The Iran War: Keeping Perspective Amidst Uncertainty
There’s a particular kind of unease that creeps in when market headlines start mixing geopolitics with talk of oil prices and recessions. That feeling has been hard to avoid, as Read more…
Author Archives: Smart Retirement
Warren Buffett: Timeless Lessons from a Lifetime of Investing
Warren Buffett has never looked much like a financial celebrity. He lives in the same house he bought in Omaha in 1958, prefers simple food and has built one of Read more…
Ways to Prevent Family Trust Disputes
Most families don’t expect disputes to arise within their trust, especially when its purpose is to protect wealth and support loved ones. But misunderstandings about control, rights or responsibilities can Read more…
The EOFY Jobs that Might Matter More than you Think
As the end of the financial year (EOFY) approaches, investors often focus on topping up super, maximising deductions, prepaying interest or reviewing portfolios. While these are all valuable activities, there Read more…
Understanding the New Centrelink Deeming Rates – What Australian Retirees Need to Know
When the Crystal Ball is a Little Cloudy
This is a fun time of year. The Ashes have wrapped up, with a stunning victory for the Aussies. And now the Winter Olympics and Paralympics have begun. In other Read more…
Stop, Drop and Stay the Course
For many of us, the importance of a fire drill is ingrained in us from an early age. Through ongoing rehearsals focusing on calm evacuation procedures, we build muscle memory Read more…
Protect and Grow Wealth in Uncertain Times
Interest rate swings, market volatility and global tensions make one thing clear: wealth management needs both protection and growth strategies to thrive. Finding the balance between driving growth and safeguarding Read more…
2025 Year in Review: It was a Soft Landing for Australia
Many investors breathed a sigh of relief at having survived (and even thrived) the turbulent economic and political events of 2025. Super funds posted strong double-digit returns for the 2024-2025 Read more…
Who Are You When You’re Not Your Job?
For years – maybe decades – one simple question came with a well-rehearsed answer: “So, what do you do?” You were a teacher, a manager, a tradie, an accountant, a Read more…
New Year’s Resolution Quiz
Because resolutions should fit your life – not the other way around! New Year’s resolutions have a bit of a reputation. Too strict. Too serious. Too much like homework. But Read more…
Celebrating with Heart – not Habit
As the festive season approaches, there is a noticeable shift in the air. The days grow longer, school terms wrap up and communities across the country begin to prepare for Read more…
Your Money, Your Priorities
Investing may be all about the numbers – growth, returns and risk – to build a secure future but increasingly investors are interested in an even more meaningful approach. Four Read more…
How Generosity can be Part of your Financial Plan
It’s the season for gifts, sharing meals and spreading cheer. But what if your festive generosity could do more? What if it could ripple through generations, perhaps shaping futures and Read more…
Summer 2025
We would like to wish you and your family a happy and safe festive season. Here’s a quick Summer 2025 recap of the Aussie economy. The economy came under renewed Read more…
Sometimes it Helps to Pay Less Attention
Article by Wes Crill, PhD, Senior Client Solutions Director and Vice President of Dimensional. I was on holiday during the stock market’s recent ups and downs and missed out on Read more…
3 Common Investing Mistakes
Many people start out managing their own investments. But as their earnings and assets grow, their financial needs and challenges become more complex… and continuing to go it alone could Read more…
Investing in Rare Earths Requires Patience and Perspective
Few investment sectors combine geopolitical intrigue, technological innovation and long-term growth potential quite like Rare Earth Elements (REEs). For Australians, the recent deal with the United States to supply rare Read more…
Will the Magnificent 7 Stay on Top?
