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30 April 2025
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Any discussion on annuities needs to address the credit risk associated with relying on the solvency of a single insurer. Here's a guide on the regulation of annuities and the best ways to assess solvency risk.
The use of discounted pricing by insurers to attract new business is unsustainable and leaves existing policyholders on higher premiums for what is essentially the same product.
Australia relies heavily on insurance for recovery from disasters, but underinsurance due to underestimating expenses is common. Read this and check your policy as costs blow out in a crisis.
My trip to Malta and Italy produced many great memories, but did I really enjoy the experience? As the Nobel Laureate says: “We go on vacations to a very large extent in the service of our remembering self.”
A bill that allows the ATO to merge dormant super accounts with active ones and release super members from compulsory life insurance embedded in enterprise agreements and from exit fees was tabled on 21 June 2018.
SMSF trustees should understand the tax consequences when death benefits include insurance proceeds because it can vary greatly according to circumstances, and these should be planned for in advance.
The way insurance payments are made can have a significant impact on the overall cost of personal cover, and knowing future premiums helps manage the risk of losing insurance when most needed.
Super fund members should review their estate plans and insurance arrangements in light of the new transfer balance cap rules.
Putting money aside to pay for a child's education requires a serious savings effort, and lack of access to superannuation rules it out as a tax-effective and flexible option. There is an alternative.
Superannuation remains the most tax-effective savings vehicle for most Australians, but the new limits on caps and amounts in pensions will encourage wealthier investors to consider alternatives.
For younger people who are yet to build their superannuation to a decent size, death and TPD insurance cover within super can make a huge difference if they are in need of disability care.
Superannuation’s current tax benefits are far from certain given the government’s need for more revenue. Changes are likely to increase the competitiveness of investment bonds (sometimes called insurance bonds).
With fixed term deposit rates declining and bank hybrids being phased out, what are the best options for investors seeking income? This goes through the choices, and the opportunities and risks involved.
The S&P 500's recent correction raises concerns about a bear market. History shows corrections are driven by high rates, unemployment, or global shocks, and that there's reason for optimism for nervous investors today.
The famed investor says the rapid switch from globalisation to trade wars is the biggest upheaval in the investing environment since World War Two. And a new world requires a different investment approach.
Trump's tariffs and China's retaliatory strike have sent the Nasdaq into a bear market with the S&P 500 not far behind. What are the implications for the economy and markets, and what should investors do now?
Labor has announced a $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program, aimed at slashing the cost of home batteries. The goal is to turbocharge battery uptake, though practical difficulties may prevent that happening.
Are you living your life by default or by design? It strikes me that many people are doing the former and living according to others’ expectations of them, leading to poor choices including with their finances.