Introduction It’s now coming up to six years since Greece first revealed that it had understated its true level of public debt. And this is the fourth year in which it has seemingly held global financial markets to ransom as a result of its excessive public debt level. To be honest it’s becoming a bit […]
There are many reasons why we rent. For some people it’s a short-term fix while they save up to buy a home or renovate a new property. For others it’s a long-term solution while they invest their savings elsewhere. But the cost of buying a home can be a significant factor. And with Australian house […]
A recent news story reminded me of the importance of having an up to date will. Like me, you may have read that the Sydney Swans club is arranging a memorial plaque for one of its long term supporters—a man named Royce Skinner who died in 2014. What makes the story so interesting is that […]
Australia has one of the highest rates of part-time, temporary or self-employed workers in the world (over 35%)1, who earn more per hour than their full-time colleagues. Traditional part-timer workers include women (over 43%), people caring for elderly relatives, pre-retirees and those pursuing their studies. But perhaps you don’t fit this mould? Maybe you’re a […]
Introduction Tax reform is a hot topic in Australia with lots of strongly-held views. There are three main reasons. First, despite the tax reforms of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s the Australian tax system is still far from ideal. This is highlighted by the Government's Tax Discussion Paper. Second, some see tax reform as a […]
Every parent wants the best for their children but kids often won’t listen to the wisdom of your experience, especially when it comes to money. Don't give up! Here are some of the common beliefs and misconceptions kids have about managing money—and how you could get them to take your advice. 1. Money buys happiness […]
The June long weekend heralded the start of the ski season and that means plenty of snow-loving Australians will head to the slopes either locally or overseas. Taking out travel insurance is a no-brainer and if you’re relying on complimentary insurance provided by your credit card, new rules make it easier to know what you’re […]
This year, what happens in the US is critically important to what happens in the global economy because of the intense focus on the Federal Reserve (Fed). We’ve had near-zero interest rates since the onset of the global financial crisis, and the Fed has indicated that at some point, probably this year, it will start […]
A question many investors face is where to invest for sources of income in a low yield environment. With the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cutting the official cash rate by 0.25% to 2.0% in May, many investors are looking for income opportunities outside of term deposits. In this article, we discuss corporate bond investing […]
What’s driving the demand for Australian housing? While it’s generally agreed Australian property prices are high in a global context, the reasons for it are subject to many factors. In our view, the shift to low interest rates since the early 1990s, deregulation of the banking system and the rise in two income households has […]
