing Editor of Firstlinks. My thanks to Christian Townsend and James Renton from Master Publisher who provide and support our Content Management System for producing this table and for their quick responses throughout 2021.
The articles should be read in the context of when they were published, and they do not consider the personal circumstances of any investor.
I would be be interested to know in regard to lifetime income products where only 60 per cent of the sum invested counts for the assets test. What is the optimum assets test cut-off point $$ point value wise for a couple ?? So that a couple can receive the aged pension and receive a lifetime income stream at the same time Also is there a graph that would help with this from a full to a part aged pension ?? John
Well done on making it to 10 years, I've been with you since the second or third year.
Sydney is set to become the world’s most expensive city for housing over the next 12 months, a new report shows. Our other major cities aren’t far behind unless there are major changes to improve housing affordability.
The Government's proposed tax has copped a lot of flack though I think it's a reasonable approach to improve the long-term sustainability of superannuation and the retirement income system. Here’s why.
You've no doubt heard about Division 296. These case studies show what people at various levels above the $3 million threshold might need to pay the ATO, with examples ranging from under $500 to more than $35,000.
The $3m super tax could be put down to the Government needing money and the wealthy being easy targets. It’s deeper than that though and this looks at the factors behind the policy and why more taxes on the wealthy are coming.
The super tax has caused an almighty scuffle, but for SMSFs impacted by the proposed tax, a big question remains: what should they do now? Here are ideas for those wanting to withdraw money from their SMSF.
Australia's superannuation inequities date back to poor decisions made by Parliament two decades ago. If super for the wealthy needs resetting, so too does the defined benefits schemes for our public servants.
For much of Australia’s history, each new generation has been better off than the last: better jobs and incomes as well as improved living standards. A new report assesses whether this time may be different.
In selling the super tax, Labor has repeated Treasury claims of there being $50 billion in super tax concessions annually, mostly flowing to high-income earners. This figure is vastly overstated.
The latest lists of Australia’s wealthiest individuals show that while overall wealth has continued to rise, gains by individuals haven't been uniform. Many might have been better off adopting a simpler investment strategy.
As inflation eases, the Albanese government is switching its focus to lifting Australia’s sluggish productivity. Can corporate tax cuts reboot growth - or are we chasing a theory that doesn’t quite work here?
April’s sharp rebound may feel familiar, but are V-shaped recoveries really more common in the post-COVID world? A look at market history suggests otherwise and hints that a common bias might be skewing perceptions.
Old distinctions between developed and emerging market bonds no longer hold true. At a time where true diversification matters more than ever, this has big ramifications for the way that portfolios should be constructed.
As the July school holiday break nears, here are some investment classics to put onto your reading list. The books offer lessons in investment strategy, financial disasters, and mergers and acquisitions.