11 November 2026

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It’s time for LICs to die Division 296: the initial moves to make before the windows close The retirement scorecard: how many of these questions can you answer?Testamentary trusts: Treasury has picked the wrong reading Superannuation’s structural failings

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Home / 497

Edition: 497

1-8 out of 8 results.

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 497 with weekend update

23 February 2023
97

The Australian super system is "distorted by a very small number of Australians taking advantage of a system" according to the Finance Minister. Shame on them for leaving their money in a government-designed scheme. And why does the AFR think SMSFs are "plummeting"? They are thriving.

Lesson 1: focus on the long term, Lesson 2: see Lesson 1

Graham Hand
22 February 2023
5

In this exclusive interview, three global fund managers come together to make the case for long-term, active portfolio management in more difficult times. Passive can no longer rely simply on strong market momentum.

Michael Rice: Quality of Advice Review is only a start

Michael Rice
22 February 2023
9

Opening the market for advice makes sense but the QAR is weak on consumer safeguards. Financial advice legislation should be tailored to the risk of harm for consumers, identifying complicated, risky strategies.

The super wars revisited: Vanguard vs AustralianSuper

Annika Bradley
22 February 2023
6

Vanguard has thrown down the gauntlet to the superannuation industry by launching its Super SaveSmart accumulation offering. How does its current offering stack up against local juggernauts such as AustralianSuper?

Reports of tech's death are greatly exaggerated

Andrew Macken
22 February 2023
1

Many investors have written off the tech sector after last year's bloodbath. But tech is entering a new phase of growth and dominance, fuelled by innovation and AI, and there are compelling ways to play this theme.

Not all private markets are ‘volatility laundering’

Simon Petris Ph D
22 February 2023
4

Are super fund allocations to private markets a form of 'volatility laundering' as one commentator suggests? Perhaps, but it's crucial to distinguish between different segments of private markets for a complete picture.

Prepare for the shifting sands in personal taxation

Rodney Brown
22 February 2023
25

The Government is preparing the ground for changes relating to both superannuation and personal taxation. The tax amendments in the coming Budget may be modest but several critical areas face greater scrutiny.

Two steps forward, one step back for investors

David Booth
22 February 2023
3

The past three years seem representative of the history of stock returns: two steps forward and one step back. It provides important lessons about how you should prepare your investment portfolio for future market outcomes.

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Most viewed in recent weeks

It’s time for LICs to die

A high-profile dividend cut and a prominent fund manager’s apology have reignited a long-running debate. If investors can access similar exposures more cheaply and efficiently elsewhere, what exactly is keeping LICs alive?

David Tuckwell
30 September 2026

Division 296: the initial moves to make before the windows close

What if the best superannuation strategy isn't about earning more, but acting before your options disappear? Several overlooked planning windows are narrowing, with consequences that can last for decades.

Liam Shorte
28 October 2026

The retirement scorecard: how many of these questions can you answer?

From the maths of retirement, estimating spending and picking the right asset allocation to survive a poor decade, here are the questions every retiree – current or future – should be able to answer for themselves.

Mark LaMonica CFA
14 October 2026

Testamentary trusts: Treasury has picked the wrong reading

A decades-old estate planning tool has survived one tax crackdown only to be caught by another. The surprise isn't who the reform is targeting, but who could end up paying the price for drafting choices made years ago.

Rachael Rofe
21 October 2026

Superannuation’s structural failings

Politicians are fighting over access to super, but they may be arguing about the wrong thing. The system’s three fundamental flaws have been hiding in plain sight for decades, costing Australians far more than they realise.

Ron Bird
4 November 2026

Avoid unnecessary CGT with this estate planning clause

A simple estate plan can create a ticking time bomb. One overlooked clause can pit spouses against children, delay inheritances, and potentially leave a family facing an unexpected tax bill worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Shani Jayamanne
28 October 2026

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