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Even with moving goal posts, super is simply worth it

Australia really deserves the moniker “Downunder”. We’re this little mixed up, backward, First World-like, paradise island that’s not easy to get to from anywhere. We’re light years from our major trading partners, which occasionally give us shipping pains. People are desperate to get here, but we’ve got boat people pains. We’ve got the climate and […]

Changing the super changes mentally

PORTFOLIO POINT: My kingdom for some superannuation certainty! Here’s the first step in a plan to end super’s politics. I think it’s possible that everybody (even politicians) is tired of change in superannuation. Cynicism is growing. Change fatigue set in some time ago. I think that concept is slowly sinking in. Certainly, Labor’s announcement of […]

Super: What the Coalition will do

PORTFOLIO POINT: The coalition’s plans for super will require adjustments to your contributions strategy. Plus, is the new super pensions tax dead? If anyone was in any doubt that superannuation is a political football, then Thursday last week should have ended that. The Coalition’s Budget-in-reply confirmed that no matter how much “fairer” the Government might […]

What are three key things you want your children to know about money?

Marshmallows, money trees and managing risk. The first two are sexy enough to be easy sells to my DebtKids. The last one … just not so catchy, is it? Marshmallows is about delayed gratification – “evil” scientist Walter Mischel’s experiment to see if kids could stay in a room without eating a marshmallow. Most kids […]

Seven super tips before June 30

PORTFOLIO POINT: A year to celebrate the positive whims of the market, sure. But don’t miss putting the cream on the top. With six weeks to go, it’s looking like financial year 2013 is going to be a year of largely pleasant memories for trustees. Certainly not in all respects. It’s been a year of […]

Why interest rate cuts are bad news for all of us

Call it Tron, call it Narnia, call it Wayne’s World if you want. But for sure, last week we entered an economic dimension none of us have ever actually been to before. Official interest rates below 3 per cent. They haven’t been there for 53 years. Only those aged 70 or over, who had a […]

How much money will your generation need for a comfortable retirement?

COMFORTABLE?! Who wants “comfortable”? Raise your hand if exceedingly average, mundane and boring appeals to you? No-one? Right, let’s get real. Let’s substitute “comfortable” for … “obscenely wealthy”. Gen Xers, aim for ridiculously lavish. This is where you spend and splurge the equivalent of Fiji’s gross domestic product annually. Sometimes maybe even in Fiji, but […]

Grim reaper threat to SMSF property

PORTFOLIO POINT: Don’t let your partner’s death destroy your SMSF’s property dreams. Death can be rather inconvenient, particularly if poorly timed. And I’m not talking about the impact on the deceased. Sure, mostly, they aren’t going to be thrilled with the event. But it tends to be rather final and today we’re going to assume […]

What are some simple ways to improve financial literacy in Australia?

What if the meaning of the letters W-E-L-C-O-M-E were officially changed from “welcome” to “loser”? (A bit random, I know. Stick with me.) But you didn’t know. You then wouldn’t understand why party guests, as you greeted them to your house, punched you in the face. On a macro level, I think the single best […]