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9 October 2025
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The latest data from APRA and the ATO shows SMSFs continue to grow. Almost 612,000 SMSFs hold $885 billion in assets, with most of the money in listed shares, cash and term deposits, as well as unlisted trusts.
Markets have rallied hard of late. In his latest investment update, UniSuper CIO John Pearce looks at what’s behind the recent strength, whether it's justified, and the risks for the market going forwards.
Peter Drucker’s axiom “culture eats strategy for breakfast” continues to ring true. If culture is the sophisticated word for execution, Boral has been a standout over the past 12 months, while Fletcher Building has lagged.
To negate bracket creep, the thresholds at which marginal tax rates change should be indexed to inflation. Instead, governments legislate ad-hoc tax cuts to address bracket creep and announce them with great fanfare.
It's a surprise how rarely we see ‘spouse contribution splitting’ in SMSFs. This type of splitting is a special rule that effectively allows someone to ‘give’ some of their super contributions to their spouse.
In this exclusive interview, Graham Turner talks about how Flight Centre went global, what he's learned from key mistakes, the way he uses psychology to build the right teams, and his criteria for making acquisitions.
Research finds that private equity claims of offering superior risk-adjusted returns to public markets are exaggerated. Complexity, capital calls, and illiquidity are among the challenges investors face to reap potential rewards.
Stocks have had a barnstorming run of late, breaking to new highs in many markets, as they anticipate imminent cuts to interest rates in the US. Can the run continue, and if so, what are the key signposts to look for?
LICs are continuing to struggle with large discounts and frustrated investors are wondering whether it’s worth holding onto them. This explains why the next 6-12 months will be make or break for many LICs.
Younger Australians think they’ll need $100k a year in retirement - nearly double what current retirees spend. Expectations are rising fast, but are they realistic or just another case of lifestyle inflation?
This week, I got the news that my mother has dementia. It came shortly after my father received the same diagnosis. This is a meditation on getting old and my regrets in not getting my parents’ affairs in order sooner.
Retirement can be daunting for Australians facing financial uncertainty. Understand your goals, longevity challenges, inflation impacts, market risks, and components of retirement income with these crucial charts.
Five mega trends point to risks of a more inflation prone and lower growth environment. This, along with rich market valuations, should constrain medium term superannuation returns to around 5% per annum.
Australia's superannuation system faces a 'Rubicon' moment, a turning point where the focus is shifting from accumulation phase to retirement readiness, but unfortunately, many funds are not rising to the challenge.