The Melbourne Cup has been run and I can confirm zero success on any of the four horses I put money on. This year we were provided access to tips from gentlemen who live and breathe horse racing and…. we will now return to our usual name, horse colour and dart solutions. While we appreciate the tips, the variables in horse racing, especially when every horse in the race is trying to win it, seem way harder than getting wealthier the old-fashioned way – saving and investing.

To those who did win, congratulations and we hope you celebrated appropriately.

Having demonstrated very little skill in gambling we have returned to something we do understand, but still can be very fickle, investment markets.

Read More

I read an article recently that proffered ‘the world has become a lot more dangerous’.  This is in reference to the ongoing Ukraine/Russia Conflict and the horrors that were perpetrated in Israel on the 7^th of October and no doubt the fierce response that is now occurring in Gaza.

I do not want to understate the impacts that are being experienced by combatants and civilians in these areas but unfortunately, it is far from unprecedented.  As recently as May 2021, Israel was embroiled in ‘Operation Guardian of the Walls’ with missiles exchanged between Hamas and Israel as well as riots in Israeli cities.

Read More

So first to some breaking news.

Announced late last week, our Director of Financial Services, Troy Theobald has made the Barons’ Top 50 list.  This is in recognition of the success of Troy and the firm compared to all other advice businesses nationally.  There are some big institutional firms in the mix and it is a credit to Troy and RFS, that a privately owned practice can mix it successfully with the corporate advice groups.

Read More

Apologies for the hiatus in these commentaries.  I was practising what we preach by taking an extended break in Europe.

Troy and I joined forces some twelve years ago in March 2011, so it was time to give him a well-earned break from me!  He and the team have assured me I was missed but the place seems to have functioned very well without the CEO, so I am not so sure…?

Read More

Yes, it is a little about all of us spending more than the RBA would like, but it is a lot more about state and federal governments continuing to grow their expense budgets with no real concern for the possible consequences.

Read More

May is budget month and I know you are all getting pretty excited about it.  No doubt, the 9^th of May is already highlighted in your diaries and you are clearing those pesky social engagements that might interrupt one of the big economic nights of the year!

Read More

The rapid rise of interest rates has provided a shock that is exposing companies with pre existing conditions to the rude reality of normalised monetary policy.

Yes the US Federal Reserve cash rate rises from zero in March 2020 to 4.50% in March 2023 is the steepest rate rise cycle for 158 years but… 4.5% is not an outlier when it comes to cash rates.

Read More

Many clients may have seen the news in regards to the SIVB bank – Silicon Valley Bank.

This is a bank that is not well known and given there are over 4,800 banks in the US that is probably not a great surprise.

It is a reasonably large bank with total assets of US$211.8 billion as at the 31st December 2022.  Compare that to the NAB with total assets of $596.1 billion.  

SVB grew very quickly, through venture capital firms pouring cash into it as they raised capital for potential start-ups.

Read More

(8 minute read)

I know it is a dry topic but these changes may have broader ramifications than you think and it has probably exposed an agenda that we will need to plan for.

As a precursor, we still believe Superannuation will be a critical part of the retirement savings landscape, but there are changes coming and they add complexity rather than reduce it.

Additionally, we have time to make adjustments and there are other options to discuss.

Read More

An interesting economic backdrop and help us stop scammers.

The economic backdrop continues to impact, both on sentiment and investment markets, but there are pieces within the puzzle that may point to a more positive year.

Read More

Despite much talk of rising interest rates and possible recession, here are a few reasons to stay the course and stick to your long-term investment strategy.

There has been much discussion of rising interest rates, recent inflation spikes and ongoing market volatility impacting investment and super balances. Add to that the increased chatter about the possibility of Australia falling into a recession and things certainly aren’t looking too hopeful for investors at present.

Read More

2022 is wrapping up and it feels a bit like a stagger to the finish line.

Countries are slowly moving into a new normal with Covid no longer driving the policies around tourism and travel – even China.

