Riding the Storm: 2024 Year in Review
The many unpredictable events of 2024 could easily have been disastrous for investment markets. Instead, we saw remarkable resilience and growth despite occasional volatility, as investors reacted to the extraordinary times. While economic growth in Australia and overseas was underwhelming, share markets rode out the ups and downs to finish 2024 strongly. Australia key indices […]
From Equity to Asset: Funding Your Investment Property
When it comes to investing in real estate, equity is a key concept to wrap your head around. Michael Sloan of the Successful Investor Program explains what equity is, and how you can use it to your advantage. What is equity? Equity is the difference between the current value of your home and how much […]
Dollar-Cost Averaging: Can it work for you?
Australian share prices saw record highs in 2024, following a sluggish couple of years. The S&P ASX200 index added just under 7% in the 10 months to October 31 closing at 8160.(i) It reached its previous all-time high of 8355 just two weeks before. So, if you were invested in an index fund or a […]
Supporting Your Kids Without Sacrificing Your Retirement
As parents, the instinct to support our children never truly fades, even when they become adults. However, when you’re looking at giving them a financial helping hand, there is a bit to consider. It’s important to ensure any support you provide is not at the expense of your financial future. It can also be tricky […]
Trump 2.0: Will Market-Friendly Policies Help or Hurt Australia?
From tax cuts to trade wars, we take a broad look at how Trump’s win could shape Australia’s future. A Trump victory in the recent US election has significant implications for the global economy, including Australia’s economic landscape. With a unified Republican government under President Trump, markets can expect a continuation of policies from his […]
Beyond the Will: How Estate Planning Protects Your Loved Ones
Planning for what happens when you pass away or become incapacitated, is an important way of protecting those you care about. It may also save them from having to deal with a financial and administrative mess, while they’re grieving. Your Will gives you a say in how you want your possessions and investments to be […]
Mastering the Market: Insights from the World’s Best Investors
While effective investing is crucial for wealth creation, there’s a lot to know and many pitfalls to avoid. Those who achieve success have often spent a considerable amount of time developing the requisite knowledge and skills to achieve solid and reliable returns, learning from their failures as much as their triumphs. Clear Sky Investment Committee […]
Don’t Risk It: Insuring Against Income Loss
Protecting income from unexpected illness and injury is particularly important to anyone with a mortgage to service, small business owners and self-employed people with no sick leave available. With income protection insurance, you can be paid some 70% of your income for a specified period to help when you cannot work.i The most common claims […]
Retirement Income Options Compared: Find the Best Fit for Your Future
Retirement is filled with opportunities and choices. There’s the time to travel more, work on long-delayed personal projects or volunteer your help to worthwhile causes. You also have a host of choices to make when it comes to funding your new life away from paid work. Here are four different options to consider.i Account-Based Pension: […]
When DIY Doesn’t Pay Off
“If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself.” Not necessarily! The appeal of doing it yourself is understandable. There’s a great feeling that comes with being resourceful, learning a new skill and doing something that challenges you. However, there can be pitfalls to DIY and sometimes, there are benefits to getting […]
