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30 June 2025
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If you are wondering whether bankers are really so mean as to withhold interest rate increases on deposit accounts to make more profits, the answer is yes. Banks will use the rate rises to increase margins. Plus we explore why 'running out of money' is overstated for retiree homeowners.
A retired couple with up to $419,000 in assets plus a family home can receive a full age pension of $40,000 a year (worth maybe $1 million) plus many other benefits. With home equity access, money should not run out.
An explanation of five areas of most interest to financial advisers and their clients, including home equity access, downsizing, Senior Cards, work tests and new transfer balance caps - all worth knowing about.
Favourable investment conditions created bubbles in 2021 but sectors such as BNPL with poor businesses and no profits have seen a payback. Is lithium next? At least small companies are potential takeover targets.
It feels like financial planning for retirement has been running up and down on the spot for 20 years. We still struggle with the difference between general and personal advice. What happened to the worthwhile schemes?
Value investing relies on a fundamental assessment of the intrinsic worth of a company, based on risk and reward. Time has come for the more stable sectors such as the Utilities, Health Care or Consumer Staples.
History will show Europe was ill-advised to rely on Russian fossil fuels, and the energy crisis has delivered stark choices on climate change, government finances, inequality, inflation, politics and social cohesion.
Neither Xi Jinping nor the Chinese Communist Party are as all-powerful and domineering as they seem. Given China's crucial role in Australia's fortunes despite slowing growth, understanding its politics is critical.
Sydney is set to become the world’s most expensive city for housing over the next 12 months, a new report shows. Our other major cities aren’t far behind unless there are major changes to improve housing affordability.
The Government's proposed tax has copped a lot of flack though I think it's a reasonable approach to improve the long-term sustainability of superannuation and the retirement income system. Here’s why.
You've no doubt heard about Division 296. These case studies show what people at various levels above the $3 million threshold might need to pay the ATO, with examples ranging from under $500 to more than $35,000.
The $3m super tax could be put down to the Government needing money and the wealthy being easy targets. It’s deeper than that though and this looks at the factors behind the policy and why more taxes on the wealthy are coming.
The super tax has caused an almighty scuffle, but for SMSFs impacted by the proposed tax, a big question remains: what should they do now? Here are ideas for those wanting to withdraw money from their SMSF.
Australia's superannuation inequities date back to poor decisions made by Parliament two decades ago. If super for the wealthy needs resetting, so too does the defined benefits schemes for our public servants.