6 April 2026

Recently trending

Want your loved ones to inherit your super? You can’t afford to skip this one step Super is catching up, but ageing is a triple-threat Has Australia wasted the last 30 years?The 5% deposit scheme is bad for homeowners and Australia Indexation implications – key changes to 2026/27 super thresholds

Reader: "Carry on as you are - well done. The average investor/SMSF trustee needs all the help they can get."

Reader: "It's excellent so please don't pollute the content with boring mainstream financial 'waffle' and adverts for stuff we don't want!"

Rob Henshaw: "When I open my computer each day it's the first link I click - a really great 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."

Reader: "Congratulations on a great focussed news source. Australia has a dearth of good quality unbiased financial and wealth management news."

Reader: "Best innovation I have seen whilst an investor for 25 years. The writers are brilliant. A great publication which I look forward to."

David Goldschmidt, Chartered Accountant: "I find this a really excellent newsletter. The best I get. Keep up the good work!"

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: " Finding a truly independent and interesting read has been magical for me. Please keep it up and don't change!"

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: "Keep it up - the independence is refreshing and is demonstrated by the variety of well credentialed commentators."

Reader: "Is one of very few places an investor can go and not have product rammed down their throat. Love your work!"

Reader: "I subscribe to two newsletters. This is my first read of the week. Thank you. Excellent and please keep up the good work!"

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."

Ian Silk, CEO, AustralianSuper: "It has become part of my required reading: quality thinking, and (mercifully) to the point."

Reader: "Great resource. Cuffelinks is STILL the one and only weekly newsletter I regularly read."

Reader: "An island of professionalism in an ocean of shallow self-interest. Well done!"

Reader: "The BEST in the game because of diversity and not aligned to financial products. Stands above all the noise."

John Pearce, Chief Investment Officer, Unisuper: "Out of the (many many) investmentrelated emails I get, Cuffelinks is one that I always open."

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"

Jonathan Hoyle, CEO, Stanford Brown: "A fabulous publication. The only must-read weekly publication for the Australian wealth management industry."

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."

Noel Whittaker, author and financial adviser: "A fabulous weekly newsletter that is packed full of independent financial advice."

Don Stammer, leading Australian economist: "Congratulations to all associated. It deserves the good following it has."

Ian Kelly, CFP, BTACS Financial Services: "Probably the best source of commentary and information I have seen over the past 20 years."

Andrew Buchan, Partner, HLB Mann Judd: "I have told you a thousand times it's the best newsletter."

John Egan, Egan Associates: "My heartiest congratulations. Your panel of contributors is very impressive and keep your readers fully informed."

Home / 447

Edition: 447

1-8 out of 8 results.

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 447 with weekend update

24 February 2022
15

Last year, two of my close friends died, both in their late 60s. Putting aside the personal tragedy, their estates were left to their wives who had not been heavily involved in managing their investments. Both are strong women capable of handling the stress. One wife turned to the financial adviser her husband had worked with, but the other was forced to quickly pull together the financial pieces. We all need to be prepared.

Follow the market trajectory and stop the usual mistakes

Peter Thornhill
23 February 2022
54

It gives me pain to hear the finance industry telling people to invest in ‘balanced’ portfolios to reduce risk. At no stage do they ever tell people the opportunity cost so they repeat the same stupid mistakes.

Who is Stephen Jones, aspiring Minister for Financial Services?

Graham Hand
23 February 2022
13

Stephen Jones is the Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, and if Labor is elected, he is likely to become the Minister. What do we know about him? This is an edited transcript of his views.

The future of media: It's game on, now!

Martin Romo, Jody Jonsson
23 February 2022
1

Anyone investing in media must understand the momentous change and disruption underway. During a span of just 21 days, US$85 billion of M&A centred on video games, which is now bigger than the movie industry.

Why are some companies vulnerable in 2022?

Shane Woldendorp
23 February 2022
1

Most analysts are blaming inflation, rising rates and the threat of war for the current market weakness, but many companies were vulnerable well before these concerns as a result of stretched valuations.

Is DDO change to hybrids a drawback for investors?

Norman Derham
23 February 2022
3

Major changes are underway in the methods used to distribute bank hybrids. Investor cannot rely on the previous ways of buying hybrids at IPO and now must be 'sophisticated', react quickly and know a broker.

Is your portfolio in need of rebalancing?

Inna Zorina
23 February 2022
2

Taking a 'total return' approach rather than focussing only on income allows investors to build portfolios in line with their goals and risk tolerance using rebalancing back to their target asset allocation.

A colossal waste of time, but it's fun

Michael Batnick
23 February 2022
8

From a financial view, most earnings calls and stock picks are a waste of time. For most people, their investing would be better served in an index fund. So why bother with it? The best reason is because you enjoy it.

Firstlinks is sponsored by:

Most viewed in recent weeks

Want your loved ones to inherit your super? You can’t afford to skip this one step

One in five Australians die before retirement and most have not set up their super properly so their loved ones can benefit from all their hard work and savings.

Tobias Barkley
4 March 2026

Super is catching up, but ageing is a triple-threat

An ageing Australia is shifting the superannuation system’s focus from accumulation to the lifecycle of retirement. While these pressures have been anticipated for decades, they are now converging at scale and driving widespread industry change.

Aaron Minney
4 March 2026

Has Australia wasted the last 30 years?

The 20 years after Peter Costello left Treasury have been deemed wasted...by Peter Costello. The missed opportunities for Australia began long before.

John Abernethy
11 March 2026

The 5% deposit scheme is bad for homeowners and Australia

An ‘affordability’ scheme making the county more vulnerable to economic shocks and contributing to the deteriorating financial situation of everyday Australians.

Mark LaMonica CFA
25 February 2026

Indexation implications – key changes to 2026/27 super thresholds

Stay on top of the latest changes to superannuation rates and thresholds for 2026, including increases to transfer balance cap, concessional contributions cap, and non-concessional contributions cap.

Julie Steed
1 April 2026

3 ways to defuse intergenerational anger

With the upcoming budget increasingly likely to include bold proposals to alter the tax code I’ve outlined three incremental steps with fewer unintended consequences.

Mark LaMonica CFA
18 March 2026

Alliances

Site Map

About Firstlinks

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.