You may have read about Armaguard Australia in the news recently. Armaguard is one of the nation’s last remaining cash transit companies, servicing stakeholders across the banking, retail, hospitality, medical and government sectors. The company has been teetering on the brink of collapse. Its recent risk of insolvency has been due primarily to one thing: […]
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What are ETFs and how do they work?
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) give investors a cost-effective avenue for capturing the returns of an asset class, an index, or a commodity. While the name is fairly new, ETFs are simply managed funds which can be bought and sold through a stockbroker, mirroring the process of trading shares. How ETFs Operate An ETF is just a […]
Retirement Planning: it’s not all about the money
According to recent analysis from KPMG, the average retirement age for Australians is the highest it’s been since the 1970s. More people over the age of 55 are staying in the workforce than ever before, whether through choice or necessity. Retirement is a significant life event for the vast majority of Australians. Most of us […]
Extra, Extra, Don’t Read All About It
This article was originally featured on the Align Financial blog on 18 December 2018. If you’re reading the investment headlines in the news around this time of year, then you might start to feel a bit of anxiety around whether your investments are well placed. Reading the news is one thing but acting on it […]
ESG Investing – what is it and how does it work?
In recent years, ESG investing (also called sustainable, ethical or responsible investing) has taken a more prominent role in management and investment decisions. But what exactly does ESG mean, and how does it affect your investment portfolio? ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance and is a way of measuring and assessing a firm’s sustainability […]
An introduction to Testamentary Trusts
If you have a Will in place, you could be mistaken for thinking that your estate planning is taken care of. But have you considered if your Will can stand up to obstacles that your children may face such as divorce, bankruptcy, long-term illness? One way lawyers protect against such events is by incorporating Testamentary […]
What is Critical Illness insurance?
Rising insurance premiums over the last few years have encouraged many of our clients to reassess their insurance needs. This includes looking at the different types of cover, what they provide for, and whether they suit your needs and budget. Many insurance policies include Trauma cover – but what exactly is it, and what does […]
Currency Hedging
If your portfolio contains assets held in a foreign currency, there is a risk that returns might be impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates. As a result, it can be worthwhile knowing how currency fluctuations impact returns. But what exactly is currency hedging, and is it worth the extra costs? How do currency fluctuations affect […]
Super Recontribution Strategy
Although it may sound a little odd, taking money out of super and putting it back in can actually be beneficial by reducing the amount of potential tax you or your dependents may pay in the future. A recontribution strategy aims to increase the ‘tax-free’ component of your super account while reducing the ‘taxable’ amount. […]
Interest rates are higher, why aren’t house prices lower?
Rising interest rates usually mean bad news for homeowners, as the cost of servicing existing mortgages goes up and consumers start to feel the pinch. You’d expect this to have a knock-on effect on house prices – higher rates should mean lower house prices as more people are pushed out of (or unable to enter) […]