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3 July 2026
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Super reforms must improve outcomes, investing for the end beneficiary or the intermediaries, measuring risk aversion, S&P benchmarks active managers, and the effects of compounding.
Much attention has been drawn recently to the high cost of the Australian superannuation system compared with pension systems overseas, with retirement outcomes often overlooked. What should we be striving for?
A study recently published by Towers Watson claims that many in the investment industry focus on looking after intermediaries at the expense of clients. And we're obsessed by short-termism and chasing alpha.
Following from the article "Our industry has a problem", Cuffelinks interviewed Tim Hodgson, the author of the study into investment industry intermediaries. He doesn't like much of what he sees.
Financial risk aversion is usually measured via a questionnaire compiled by an adviser, which provides a one-dimensional numerical measure. But this does not cover all there is to learn about a client's aversion to risk.
The SPIVA Australia Scorecard measures the performance of actively-managed funds compared with the relevant S&P indexes. Results from the most recent Scorecard are not pretty for active managers.
If you get onto the compounding bandwagon from a young age, the balance of your superannuation, as well as other savings, come retirement will astound you. It's a shame more people aren't maximising the opportunity.
Inheritance tax implications in Australia may surprise some, as poor estate planning without proper wills or trusts can lead to costly tax bills and delays for beneficiaries.
Proposed Budget changes to taxation are casting new uncertainty over testamentary trusts, prompting closer scrutiny of estate planning structures and the real implications of reforms still taking shape.
New CGT rules could tip the scales in the super vs non-super debate. For those facing the Division 296 tax, the case for withdrawing has gotten more complex. A "comparison rate" tool may help assess decisions.
Beneath the dominance of the ASX's largest stocks, much of the market has been left behind. High-quality companies are now trading at levels rarely seen, offering opportunities for investors willing to look deeper.
Retail investors face an increasingly complex product environment, but simplicity may be the most overlooked advantage in building a portfolio you can actually live with.
The downfall of the giant and three lessons for investors.