What important matters must you consider leading up to retirement?  

retirement

If you’re thinking about retiring in the next 5 years, it’s likely that you’ll need to make some key changes, either now or over the next few years. What specific changes are needed, depends entirely on your financial situation. However, there are several common areas that everyone approaching retirement should consider, which I discuss in …

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When should you sell an underperforming investment?  

One of the most challenging aspects of investing is figuring out if you should sell an underperforming investment or whether to hold and be patient.   We’re often told to track investment returns closely and sell investments that aren’t performing. But the reality is, some investments just need more time. Charlie Munger, the legendary investor, famously …

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How property decisions significantly impact your financial plan  

property

CoreLogic reported that the total value of Australian property stands at an impressive $11 trillion, surpassing the combined worth of all listed companies on the Australian Stock Exchange by more than five times. Despite this staggering figure, financial advisors have typically concentrated their efforts on shares, bonds and superannuation, often treating property as an afterthought.  …

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4 steps to take before meeting a financial advisor 

Financial advisor

I recently listened to this podcast hosted by James Kirby where he interviewed his guest about the increasing cost of financial advice. Many financial advisors’ ongoing fees start at $5,000 per year. Due to a shortage of advisors in Australia, most advisors now focus on ongoing client relationships and do not offer once-off or occasional …

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Liveinvesting: is now the perfect time to consider this strategy?  

liveinvesting

In a blog I wrote back in late 2018, I introduced the term liveinvesting. It’s inspired by the concept of rentvesting, where you rent a home in your desired location while investing in property elsewhere.  Considering that property prices in certain capital cities like Melbourne are currently more affordable relative to other locations, it’s a …

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How much super do you need for retirement?  

super

I frequently join James Kirby on his bi-weekly podcast hosted by The Australian newspaper. Recently, he delved into the interesting and important topic of “how much money you should have in superannuation.” I couldn’t resist the temptation to share my thoughts and insights.    How long will retirement last?   I read this article by Ashley Owen …

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Warning: Impact of cost-of-living ‘crisis’ on your retirement 

retirement

The cost-of-living crisis has been well documented. It’s clear that prices for various goods and services have risen sharply over the past four years since the pandemic started.   Firstly, if you’re spending more on day-to-day expenses, it’s likely you have less to put towards investments, especially if your income hasn’t increased much during this time. …

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