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15 June 2026
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Owen on big bank failings, your Factfulness results, sustainable returns, SMSF pros, S&P scorecard shortcomings, choice paralysis, and super problems.
The history of the Big Four banks is littered with bad strategies by overpaid executives, taxpayer-funded rescues and a lack of competition. As the banks clean up the Royal Commission mess, Macquarie has overall done better.
We had an outstanding participation rate for the Factfulness quiz. Our readers did well compared with Australia and the rest of the world, but perhaps not as well as expected.
A better approach to sustainable investing is to actively select for better ESG scores and identify companies with a positive impact. Fund managers have an important advocacy role.
In considering whether setting up an SMSF is the right decision for you, weigh up compliance obligations and cost with the main advantages SMSFs offer over other super funds. The 6 key positives are enumerated here.
The SPIVA Scorecard suggests that most Australian actively-managed funds underperform comparable market indexes, but this analysis can be challenged by a number of key assumptions.
Contrary to traditional economic models, excess choice can be bewildering to consumers. Some customisation-from-scratch businesses are failing, and half-way solutions might be better.
Increases in longevity, and the numerous changes to the super system since inception, have mostly worked against self-funded retirees. Meanwhile, politicians and bureaucrats enjoy far superior retirement benefits.
As a consequence of the Royal Commission, banks have tightened their lending criteria, especially for loan serviceability. Here are some practical ways to improve your investment loan application.
Marketed as a fix for inequality and housing affordability, the latest budget instead delivers a tangle of tax changes that leave everyday Australians worse off.
Australia may not levy formal death duties, but a growing web of tax measures is quietly shaping what wealth passes between generations. Now, the 2026 budget adds another layer.
The lithium rally mirrors the early-2010s tech stock surge, with demand set to double by 2030. Supply has been slow to respond, creating a market deficit for future tech like humanoid robotics and solid-state batteries.
The debate over the budget is increasingly shaped by frustration and perceptions of unfairness, rather than clear-eyed assessment of policy outcomes.
Inflation doesn’t just raise today’s bills - it quietly increases the amount needed to retire, while simultaneously making it harder to save. Three steps to take before June 30th to improve retirement outcomes.
Inheritance tax implications in Australia may surprise some, as poor estate planning without proper wills or trusts can lead to costly tax bills and delays for beneficiaries.