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Wednesday, 4 August 2021
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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).
Serious illness is something we think will happen to somebody else and insurance, like making a will, is easy to put off. It’s only when the problems start that we realise it’s too late to do anything about it.
What happens when a superannuation expert sets up his own retirement portfolio using decades of knowledge? He finds he can afford much more investment risk in his portfolio than conventional thinking suggests.
There is a small universe of companies on the ASX which are reliable dividend payers over five years, are fairly valued and are classified as ‘negligible’ or ‘low’ on both ESG risk and carbon risk.
The Government has taken the next step towards encouraging retirees to live off their capital, and from 1 July 2022 will require super funds - even SMSFs - to address retirement income and protect longevity risk.
The Big Four banks look similar but they are at fundamentally different stages as they move to simpler business models. Amid challenges from operating systems, loan growth and neobank threats, one factor stands tall.
They are six of the greatest businesses ever and should form part of the global portfolios of all investors. The market sees risk in inflation and valuations but the companies are positioned for outstanding growth.
The first of five articles on modern retirement income products that aim for an increasing pension that lasts for life and on average should not decline in real terms. They are not silver bullets but worth a look.