What are the differences between ETFs and LICs? And why are investors flocking to them? One of the golden rules of investing is diversification, but that can be difficult to achieve when you are just starting out or have limited funds to tap into a world of opportunities. Which is why investors have been flocking to exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and listed investment companies (LICs). ETFs and LICs are like managed […]
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Smart investing: using dividends to increase returns The study of behavioural finance tells us people prefer a small certain reward today than a bigger uncertain one in future. That’s certainly true of share investors over the past decade. Against a backdrop of low interest rates and slow economic growth, investors have looked for dividends in ‘safe’ companies rather than big capital gains […]
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How to be prepared for climbing interest rates Interest rates have been low for so long it’s tempting to think low rates are the new normal. So when the Reserve Bank suggests that a cash rate of 3.5 per cent is the new ‘neutral’, people take notice. Even the Prime Minister warned Australian householders to prepare for higher interest rates ahead.i The official […]
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How psychology shapes our financial health For many school children of a certain vintage, the wisest investment of their youth was made for them. Buried away in their time capsule, some will still have a battered old bankbook, into which a small amount was regularly deposited. Come the final day of Grade 6, a wide-eyed kid might find a few hundred […]
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June 30: Tips for getting your financial house in order Time is running out to get your financial house in order before June 30. This is especially the case for anyone who has funds available to make a large cash injection into their superannuation retirement savings before the rules change. The 2016-17 financial year is your last opportunity to make a non-concessional (after tax) contribution […]
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