Stuart Wemyss 
Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the 2026-27 Federal Budget last night and boy, this is a whopper! The Government has announced a fundamental restructuring of capital gains tax, negative gearing, and the taxation of discretionary trusts, alongside a permanent extension of the $20,000 instant asset write-off, modest personal income tax cuts, and a phased wind-back …
Paying tax is psychologically painful. Loss aversion means we experience losses about twice as strongly as equivalent gains, and this effect is amplified when we pay expenses. Governments are widely seen as wasteful with public money, and that perception is largely justified. Virtually every taxpayer shares the view that too much of what they contribute is squandered. No one enjoys handing it over. But …
Australian property investors need to accept that policy risk has increased substantially, and that this is a permanent shift. Tighter tenancy laws and higher taxes erode returns, and the only way to offset that is to pursue higher returns through a more proactive investment approach. Melbourne’s 15-year property reality check According to Cotality’s Daily Price Index, which began just …
There are two sensible ways to build an ETF portfolio. The first is to use a diversified ETF such as VDAL or DHHF. The second is to construct your own portfolio using several ETFs. Both can work. The right choice depends on two things: how much money you are investing, and whether you have the knowledge, temperament, and discipline to build a …
Concentration risk is something every investor needs to be mindful of. It can materially increase the overall risk of a portfolio and potentially undermine future returns. As retirement draws closer, the focus should arguably shift towards lowering portfolio risk, while still positioning investments to deliver strong long-term returns. What is concentration risk? Portfolio concentration occurs when too much of …
For most investors, putting a large sum into the share market all at once feels risky, even reckless. That is why many prefer to drip-feed money into the market over time. But is that caution reducing risk, or simply creating a different kind of cost? My view on this has changed When investing large sums into share markets, I have generally preferred to …
For decades, most people are conditioned to work hard, save, invest, and keep building. But for those who are already on track financially, the bigger question is not how to accumulate more wealth, it is how to avoid wasting the years when that wealth is most valuable. Knowing when to ease back, and how to do it …
According to Cotality, since its daily index began at the start of 2010, Melbourne house values have risen by around 4% p.a., which is only about 1.3% p.a. above inflation. But of course, not every property has delivered such a mediocre result. That begs the real question: which types of properties have outperformed over this period, and what …
The Senate committee reviewing the CGT discount released its final report yesterday. Commentators are now suggesting the government could reduce the CGT discount for property investors and potentially cap negative gearing to two or three properties. Let’s look at the impact a change to the CGT discount could have. Why is CGT under the microscope? The government …
There is one investment principle that, if you truly understand it, will help you make the smartest financial decisions and create the most wealth in the long run. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but I assure you, it’s not. I cannot overstate how important this principal is. The most important investment principal is… The principle is simple: buy the investments with the strongest past evidence and fundamentals to …
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