The Magnificent 7 entered 2025 among the Top 10 largest US stocks. But before making an outsize bet on gains from these technology giants, investors should consider a few lessons from Read more…
Generational Slang Showdown
We’re going to spill the tea. Not the traditional “everybody’s jiggling” kind (remember the Lipton ad from the 1980s?!). This tea is the juicy information, somewhat secretive kind of tea. Read more…
China’s Solar Space Station: A Game-Changer in Renewable Energy
Keeping an eye on the big picture often means looking beyond our own backyard – and even beyond Earth! Geopolitical analyst James Wood, who writes extensively about China, recently highlighted Read more…
Financial Missteps Can Mean Missed Opportunities
In a world of constant financial noise, from market updates and interest rate speculation to economic forecasts, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and choose to do nothing. But inaction can Read more…
Spring 2025
Spring is here, bringing longer days and an opportunity to venture outdoors and enjoy the warmer months ahead. A higher-than-expected jump in inflation figures may prompt the RBA keep interest Read more…
From Bad Reputation to Dream Destination
When you start researching for a trip overseas it’s easy to be swayed by what can be a lingering bad reputation of a region or country. The landscape of travel is Read more…
Protecting What Matters Most
We plan for holidays, home renovations and retirement but we’re less likely to plan for the unexpected. Life insurance is one quiet but powerful way to protect the people you Read more…
Strategies for an Unexpected Retirement
The best time to start planning for retirement is yesterday. But the second-best time? Today. About two-thirds of Australians retire earlier than they anticipated because of unexpected events such as Read more…
Why Retirement Is the Perfect Time to Get a Hobby (and No, Napping Doesn’t Count)
So, you’ve clocked off for the last time, the gold watch is on the shelf, and the “Congratulations!” cake is long gone. Sure, a few weeks of sleep-ins, long lunches, Read more…
Geopolitical Jitters
Since mid-June, news around the world has focused on the conflict between Israel and Iran. As with any major geopolitical event, investors face uncertainty about the impact these events might Read more…
The Randomness of Global Equity Returns
The two tables below rank historical annual stock market performance for different developed and emerging markets from highest to lowest in each year. Each colour corresponds to a different country, Read more…
Mind the Gap – Diversifying Across Countries
In the first half of 2025, developed markets outside the US returned 12.4%, outperforming the US and emerging markets.1 But that outcome masks the wide range of returns across individual Read more…
Volunteering in Retirement: Finding Purpose, Structure and Joy
Retirement might be just around the corner, or maybe you’ve recently crossed that exciting threshold. You’ve worked hard for decades and now ready to trade in the alarm clock for Read more…
How the $3m Super Tax May Affect You (and what to do next)
As the federal government has introduced a new 15% tax on superannuation earnings above $3 million (known as Division 296 tax), concerns and debates have emerged about the broader implications Read more…
Status Update on the US
A letter from Mark and Olivia Our Thoughts on the Status Of The US and it’s Impact on Portfolios The United States, and more specifically Donald Trump, have dominated Read more…
Centrelink, Australia Post Warn Customers about Fake Information Scam
Centrelink has released a warning about prevalent scams targeting customers. It noted fake information on dodgy websites and social media accounts, threatening penalties and account cancellations. “These unofficial websites and Read more…
Bearish Sentiment
Many investors seem to be pessimistic about the direction of the market. If history is any indicator though, that’s a bad time to get out of stocks. The American Association Read more…
Tariffs and Stagflation
One of the concerns arising from tariff talks is the possibility of stagflation, or the combination of rising inflation and an economic contraction, in the US. But should investors act Read more…
In Shaky Times, Investors Should Hold Their Nerve
When markets feel as shaky as they do now in the US, it is normal to ask: Is this time different? After all, the S&P 500 Index is down some Read more…
2025-2026 Federal Budget Analysis
Treasurer aims to “rebuild living standards” Much of the 2025 Federal Budget was already known, after a volley of pre-election spruiking for votes. But Treasurer Jim Chalmers had one surprise Read more…
Forget Forgetting – Simple Ways to Improve your Memory
We’ve all heard the old saying ‘an elephant never forgets’- but unlike elephants, we humans certainly don’t have flawless recall. Forgetting where you left your keys or the name of Read more…
How Political Events Affect the Markets
The markets are certainly navigating tricky times… From the economy bending policies of Trump 2.0 to the growing strength of the far right in Europe, the new alliance between Russia Read more…
Turbocharge your Super Before 30 June
More than half of us set a new financial goal at the beginning of 2025, according to ASIC’s Moneysmart website. While most financial goals include saving money and paying down Read more…
Autumn 2025
As we say goodbye to the heat of summer, we can look forward to enjoying the cooler days ahead. Along with the drop in temperature, the RBA brought much relief Read more…
Can you Predict Post-election Winners?
A common investor focus after elections is speculating on what types of businesses stand to benefit from the new administration’s political agenda. While there’s always uncertainty over how much of Read more…
Navigating Turbulent Times in the Share Market
As investors grapple with uncertainty, keeping a cool head has never been more important. “Time in the market, not timing the market” is a popular investment philosophy that emphasises the Read more…
How to Avoid Black Swans
The Power of Human Ingenuity
Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, economic challenges, and electoral uncertainty, 2024 proved the resilience of public financial markets and the power of human ingenuity once again. Markets continued to Read more…
Reality Check: Capital Market Assumptions vs. Actual Returns
Every year, many investment and consulting firms release new CMAs, or capital market assumptions. CMAs can be useful for setting risk and return expectations and for long-term financial planning. However, Read more…
Market Review 2024: Stocks Overcome Uncertainty to Notch Another Strong Year
Key Takeaways – US stocks extended a bull market, with the S&P 500 gaining 25% in 2024 – its second year in a row with gains of more than 20%. Read more…
Surviving the Silly Season
Ah, Christmas! The time of year when your bank account shrinks, your social calendar explodes, and your family dynamics resemble a poorly scripted soap opera. As we navigate this festive Read more…
Gifting for Future Generations
At this time of year, when giving is particularly on our minds, some might turn their attention to how best share their wealth or an unexpected windfall with their loved Read more…
Dollar Cost Averaging: Can it Work for You?