In gaming parlance, 2022 could be described as ‘the grind’.  Picture any number of sports where there is a period where no one is scoring but you know fatigue will eventually set in and one side will get the upper hand.  Usually in State of Origin, that is QUEENSLAND… but I digress.

Investing can be a little the same. 

Read More

The Government has opened submissions for a 120 percent deduction for tech and training investment, bringing previous Federal Budget announcements one step closer to becoming reality.

Read More

Staying the course, and not being distracted by short-term market events, is just as important in retirement as it is at any other time.

Read More

With interest rates on the rise and investment returns increasingly volatile, Australians with cash to spare may be wondering how to make the most of it. If you have a mortgage, should you make extra repayments or would you be better off in the long run boosting your super?

Read More

Australians have seen more than their share of tough times over the past few years and there are many stories of how individuals and communities responded to natural disasters and the pandemic with empathy and valuable assistance.

Read More

Before we get to what is happening in the world and markets, some office news!

Read More

2022 has been a tough economic year.  Not all bad news here in Australia but serious headwinds in China, Europe, the UK, the USA and most other continents.

In Australia we have been relatively shielded by our export industries with Iron Ore, Coal, Natural Gas and agricultural produce being in demand just about everywhere. Of course we have had a little bit of rain…?  (Queenslander’s can definitely sympathise with our NSWelsh and Victorian residents at the moment).

Read More

A good estate plan will help make sure your wishes are carried out when you die. It can also help if you become unable to make your own decisions.

Read More

Stay up to date with what’s happened in the Australian economy and markets over the past month.

Read More

We all approach decision making in our own way, making a multitude of decisions every day: ‘Should I hit snooze again on the alarm?,’ ‘Do I take the train to work, or do I drive,’ ‘What should we have for dinner?’

Read More

We wanted to share an update with you from Australian Ethical, who are one of the managers within the AAN Sustainable Growth Model. What follows has been published without edit or modification from this post. This update includes links to several articles that have been written for investors.

Read More

THE G.O.A.T

In sporting parlance, the G.O.A.T. is the greatest of all time.  Think Michael Jordan for basketball, Wayne Gretzky – ice hockey, Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus for golf, Michael Phelps for swimming and Wally Lewis for state of origin.  Okay that last one could be disputed but just getting our NSW readers attention – maybe Mel Meninga, Billy Slater, Darren Lockyer or Johnathan Thurston?

All of these athletes were and are exceptional but I think we could argue that of all the people on the planet, Queen Elizabeth II may well have been the GOAT when it comes to selfless public service, dignity, grace and duty. 

Read More

Paying off your mortgage early will save you money and take a financial load off your shoulders. Here are some ways to get rid of your mortgage debt faster.

Read More

Teaching good financial habits, such as saving and budgeting, is one of the best ways to prepare children to have a secure financial future. Helping kids establish sound money management skills and strong financial acumen is important, regardless of wealth level.

Read More

Setting goals for yourself and your business is sometimes easier said than done. Productivity coach, Chelsea Pottenger, shares some handy tips to set effective goals – and achieve them!

Read More

Working out how much you need to save for retirement is a question that keeps many pre-retirees awake at night. Recent market volatility and fluctuating superannuation balances have only added to the uncertainty.

Read More

Stay up to date with what’s happened in the Australian economy and markets over the past month.

Read More

First, we had to brush up our understanding of inflation and what it means for our hip pocket and our investments. Now the term stagflation is being thrown into the economic mix.

Read More

Life just seems to get ever busier as the years roll by and our most precious commodity is often our time. We could all do with a few more hours in the day and technology continues to play a vital role in bringing efficiencies into our daily lives.

Read More

Stay up to date with what’s happened in the Australian economy and markets over the past month.

Read More

A slightly longer read as we have a lot to talk about.

