Passive income in Australia: What actually works (and what doesn’t)
What’s the first thing that springs to mind when you hear the term ‘passive income’? It may be creating an e-book, a blog or a YouTube channel, engaging in affiliate…
Teaching Kids About Money – Simple Ways to Build Healthy Habits
Talking to children about money can sometimes feel awkward, but the truth is they are learning from us every day. The way we spend, save, and talk about money shapes their attitudes well into adulthood. By teaching kids healthy money habits early, we give them confidence and skills that will last a lifetime.
The Information Overload Trap: Why Too Much Financial Advice Can Leave You Stuck
There’s no shortage of financial advice out there. Everywhere you look—social media, news articles, investment forums—you’re bombarded with strategies, opinions, and predictions.
How to build a diversified portfolio with ASX ETFs
Despite the temporary, sudden downturns caused by the 2007-2009 global financial crisis and the 2020-2021 COVID pandemic, the value of the ASX increased by more than 160% between 2000 and 2024, as evidenced by the growth in the ASX 200 market index. This demonstrates that it’s better to invest in a variety of shares rather than sticking to just a few.
The Big Money Is in the Waiting: Lessons from Charlie Munger
Discover why Charlie Munger’s quote, ‘The big money is not in the buying and selling, but in the waiting,’ holds the key to investment success through patience, compounding, and investor psychology.
How Emotions Impact Investing: Tips to Navigate Fear and Greed in Markets
Investing isn’t just about the numbers—far from it. Over my 26 years as a financial adviser and more than three decades as an investor, I’ve realized that understanding balance sheets,…
Setting SMART financial goals that actually stick
In the context of your personal finances, SMART refers to setting clear, quantifiable, feasible and appropriate financial objectives, to be carried out within a defined time frame. You’re much more likely to succeed if you avoid vague, non-measurable, unrealistic and inappropriate aims with no actual deadline. Relying on SMART goals will help you stay on track as you shape your financial future.
Unlisted Property Trusts: The Risks, Limitations, and the Alternatives
Over the last few years, I’ve taken on the management of many self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs), and in doing so, I’ve encountered a particular investment type that often causes significant…
How to start investing with just $500
When you have a spare $500 and are wondering whether to spend it or save it, why not consider a third option?
Invest it. Make a commitment to your financial future, instead of wasting it on purchases that will deliver only temporary pleasure.
Invest that $500 and watch it grow. Here’s how.
The Most Important Thing to Understand Before You Invest! Human Behaviour
We often think investing is about the numbers: profit margins, balance sheets, dividend yields, and all that jazz. And yes, they’re important—but if you ask me, there’s something even more…
How to Minimise Tax and Protect Assets Through Smart Structure Choices
When it comes to investing, most of us focus on what to invest in—shares, property, or superannuation. But there’s another decision that’s just as important: where you hold those investments….
Investor Psychology: The Key to Making Smart Decisions in the Market
When it comes to investing, most people focus on picking the right stocks, finding the best superannuation fund, or minimising their tax bill. And don’t get me wrong, these things…
Should Inheritance Be Considered in Retirement Planning?
When clients ask, “Do I have enough to last through retirement?”, it’s often one of the biggest and most emotional questions they face. After nearly 27 years as a financial…
The World Is Your Market: Invest Like It
Despite a slowdown in Australian economic and productivity growth in the last five years, Australia’s economy is usually considered strong and resilient when compared with other developed nations. Given our economic strength, why would anyone want to invest anywhere else?
To answer this question, let’s consider what stocks might be included in a share portfolio with an international focus.
For simplicity purposes, we will look into the portfolios of a leading provider of index managed funds and their top 10 holdings. These funds tend to be passively rather than actively traded, and seek to reflect their chosen share index over the medium-to-long term.
Lessons From My Mentor: Peter Thornhill’s Guide to Long-Term Investing
As a young financial advisor attending my first industry conference in early 2001, I was fortunate to meet someone who would profoundly shape my investment philosophy: Peter Thornhill. His guidance…
Why I Choose Direct Investing: Lessons from Experience
Over the last 20 years, I’ve shaped my investment philosophy and business around one central idea: direct investing. Rather than relying heavily on managed funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), I…
Quarterly Economic Update: Feb-Apr 2025
A client once shared a poignant regret:
“When I was working and the kids were young, I saved too much. It restricted what we did when the family was together.”
This simple reflection struck a chord with me. It got me thinking about the delicate balance between saving for the future and living fully in the present. While we all know the importance of financial security, is it possible to save too much—at the expense of the moments that matter most?
How the Media Fuels Fear During Market Volatility (and How Smart Investors Win)
Market volatility is a natural part of investing in global share markets. Over the past 26 years as a financial adviser, one lesson has stood out: while short-term market movements…
Understanding Managed Funds
A client once shared a poignant regret:
“When I was working and the kids were young, I saved too much. It restricted what we did when the family was together.”
This simple reflection struck a chord with me. It got me thinking about the delicate balance between saving for the future and living fully in the present. While we all know the importance of financial security, is it possible to save too much—at the expense of the moments that matter most?
“Equity Mate”: Why Borrowing Against Your Home Isn’t Always a Smart Move
Remember that old ad with the guy proudly polishing his boat while his neighbor asks, “How do you afford all this?” His response—“Equity, mate”—has stuck in the Australian psyche for…
Becoming Wealthy Slowly: The Most Reliable Path to Financial Freedom
Everyone wants to become wealthy. There’s no shortage of information on how to achieve it, but much of that information is filled with noise, distractions, and, more often than not,…
Spending a Dollar to Save 30 Cents: The Risk of Tax-Driven Investment Decisions
Australians love a good tax deduction. It’s almost ingrained in us—if there’s a way to pay less tax, we’re all ears. But what happens when tax savings become the main…
Numbers vs. Emotions: The Real Game of Investing
When people think about investing, they often focus on the numbers: analysing balance sheets, forecasting earnings growth, understanding sectors, and evaluating dividend yields and price-to-earnings ratios. While these elements are…
The Regret of Over-Saving: How to Balance Financial Goals and Family Moments
A client once shared a poignant regret: “When I was working and the kids were young, I saved too much. It restricted what we did when the family was together.”…
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