Australian share prices have seen record highs in 2024 after a sluggish couple of years. The S&P ASX200 index added just under 7% in the 10 months to October 31 Read more…
Summer 2024
Welcome to summer! For many, this is the most active season with last-minute tasks and celebrations with family and friends. We take this opportunity to wish you and your family Read more…
WealthBT: More Bite to Tech Stocks than Just FAANGs
How Australian Stocks have Behaved in an Election Month
Prime Ministers are just one factor potentially affecting markets. The history of the stock market going back to 1970 shows that returns in months when federal elections took place don’t Read more…
Super vs Property: What Works for Retirement Income?
There’s no debating that Australians love investing in property. The value of Australian residential real estate at the end of August 2024 was an estimated $10.95 trillion.i Some love it Read more…
Estate Planning Gives you the Final Say
Planning for what happens when you pass away or become incapacitated is an important way of protecting those you care about, saving them from dealing with a financial and administrative Read more…
Holidaying off the Tourist Trail
Insuring Against Loss of Income
Protecting income from unexpected illness and injury is particularly important to anyone with a mortgage to service, small business owners and self-employed people with no sick leave available. With income Read more…
How do Retirement Income Options Compare?
Retirement is filled with opportunities and choices. There’s the time to travel more, work on long-delayed personal projects or volunteer your help to worthwhile causes. You also have a host Read more…
Spring 2024
Spring has spring! It’s the perfect season for motivating personal, business and financial renewal. We hope you enjoy the sunshine, warmer weather and our summary of the markets to date. Read more…
The Investing Olympics
We hope you enjoyed watching Australia’s inspirational performances at the Paris Olympics. Australian athletes officially surpassed all previously Olympic efforts with more gold medals won than ever before, making the Read more…
The Market and US Presidential Elections
It’s natural for investors to look for a connection between who wins the White House and which way stocks will go. But regardless of who wins, nearly a century of Read more…
Howzat?
Index construction rules sometimes remind me of that old tea towel explaining the rules of cricket for Americans: “You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each Read more…
Investing Cycles: Lessons from the Magnificent 7
When it comes to investing in shares, it’s often said that time is your friend. The data shows that investing small amounts consistently over time and riding out the ups Read more…
Curve Balls
RBA watching is one of the market’s favourite past times. When and what the RBA does next remains to be seen. It might be a good time for a reminder Read more…
Midyear Review: Stocks Maintain Momentum at Year’s Halfway Point
Key Takeaways – US stocks extended a bull market, with the S&P 500 reaching a series of record highs in the year’s first half, led by technology stocks. – Core Read more…
Investing: The Case for Leaving Home
While it’s true that there’s no place like home, when it comes to investing there are costs involved in being too chained to your own patch. Australians and New Zealanders, like investors Read more…
Going for Gold
Gold fever is in the air and it’s not just the prospect of medals at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Gold prices have been climbing strongly in 2024. This is because Read more…
Enjoy the Now and Secure your Future
Managing your financial situation always involves tension between how you live your life now and preparing for your future – whatever that looks like. The worry about not getting the Read more…
Property Investing: Getting it Right
With property remaining a high-priced asset, it’s more important than ever for investors to ensure their property investments are a financial success. The latest data demonstrates property’s popularity. One-in-five households Read more…
How to End the Financial Year on a High Note
As the financial year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to review your financial affairs and set the stage for a successful new financial year. By taking care Read more…
Winter 2024
With Winter now officially underway, some might be heading north to warm up and others may lean into the cold on the snowfields. Whichever you choose, don’t forget the approaching Read more…
Evidence-based Ways to Hold Back the Hands of Time
You can’t stop the clock, so the saying goes, but humanity has spent a long time trying to slow down or even reverse the effects of ageing. Even today it Read more…
Insurance is a Sound Investment
Managing risk is an essential part of investment strategy to reduce the potential for losses. Risk is not just associated with investing though – life can throw a curve ball Read more…
2024-2025 Federal Budget Analysis
The Big Picture While Treasury is forecasting a $9.3 billion surplus for 2023-24 after the previous year’s $22.1 billion surplus, the books will look considerably different the following year with Read more…
Understanding the new $3m super tax
The much-debated tax on superannuation balances over $3 million is inching closer and those who may be affected should ensure they have considered the implications. Although it is not yet Read more…