The 21_22 financial year has been and gone and it was definitely two very different six monthly periods.
Looking back over the twelve months, the markets, somewhat surprisingly, strengthened from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2021. It was a difficult market to read as earnings forecasts post Covid19 may have been understated and this was driving expectations. We discussed this in our blog at the time and the concern was the unknowns such as interest rates and inflation.

Read More

The first half of 2022 was characterised by the harsh reality of elevated inflation and the combative stance taken by central banks around the globe. Already elevated inflation indicators moved higher, causing central banks to hike interest rates further than markets expected. Slower economic growth and recession fears are now front of mind.

Read More

As baby boomers shift into retirement, Australia is on the brink of the nation’s biggest ever intergenerational wealth transfer. Yet estate or inheritance planning is rarely discussed by families.

Read More

Retirement means starting a new chapter of your life, one that gives you the freedom to create your own story, as you decide exactly how you want to spend your time. While retirement may not be part of your immediate plans, there are advantages to giving some thought as to what retirement looks like for you and how to best position yourself, well before you leave the workforce behind.

Read More

As interest rates start to increase after a lengthy period of historical lows, it’s a good time to think about how your money is working for you and whether your investing style and strategy is still in line with your goals.

Read More

In our May release we discussed inflation hurdles, rising interest rates, geopolitical concerns and energy wars.

This article considers the investment backdrop and what is happening out there.

Read More

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.

Read More

No matter what side of politics you sit on, you can appreciate the enthusiasm of the ALP after finally winning an election after 9 years.

Read More

There is nothing pretty about investment markets at the moment and unfortunately what we have been concerned about for a while is now playing out around share markets across the world.

Read More

Interest rates are a fundamental input in any industry that utilises debt and has a material impact on any individual that has debts.

We are all hearing a lot about cost of living expenses and rising interest rates can be a big part of this.

Read More

There is a line from Warren Buffet (one of the world’s richest men) that talks to the power of investing into uncertainty.  “Uncertainty actually is the friend of the buyer of long-term values”.

All well and good, however you need to hold your nerve through uncertain times and right now there is a lot of uncertainty.

Many of the media still seem fascinated with the pandemic, though that is firmly in the rear view mirror and rapidly diminishing in size. 

Read More

There is a lot going on at the moment so hopefully the below will give you a quick snapshot of some of the issues that impact on investment decisions.

Read More

As advertised, COVID19 continues to play havoc around the world.  January 1^st did not fix it.

However, we now have vaccines and we are seeing significant rollouts in the UK, US and Europe.

Read More

2020 closed out with the same sort of disruption we have seen all year. Our little Covid19 bug played havoc with many Xmas plans all around the country but we hope that the majority got the chance to share quality time with those most important to them.   Two of our team made long awaited trips to see family in Victoria but had to quickly reorganise their trips back based on rapidly changing travel warnings.  They did get there, so still happy they made the trip, and yes they have been tested on their return – not quite as excited about that…

Read More

I have had some not so subtle reminders that I haven’t penned any updates over the last little while.  To be fair we had a bit going on.  Queensland had to win an Origin series (how sweet was that?), Palaszczcuk had to win an election, the US had to elect someone older but probably slightly saner than Trump and China had to pick a fight with just about everyone!

Read More

Yep, that was a forecast everyone got right!

Recently we spent a very productive hour with the Portfolio Managers for Bennelong’s Australian Equity fund.

Read More

In my last blog I suggested listening to less news and true to my word I have been ‘restricting’ myself to the morning news only – maybe the papers on the weekend…

Thankfully the US elections have been crowding a little Covid information off the front page, though nothing really impressive to see there.

Two stats I will share with you that surprised me.  Queensland has not had a Covid19 case in ICU since 19^th June and not had a death from Covid19 since the 18^th of April.

Read More

I apologise in advance as this is a longer read than usual but there is quite a bit going on so I wanted to go into a little more depth than usual.

Made famous by ‘Chicken Little’, and his concern that the sky was falling, you don’t have to look far to get worried.

We can list some majors pretty easily…

Read More