In volatile market conditions, not doing anything at all - staying the course - is generally the best investment strategy overall.
What exactly is a share (or stock), and how do they work? Read on to find out the different ways of classifying companies and their shares.
Couples who take a joint approach to their super can potentially increase their retirement income and reduce tax along the way.
It seems like June 30 rolls around quicker every year, so why wait until the last minute to get your personal finances in order?
If you're retired or approaching retirement, and dreading the next piece of news that may cause your portfolio to dip, then it might be time to revisit your asset allocation.
In times of market volatility, it's useful to remember a few grounding investment principles that can get you through the good and the not-so-good.
When markets are volatile as they are now, it’s tempting to sell in a panic. But that can be a big mistake.
For the second year running, the pandemic was the focus for policy makers, markets, businesses, and individuals alike.
Lenders use your credit score (or credit rating) to decide whether to give you credit or lend you money. Knowing this can help you negotiate better deals, or understand why a lender rejected you. Your credit score is based on personal and financial information about you that's kept in your credit report.
It seems like headlines these days keep announcing markets have hit yet another all-time high. And while it's worth celebrating good days like this, not every day is going to be the same. When it comes to investing, the biggest elephant in the room is the word "uncertainty." No one can say for certain what the markets will do, and there's no crystal ball that'll show you the outcome of any situation. Instead, investors fare best when they focus on the factors they can control.
We often don’t like to think of our mortality, but it’s a fact of life. The best way to take care of your business, family and loved ones in the event that you are no longer here is by putting in place a solid plan, writes Melisa Sloan, author of Legacy, and an Estate Planning Lawyer. So whilst it can be a confronting thought, by taking the time to put a plan in place ensures that you can leave the legacy that you intended.
There's a change coming soon that means to comply with 'choice of fund' rules you might need to do something extra when a new employee starts to work for you.
Your super fund invests your money for you. Most funds let you choose from a range of investment options, from conservative to growth. It's worth taking the time to check your options and decide what's right for you. The options you choose can make a big difference to how your super grows. You can find out about your fund's investment options by checking its website or product disclosure statement (PDS). Most funds allow you to change your super investment options online.
Choosing the right super fund could boost your super savings in the
By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer, Vanguard Australia
As the new financial year gets underway, there are some big changes to superannuation that could increase your retirement savings.
Understanding exactly how much of what you spend is tax deductible is crucial for understanding what you can spend on your business (and when).
It’s been a trying year for business owners, with a lot to process before the end of the financial year
Tax time could be a bit different this year, so be sure to make the most of planning opportunities before the end of the financial year.
Certain superannuation pensions and annuities are subject to rules that determine minimum and maximum amounts to be paid in a financial year. Once you start a pension or annuity on or after 1 July 2007, a minimum amount is required to be paid each year. There is no maximum amount other than the balance of your super account, unless it is a transition to retirement pension which is not in the retirement phase, in which case the maximum amount is 10% of the account balance
The end of the financial year is fast approaching and there’s a great way to help you save on tax while boosting your super. By making an after-tax contribution to your superannuation before the end of the financial year, you could boost your retirement savings for the future – and claim a tax deduction now.¹
Want to help boost your retirement savings while potentially saving on tax? Here are five smart super strategies to consider before the end of the financial year.
Understanding how super is invested may help to explain why events like Coronavirus impact account balances, if at all.
The coronavirus is dominating the news and causing havoc on the share markets around the world. Many people may be tired of reading, and hearing about it. So apologies for sharing my two pence.
For many people, their biggest priority is to pay off their home loan as quickly as possible. It can provide a sense of freedom to actively reduce the amount you owe the bank, and know you own a bigger portion of your home. Here’s an example of how one couple took a different approach to achieve this goal sooner.
Superannuation is a key pillar of Australian life, built up over the years through compulsory salary deductions and designed to support you in retirement.
One of the most effective means of reducing the different types of risk is to diversify your portfolio.
Australians are taking unhealthy risks on second opinions relating to an illness or medical condition, according to research conducted by MLC.
Industry funds offer two main benefits for their members, being reduced administration fees on their investments and access to discounted premiums on the insurance cover inside the fund.
A MANAGED fund does not exactly inspire people. In the excitement stakes, it ranks right up there with income tax legislation and public service reform.
The market dropped 11 per cent in 2011, capping off its worst four years on a rolling average – which is to say comparing each month with its equivalent for the past four years – since the Depression. So stick to cash, perhaps buy some government bonds since they’re on a roll, stay away from shares because enough is enough and, for a bit of a thrill, maybe buy some gold, which has been a star, and you’ll be right?
The world’s best investors have developed a number of highly successful investment strategies in decades past. Some of these investors started out with as little as $100, and today boast fortunes worth billions.
For just the second time in 30 years the Australian sharemarket is poised to deliver its second consecutive calendar year of negative returns. In what will be 12 months to forget for most investors, the combination of European debt woes and worries about the Chinese and US economies, along with the prospect of another bout of instability in the global banking system, have pushed the S&P/ASX 200 Index down 13.83 per cent so far this year.
It’s that time of year again, when Financial Review DealBook gazes into the crystal balls of analysts, investors, and the blogosphere, to foretell where the next financial markets catastrophe may lie.
Normally MYEFO is a document the Government releases as an update on how the economy and the Federal Budget are tracking. However on Tuesday the Treasurer released what was effectively a mini-Budget which included a number of important new saving measures with the intention of keeping the Budget on track for a surplus by 2013/14.
With sharemarkets rapidly moving up and down, many people are wondering just how safe their super is.
Investors of all ages are, understandably, asking questions about how long market uncertainty will last and the effect it will have on their superannuation and investments. It’s a common reaction in times like these to consider more defensive assets such as cash.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is announcing special arrangements this year due to COVID-19 to make it easier for people to claim deductions for working from home. The new arrangement will allow people to claim a rate of 80 cents per hour for all their running expenses, rather than needing to calculate costs for specific running expenses.