Autumn 2024
After a summer of quite extreme weather in many places around Australia, we can hopefully look forward to the cooler, calmer weather that Autumn brings. While economic bright spots can Read more…
The Outsiders
Which stocks are in the indexes you hear about on the financial news every night? Perhaps the more interesting question is which stocks are NOT in the index. Let’s look Read more…
The Rewarding Distribution of Australian Stock Market Returns
Annual stock market returns are unpredictable, but the long history of positive returns may be reassuring to investors who find market downturns unsettling. The graph below shows the rewarding distribution Read more…
Uncertainty Is Underrated
“A wave of new scientific discoveries reveals that learning to lean into uncertainty in times of rapid change is a promising antidote to mental distress.” – Maggie Jackson, New York Read more…
2023: The Year that Wasn’t
At the beginning of the calendar year, there’s a natural tendency in the financial media to look both back and forward – back on the events of the past 12 Read more…
Magnificent 7 Outperformance May Not Continue
The Magnificent 7 stocks continue to capture the focus of investors as these large growth names have outpaced the bulk of global equities. The Magnificent 7 stocks include Alphabet, Amazon, Read more…
2023 in Review: Defying Predictions
Australia’s economy stubbornly defied predictions during 2023, dashing any hopes that we might begin to return to some kind of normal. Some had expected an end to the Reserve Bank’s Read more…
Powering Down for a Relaxing Holiday
It’s nice to enjoy a break over the summer months. In fact, it’s an Aussie tradition – that mass exodus after Boxing Day that sees us head off for some Read more…
Financial Wellbeing is a Gift Worth Giving Yourself
The festive season is a time of joy and celebration but, for some, it can also lead to a financial hangover in the New Year. Overspending on gifts, parties, and Read more…
How to Give Back
Australia is a giving country, but we often give in kind rather than financially. Whenever there is a disaster here or overseas, Australians rush to donate their time and household Read more…
Summer Summary 2023
It’s December – the month that always seem to race by as we approach the end of the year and all the festivities it brings. We hope you all have Read more…
The Mechanics of ETFs
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) offer investors an efficient means of accessing a professionally managed portfolio of securities through a single investment vehicle. While ETFs share this and many other features Read more…
Long-Term Investors, Don’t Let a Recession Faze You
Investors may be tempted to abandon equities and go to cash when there is a heightened risk of recession. But research has shown that stock prices incorporate these expectations and Read more…
The Power of Compounding – in Health and Wealth
Compounding is one of the most powerful forces in the world. Just ask Albert Einstein, who’s said to have called it the “eighth wonder.” The seemingly small decisions we make Read more…
Aged Care Challenges in the Home
Ageing at home in Australia with government-subsidised funding is made possible through the Home Care Packages program. However, a crackdown on what the funds can be used for and a Read more…
Perspective on Premiums
When you leave your waiter or waitress a tip, do you round it to a whole-dollar amount and often in multiples of $5? Does a 60th birthday seem more significant Read more…
Markets Don’t Wait for Official Announcements
US Recession and Stock Performance During The Global Financial Crisis1 S&P 500 Index, January 2007–December 2010 Some investors may worry about the stock market sinking after a recession is officially Read more…
You Know More about Investing than You Think You Do
No matter how familiar we are with investing, we’ve all navigated uncertainty, weighed risks and rewards, and made carefully considered tradeoff decisions. Just by being human, we’ve been compelled to Read more…
A Positive Property Outlook for Some
Residential property investors have been on a wild ride in recent years as prices slumped during the pandemic then quickly skyrocketed before losing ground again. Now, with prices levelling out Read more…
Destinations to Fire Up your Passions
The world is an amazing place, with so much to see and do. In fact, sometimes it can feel as though there is so much to experience so it can Read more…
How the Aussie Dollar Moves your Investments
It has been a wild ride for the Australian dollar since the Covid-19 pandemic struck and that could mean good news or bad news for your investment portfolio. In March Read more…
Should I Buy Insurance through my Super?
While we all hope for good health, the reality is that some of us may struggle at times with sickness or injury. And that may affect your family’s financial wellbeing. Read more…
Spring 2023
September is upon us, and spring is in the air. It’s time to shake off the winter cobwebs, get out into the garden or the great outdoors. Meanwhile, AFL and Read more…
David Booth in the Financial Times: Why the Wisdom of the Market Crowd Beats AI
This piece was written by David Booth, Chairman and Founder of Dimensional and was originally published in the Financial Times. Can artificial intelligence help pick stocks? More specifically, can investors Read more…
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