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8 October 2025
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Far from an outdated relic, Torrens title appears to be the revolutionary, cheap, low-risk way to handle property dealings. Here's a look at why this Australian invention from the 1850s hasn't caught on more widely.
Any discussion on annuities needs to address the credit risk associated with relying on the solvency of a single insurer. Here's a guide on the regulation of annuities and the best ways to assess solvency risk.
If you have been maintaining a small inactive superannuation fund purely for insurance purposes, you need to act quickly to avoid losing cover which might be difficult to replace.
My trip to Malta and Italy produced many great memories, but did I really enjoy the experience? As the Nobel Laureate says: “We go on vacations to a very large extent in the service of our remembering self.”
Most people think of super access in terms of age, but when life deals a cruel blow, the rules allow members early access subject to certain conditions. It's a valuable safety net.
Disability insurance can be either inside or outside of superannuation. There are premium, payout amount and tax consequences of those decisions that should be analysed to achieve the best cover.
The way insurance payments are made can have a significant impact on the overall cost of personal cover, and knowing future premiums helps manage the risk of losing insurance when most needed.
Super fund members should review their estate plans and insurance arrangements in light of the new transfer balance cap rules.
Australia has a world-class superannuation system, but it is also the most complex. From insurances to estate provisions to the many different forms of contributions and withdrawals, we should try to 'keep it simple'.
It's not just super contribution limits that have changed since 1 July. The ability to provide insurance policies through SMSFs has been redefined and the ATO can now utilitse new administrative penalty powers.
Protecting your wealth and standard of living is just as important as building it in the first place. You are gambling with your financial future if you do not have adequate insurance.
Superannuation was introduced to encourage people to save for their retirement, and this article explains that despite some recent criticism of performance, super remains a highly effective savings vehicle.
This AI cycle feels less like a revolution and more like a rerun. Just like fibre in 2000, shale in 2014, and cannabis in 2019, the technology or product is real but the capital cycle will be brutal. Investors beware.
An explosion in low-skilled migration to Australia has depressed wages, killed productivity, and cut rental vacancy rates to near decades-lows. It’s time both sides of politics addressed the issue.
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.
Australian housing’s 50-year boom was driven by falling rates and rising borrowing power — not rent or yield. With those drivers exhausted, future returns must reconcile with economic fundamentals. Are we ready?
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.