Darren recently answered some of the most common questions from our clients and readers around the impacts of COVID-19 on markets. What should you be doing with your investment portfolio? Is now the time to buy? What are the impacts of COVID-19 on property? You will find the Q&A videos in two parts below. If […]
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3 positive effects of a recession
Recession, recession, recession. These words are being shouted across media headlines and newspapers around the world as we deal with the impacts of COVID-19. It is indeed a difficult time for investors as we face economic challenges stemmed from a pandemic that no one could have predicted. But the headlines that we in Australia are […]
Downsizer Contributions
The Downsizer contribution gives Australians over the age of 65 who have recently sold their home the ability to make a superannuation contribution regardless of your working status. The idea is that sale proceeds up to $300,000 per person can be put into super to help fund your retirement. Who is this helpful for? Anyone […]
HomeBuilder Grant Program
The Australian government has initiated the HomeBuilder grant program to stimulate the residential construction sector and help safeguard the jobs of one million tradesmen around the country. It comes as the building sector faces a significant drop of 22% for homes approved for construction and 13.2% for alterations and additions, figures released by the Australian […]
What if the government doesn’t need to repay its ‘debt’?
You would have seen in the media many times about the huge sums of debt the Australian Government is racking up from the coronavirus stimulus package ($200 billion and counting). Conventional economic theory will tell you this is a bad thing, that it has huge implications for younger generations and their future as governments will […]
Australian Government Stimulus Package Overview
The Australian Government has announced a second stimulus package to further support individuals, households and businesses, through the economic impact of COVID-19. The first stimulus was announced on 12 March 2020, and a second stimulus package was announced on 22 March 2020 as a response to the further deteriorating economy, with the full economic effects […]
Staying connected (from a distance)
As we try to understand the health, financial and social implications of coronavirus, we have made a few changes to our work environment. As far as I can tell we’ve avoided any exposure to coronavirus thus far and to help keep this outbreak under control we are making some temporary changes to how we interact […]
Coronavirus and share market insights
Cast your mind back to the financial press of December 2019. How many economists had “a virus caused by people eating bat soup” in their forecasts for 2020? And yet here we are watching with concern the spread of the new Coronavirus, with it being unsettling as a health risk as well as from an […]
How much money do I need to retire?
Many Australians approaching retirement start questioning whether their superannuation balance is enough. According to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (AFSA), most Australians don’t have enough saved and are at risk of facing a lower standard of living once they stop working[1]. There are no scholarships, grants or loans for retirement so a little […]
What is infrastructure investing?
Investing in infrastructure means you’re putting money into companies that own and operate essential public assets. These assets are usually necessary services to the community and include the following: Toll Roads Railways Airports Ports Water and electricity supply Communication Assets Hospital and education facilities. Given their history of being government owned/managed, infrastructure assets are generally […]