A few years back, entrepreneurial guru Tim Ferriss, had the author and documentary maker Sebastian Junger on his podcast. Junger, who has taken plenty of risks in his career, including spending substantial amounts of time embedded with US soldiers in Afghanistan, was asked by Ferris what advice a 70-year-old Junger would offer to his current self. This is what he said.
Read MoreOver recent years, the stock markets in both Australia and the United States have rebounded to reach unprecedented heights. This journey has been marked by significant volatility, beginning with a drastic downturn in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw global markets plunge by approximately 40%.
Read MoreThere’s a never-ending cast of characters out in the world who have big opinions on the direction of financial markets. They might run their own newsletters or even their own funds. A number of them are permanently bearish. It’s a way of life and they can’t see things any other way (or their wallets don’t allow them to).
Read MoreIt’s one of the most vexing finance questions there is. While it seems like a straightforward one, it’s really a question that only invites further questions. Not about the money, but about the person or persons who are retiring. There will never be a one-size-fits-all pot of money. Primarily because of how many different variables come into play.
Read MoreThe eternal investment question – “do I invest my money all at once or do I invest smaller amounts at predetermined intervals?” Otherwise known as lump sum investing vs. dollar cost averaging, or in other cases: wading vs. plunging.
What’s the best option? Before that, what’s behind the question in the first place? Fear and uncertainty. Fear of making a financial mistake because of uncertainty about the future. Both losing money and making a mistake can make us feel a little silly, but we need to acknowledge uncertainty is merely life we haven’t yet lived and there are no right or wrong decisions about things we couldn’t see.
At the end of 2017, Bitcoin was indisputably the hottest topic in the investment world. Christmas parties and family barbecues alike were filled with curiosity surrounding the rapid rise of cryptocurrencies. It truly felt like everyone else was making a fortune from an investment that didn’t seem well understood. Now, three years down the track, Bitcoin is once again back in vogue. Having quadrupled in value last year and comfortably eclipsing its 2017 heights, we ponder whether this is simply a case of déjà vu or if there is evidence to suggest that it might be different this time around?
Read MoreIt’s very tough to earn a dollar without risk and effort these days. While that’s always been the case for our labour, we’ve previously enjoyed the illusion of some free cream from our money in the bank. We may have even neglected the reality of tax and inflation eroding our savings, while there was still a certain risk free return. If an investor thought they were getting a good enough return, then they wouldn’t go out of their way to chase one. However, an RBA cash rate of 0.10% presents a whole new mind game for investors.
Read MoreIn media forecasts for 2020, a global pandemic and the worst recession since the 1930s weren’t high on everyone’s list of threats. But even had these events been foreseen, who would have tipped global equities to reach record highs a year later?
Read MoreOnce you understand that buying shares is the same as becoming a part-owner of a company, it’s somewhat easier to understand how prices can move up and down each day. Enjoy the following video where we explore the share market in its entirety and give you a full overview of what you need to know to start your share market adventure today.
Read More“ESG Investing.” You’ve probably heard the term, but what does it actually mean? ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance, it may also be termed “sustainable investing.” It is a wide term as it can cover several areas, but essentially, it’s for investors who still want positive returns, but also consider their long-term impact on society, environment and the behaviour of a business.
Read MoreWhen preparing individual Tax Returns, there are two questions that are on everyone’s minds. How big is my refund? What can I do to pay less tax? One of the most attractive answers to both of these questions is the use of a negatively geared rental property.
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