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Welcome to Bruce Brammall Financial

“Balancing a household budget can seem like trying to run a country. How do you simplify it?”

My late Uncle Mick was the laziest organism in our solar system. Slugs worked harder. Faced with choices, he always took the easiest option. Mick had a saying for dealing with problems. “Package it up nicely, Bruce … and pass it to someone else. Then make yourself scarce!” One day, a machine on his factory […]

Should you shift that house?

PORTFOLIO POINT: Does it make sense to sell non-super investments, put the money into super and then repurchase? Let’s take a look at the numbers … If you own investment property and you also own a self-managed super fund, I’ll guarantee that you’ve thought about it. “Should I sell the investment property, transfer the money […]

“Which generation is the best at investing their money, and which is the worst?”

Let me start calling out some spades. The world-wide market crashes that preceded the GFC are the most recent exam sat by investors. Who failed and who passed? Gen Y: “DNS” – Did Not Sit. With rare exceptions, you don’t have any money and barely any super. That’s okay, you’re not supposed to. You should […]

We brief the taxman on SMSF concerns

PORTFOLIO POINT: Bruce Brammall chats to ATO assistant commissioner for super, Stuart Forsyth, about some of the burning issues for SMSF trustees. Funnily enough, I had left specific instructions with my staff should this eventuality ever come to pass. (It was a throwaway gag relating to something else that had happened in the office at […]

“Easter is here, and Christmas just eight months away. Should I prepare financially for Christmas now?”

Thankfully, my little DebtBoy can’t read yet. Because if he could, Mr Editor, I’d be giving you a good old-fashioned clip over the ears! Today, my great fear is he’s going to choke on chocolate. There is simply no need to bring the red-suited fat bloke into his line of vision! The other columnists have […]

“Money can create moments of madness in a relationship. What are the biggest problem areas?”

“What we’ve got here is (a) failure to communicate.” Depending on what generation you’re from, you’ll remember that as either Cool Hand Luke starring Paul Newman, or the opening line to Civil War from Guns N’ Roses … and you’re waiting for Axl to start whistling. Essentially, spending too much and not earning enough. But […]

Some tips for Wills and Kate

He’s got looks, money, crowd-pulling power, guaranteed succession to the top job, grace, a cool British accent, a special passport and I’m betting his cars don’t get parking tickets. I haven’t got much over Prince William. But being DebtMan and not Wills has some advantages. (Some of the following may seem jealous or plain petty.) […]

Will you have enough super?

PORTFOLIO POINT: New statistics show a frightening lack of understanding of what retirement finances will be like – from both you and the government. Have you got a grip on retirement? On YOUR retirement? Do you know what it’s going to be like? Do you know how much money you’ll have? Do you know at […]

“What are the most valuable lessons your generation can learn from the others?”

Seriously? What sort of a dumb question is that? Has to be a Gen Y suggestion! Like ALL of my fellow Gen Xers, I know everything. As our parents will attest, Gen X has known everything since we turned 13. Maybe since we were eight. But certainly no later than 1979, when Pink Floyd declared […]

Taxed at 93% – that’s got to hurt

PORTFOLIO POINT: Ignorance is no defence – here’s what you need to know to avoid copping a 93% tax rate on your super contributions. Back in the early 80s, I had a commerce class I’ll never forget. We were introduced to the concepts surrounding income tax. I got that the government needed to tax workers […]