History is on the side of shares.
After several years of poor performance, is the "stocks for the long term" still valid? Are long term investors right to sit tight? Or is this downturn different? Read more here Rick Maggi
19/07/12: USA: What on earth is the "fiscal cliff"?
Yet another alarming sound-bite?
In recent weeks, US politicians and economists have been quoting the term 'fiscal cliff' in the media with increasing regularity. The coming fiscal cliff they are referring to would take effect on January 1 2013, after the US elections in November. So what exactly is it? Should Australian investors be worried? Read more here
16/07/12: Are we in a property bubble?
Is this time any different?
There's a tug-of-war between optimists and pessimists, between economists, investment journalists and the real estate industry. Are we in a property bubble or on the verge of a recovery? This difference in opinion also seems to depend of your particular vantage point (ie Perth vs Melbourne) and whether you believe economies in the rest of the world will slowly recover or deteriorate. This article, written by Robert Keavney for Money Management Magazine, suggests our 'luck' (in the property market) is about to run out. Read more here. Rick Maggi.
02/07/12: Europe lives to fight another day
EU: Walking backwards towards integration
Last weeks EU Summit was, in many ways, a surprising success. While the noise going into the meeting was not encouraging, in the end Germany's Angela Merkel 'blinked' and agreed to a variety of measures to spur European growth, protect the Spanish banking system and lower borrowing costs. Markets around the globe are now rallying to the good news, but the road ahead is a long and twisting one. Read more here.
29/06/12: Australian house prices - is the crash upon us?
Where to from here?
New home sales data released today for May by the HIA confirm that the housing market remains chronically weak right now. This article looks at the outlook for Australian house prices. Rick Maggi Read more here
28/06/12: What about the US?
Greek relief for now - but what about the US?
In addition to providing a brief update on Europe, this note (courtesy of AMP Capital) focusses on the US economy, both in terms of the slowdown evident in some economic indicators and the impending fiscal tightening from January 1 next year. Read more here
26/06/12: 7 contradictions in the Euro crisis
It's fixable...
Jim O'Neill, Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, in his latest issue of Viewpoints looks at 20 contradictions regarding the euro area issues. Here are 7 key contradictions... Read more here
26/06/12: Alert: 30% Health Insurance Rebate
Pay your health insurance in advance and save...
Please note that the Government is applying an income test to the current 30 per cent rebate it gives us on our private health insurance. That means higher income earners (singles earning over $84,000 and households earning over $164,000) will be progressively slugged up to 30% more on their health insurance from next Monday.
However, the ATO allows you to prepay your health insurance for the next financial year (as long as you do it before the end of the week) which effectively means you can lock in the rebate, potentially saving you thousands of dollars. Rick Maggi Try HBF Rebate calculator here
25/06/12: End of financial year checklist
Plan for the year ahead...
With June 30 fast approaching, now is a good time to review your portfolio and plan for the year ahead. And this year, there are a few time sensitive issues surrounding superannuation that you may want to pay particular attention to. Below is a useful checklist which you may want to quickly run through to ensure that you are fully prepared for 2012/13. Rick Maggi EOFY Checklist
09/06/12: Make your insurance more affordable
Structure your insurance to save money...
Did you know you can save money by buying your life insurance and total disability (TPD) cover in super? Read more here Rick Maggi
16/06/12: Central banks ready to act
Greece votes
Central banks from major economies stand ready to take steps, including coordinated action, to stabilise markets as world economies prepare for a possible financial storm after cliffhanger elections in Greece this Sunday. Read Reuters article here Also, what happens to Greece if they leave the euro? Watch Bloomberg video here (70 seconds) Rick Maggi
19/06/12: Vanguard lowers their fees
Because costs matter...
Vanguard has formally announced that they will be significantly reducing the investment fees they charge on their most popular funds to well below industry averages. Vanguard recognise the significant impact that costs have on investment returns and with many of their fund fees now dropping to jaw-dropping lows, our clients now have a greater chance of investment success. We congratulate Vanguard. For more information contact us on 9382 8885. Rick Maggi.
11/06/12: Super Tip #24: Anti-Detriment Payments
An additional payment on death...
Anti-Detriment payments were introduced almost 25 yeas ago to ensure that the families and beneficiaries of super members were not inadvertently disadvantaged by the introduction of the 15% contributions tax. Does your fund allow for anti detriment payments? Read more here Rick Maggi.
11/06/12: Leaving your employer?
Tax benefits set to change from July 1 2012...
If you're thinking of retiring or resigning (or are faced with redundancy), you should know the special tax concessions for certain employment termination payments (ETP's) will end on June 30 2012. Read more here Rick Maggi
11/06/12: Super: Big changes for over 50s
The caps come down on July 1st...
The 'concessional contributions' caps for superannuation contributions are being significantly reduced on 1 July 2012, so if you're over 50 this could impact you in a number of ways. These two articles focus of the caps themselves plus 'transition to retirement' strategies. If in doubt, please contact us before the end of June - its extremely important to get this right. Rick Maggi
05/06/12: The cycle of market emotions
A road-map for investors...
The 'Cycle of Market Emotions' is one of the most important road-maps for investors as share prices move through periods of boom and bust, of rise and fall, and of calm and volatility. Rick Maggi Read Here
01/06/12: Bond funds vs term deposits
Which is better in the current environment?
Jeff Brunton, Head of Credit Markets (AMP) discusses the benefits of bond funds in an environment of declining interest rates. Rick Maggi. View video here
31/05/12: Bridging the advice gap
The value of getting quality advice
This excerpt from Macquarie's 'Strictly Business' newsletter discusses the importance of obtaining good advice from professionals including accountants and financial planners, especially during more challenging periods. Rick Maggi Read 'Bridging the advice gap'
23/05/12: Q&A: Greek euro exit and implications
Olivers Insights
This article looks at the various issues around Greece's possible exit from the Eurozone. Read here Rick Maggi
16/05/12: Greeks heading back to the polls
Markets slump...
The Australian share market fell to a two-month low this afternoon, led by miners, as Greece's political leaders prepare for a second election in just over a month. Read more here.