29 September 2026

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Why spending more in early retirement can improve lifetime income Testamentary trusts have secured the CGT exemption Meg on SMSFs: What do we think about reversionary pensions these days?Is it time to bail on Australian stocks?Testamentary trusts survived the trust tax. The drafting battle has just begun.

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Edition: 343

1-8 out of 8 results.

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 343

6 February 2020
1

There are three words that most experts are unwilling to say. In complex circumstances with many unknowns, 'I don't know' is often better than hearsay and guesses. We suddenly have a plethora of experts on pandemics and how diseases spread, and much of the economic analysis is guesswork.

What kind of society do we want to become?

Hugh Mackay
5 February 2020
17

The bushfire response shows we can be generous and compassionate, and we need to realise our species depends for its survival on a willingness to co-operate, not simply compete.

The 20 Commandments of Wealth

Noel Whittaker
5 February 2020
20

To mark his 80th, we publish a Noel classic plus his timeless commandments for retiree wealth, based on decades of advising clients, writing bestsellers and reaching millions of people every week.

'OK Boomer' responses keep on coming

Leisa Bell
5 February 2020
12

Our sincere thanks for the amazing personal stories of how wealth was built by hard work or where some were not as fortunate. Another 600 readers have taken part in the survey since the last update.

Future Fund’s latest asset changes as CEO moves on

Graham Hand
5 February 2020
4

The Future Fund made notable changes to its asset allocation during 2019 as it prepares for difficult markets. In holding a large proportion of unlisted assets, it claims less asset price volatility.

What’s the outlook for global small companies?

Ned Bell
5 February 2020
1

Australian investors have a domestic bias, but around the world, a swag of small to medium cap companies offer better value than the mega-cap names that have driven markets in recent years.

The fear of running out of money in retirement

Jeremy Cooper
5 February 2020
5

Retirees worry about running out of money, and living solely on the age pension is viewed differently from spending their own money. But in retirement, many report adjusting well to what they have.

LIC/LIT stamping fees survey results

Leisa Bell
5 February 2020
4

The arguments on whether advisers can accept selling fees on LICs and LITs is heating up as lobbyists work both sides of the fence. Your input to our survey will give Treasury some useful data.

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Most viewed in recent weeks

Why spending more in early retirement can improve lifetime income

Conventional wisdom encourages retirees to preserve superannuation. But if those likely to qualify for the Age Pension later in life spend a little more today, it may deliver higher lifetime income and a more stable retirement.

David Knox
2 September 2026

Testamentary trusts have secured the CGT exemption

Treasury’s latest CGT reform draft delivers a win for testamentary trusts and deceased estates, exempting estate-derived gains from the 30% floor. However, questions on death and divorce rollovers remain unresolved.

Rachael Rofe
19 August 2026

Meg on SMSFs: What do we think about reversionary pensions these days?

Reversionary pensions have long been a staple of SMSF estate planning, but are they still the best option? Meg Heffron revisits a once-clear favourite and asks whether changing super rules have shifted the balance.

Meg Heffron
26 August 2026

Is it time to bail on Australian stocks?

For generations, Australian investors have backed banks, miners and dividends. But has that loyalty come at a cost? A look at the numbers raises an uncomfortable question about where future returns will come from.

Marcus Padley
9 September 2026

Testamentary trusts survived the trust tax. The drafting battle has just begun.

The fight over testamentary trusts looked settled. Then the draft legislation arrived. Hidden in a technical detail is a question that could force many families to rethink wills they thought were already future-proof.

Rachael Rofe
16 September 2026

How does the 4% rule stack up?

The 4% rule has long been retirement's gold standard. But after a difficult period for investors, fresh analysis suggests a more conservative approach may significantly improve the chances of making savings last.

Amy C. Arnott
26 August 2026

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