It’s a win-win idea. A parent sells their home to move in with their adult child’s family, providing cash for the deposit or renovations and helping with the mortgage and providing free childcare. In return, there’s companionship, care and physical support for the older person. But sometimes these plans go awry, leaving the elderly parent…
Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) have had a challenging year, with COVID-19 linked market uncertainty affecting income and returns. But SMSF trustees haven’t been sitting on their hands. One of the main reasons people give for wanting to establish an SMSF is to have greater control of their investments and taking control of a difficult situation…
If there’s one good thing to come out of this crisis, it’s that we’ve spent less money over the last 10 weeks. Entertainment, eating out, and overall personal expenses were all down. Quietly, we’re sure you’d agree that the low cost of petrol during self-isolation is quite ironic. On the positive, this disruption has given…
While it can be hard to stay in the market when share prices plummet, now is not the time to panic. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has triggered a share market crash, in Australia and internationally. Since 31 December 2019, when the first cases of the new virus were reported in China’s Hubei province, the disease…
Do you have a plan to deal with your assets and investments when you pass away? Having your estate planning documents in order is what separates a smooth estate distribution from a legal mess. When you pass, you’d like to think that siblings will be there for each other instead of feuding over your belongings….
The spread of coronavirus has been followed by some of the biggest plunges in share markets since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), both here in Australia and around the world. There’s nothing new about a market correction, but for those close to retirement it can be a nerve-wracking experience. If you’ve checked your superannuation balance…
It’s a different world The Coronavirus pandemic has disrupted every aspect of our daily lives from workplace closures to schooling children at home, from lockdowns to panic buying. Globally, as of 13 April 2020, there have been 1,776,867 confirmed cases, including 111,828 deaths reported to the World Health Organisation. In Australia, from Jan 26 to 13 Apr 2020, there…
Key points While reported new coronavirus cases in China have slowed, the pickup in cases outside China has led to a renewed sharp fall in share markets and bond yields. Our base case is that the outbreak will be contained allowing share markets and bond yields to rebound in the June quarter. However, the hit…
Estimates of the size of the sustainable investment market vary from around $23 trillion to almost $31 trillion, with responsible investment taking into account environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions, whereas ethical investing being more of a values-based approach. In Australia, investments managed in an ethical or responsible manner came in at…
When you’re looking at properties it’s hard not to pick features you love. A great view. Beautiful leafy garden and pool. Moments from the beach. But purchasing an investment property is very different from purchasing your own home. You have to leave the ‘dream home’ thinking behind and start thinking in numbers, probabilities and what…
