Rick Maggi

1 April 2021

Market Outlook - global recovery, vaccines, inflation etc etc

Rick Maggi

1 April 2021

Market Outlook - global recovery, vaccines, inflation etc etc

This note covers the main questions investors commonly have regarding the investment outlook in a simple Q&A format…

Rick Maggi

1 April 2021

Educational, Exchange Traded Funds, Dividends, Distributions

Dividends & Distributions - what's the difference?

Rick Maggi

1 April 2021

Educational, Exchange Traded Funds, Dividends, Distributions

Dividends & Distributions - what's the difference?

What's a dividend and what's a distribution? Find out the difference between the two and how they work when it comes to ETFs…

Rick Maggi

26 March 2021

Bonds, Superannuation, Retirement, Investing

Why bonds still matter...

Rick Maggi

26 March 2021

Bonds, Superannuation, Retirement, Investing

There's been much discussion about recent events in the bond market both globally and in Australia, with even Warren Buffett weighing in on the topic, declaring that the fixed income market is not the place for investors to be these days…

Rick Maggi

23 March 2021

Coronavirus, Market/Economic Update

Covid crash one year on...

Rick Maggi

23 March 2021

Coronavirus, Market/Economic Update

Hungarian-born illusionist Harry Houdini was famous for his great escapes. So was American actor Steve McQueen, at least in his onscreen role in the 1963 film classic The Great Escape…

Rick Maggi

22 March 2021

Women Advice

The gender pay gap...

Rick Maggi

22 March 2021

Women Advice

Women are entering retirement with significantly less superannuation and personal savings than men – leading to a growing class of women living out their golden years in poverty. We explore how the gender pay gap is adding to this growing epidemic…

Rick Maggi

18 March 2021

Should I borrow to invest in shares?

Rick Maggi

18 March 2021

Borrowing to buy shares can accelerate the wealth building process, but it is also a two-edged sword with significant risks, all of which should be discussed with a financial advisor to determine whether this is the right way to go for you. The following is a basic summary of the mechanics, produced by Macquarie…

Rick Maggi

17 March 2021

Retirement, Superannuation

Super: Understanding the new balance caps...

Rick Maggi

17 March 2021

Retirement, Superannuation

Super: Understanding the new balance caps...

A major change to the superannuation system came into effect in mid-2017 with the introduction of a lifetime limit on how much super can be transferred into pension accounts earning tax-free income…

Rick Maggi

15 March 2021

Dividends, Income, Shares, Retirement, Superannuation

A mixed season for dividends

Rick Maggi

15 March 2021

Dividends, Income, Shares, Retirement, Superannuation

The variability in company dividends can be a concern for those reliant on dividend payouts for income. In this low yield environment, it may be prudent to consider a total-returns approach instead…

Rick Maggi

12 March 2021

Shares

Where are shares now?

Rick Maggi

12 March 2021

Shares

We are now coming up to the one-year anniversary of the low in share markets following the pandemic driven plunge a year ago.

Rick Maggi

12 March 2021

Educational, Taxation

Working from home? Here's what you can claim...

Rick Maggi

12 March 2021

Educational, Taxation

Working from home? Here's what you can claim...

Setting up a home office? Here’s how to create a comfortable workspace, while offsetting the extra costs of working remotely….

Rick Maggi

11 March 2021

Real Estate, Property

Buying a home? Read this first...

Rick Maggi

11 March 2021

Real Estate, Property

Thinking about making a sea-change or tree-change? Wondering if it’s a good time to buy in the city? With house prices rising fast across most of the country, here’s what you need to know to get onto the property ladder.

Rick Maggi

9 March 2021

What does it cost to raise kids?

Rick Maggi

9 March 2021

We often hear that raising kids is expensive, but just how much will it cost you over the first five, 10 or 20 years?

Rick Maggi

4 March 2021

Bitcoin, Investing, Superannuation, Retirement

Bitcoin: What is it?

Rick Maggi

4 March 2021

Bitcoin, Investing, Superannuation, Retirement

The title may seem a bit harsh, but I reckon it’s a reasonable question given the issues around Bitcoin and the amount of interest it’s once again attracting…

Rick Maggi

2 March 2021

Event Driven Update, Interest Rates, Westmount Financial, Wealth Accumulation, Superannuation, Retirement

Rates remain unchanged...

Rick Maggi

2 March 2021

Event Driven Update, Interest Rates, Westmount Financial, Wealth Accumulation, Superannuation, Retirement

The RBA has left rates on hold at their effective lower bound of 0.1 per cent, saying, “The board remains committed to maintaining highly supportive monetary conditions until its goals are achieved.”