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Smart Investor

Today

The potential tax hit is alarming wealthy super savers and forcing some to rethink their strategies.

How the $3m super tax whack might hit property investors

Plans to tax unrealised gains on super balances have investors considering options. Here’s what calculations show about the potential impact of the tax.

  • Duncan Hughes
RBA governor Michele Bullock revealed “the board did discuss the option of raising interest rates”.

RBA’s credibility at risk as central banks confront interference

Alleging neutrality while considering lifting rates seems contradictory.

  • Christopher Joye
Outgoing NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler worked hard to improve the quality of apartment towers.

Building commissioner’s parting warning for property developers

David Chandler’s legacy includes an army of inspectors able to identify the developers most likely to produce suspect buildings.

  • Jimmy Thomson
Emma Lo Russo with her children Eliza and Jack.

Love or money? What to tell kids about career choice

Do you tell them to do what they love or urge them to become a doctor, accountant or a lawyer because it will provide financial security?

  • Bianca Hartge-Hazelman

Yesterday

While governments find it tempting to punish people holding large balances with more tax, what we really need is to learn from the past.

A smarter way to tax high super balances

The government has tried to keep things simple, but in doing so fairness has gone out the window.

  • Meg Heffron
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This Month

Forget emotional tirades – focus on getting a decent settlement and moving on with your life.

How do I avoid a messy, hostile divorce?

Don’t hire a bulldog lawyer and or make any sudden moves with your finances, lawyers say.

  • Penny Wise
Sarah Chehab fast-tracked her retirement through the acquisition of this boutique supermarket site in Sydney’s Waterloo.

The overlooked asset class that could set you up for retirement

Residential property investment is good for accumulating wealth, but commercial property will provide retirees with a better income stream.

  • Michelle Bowes
A question of super.

We have $700,000 in super – can we buy investment property with it?

If you want to add a geared investment property to your retirement savings, here’s what you must think about.

  • John Wasiliev

The investment shift that could undermine your wealth plan

Whether to invest for income or growth is not the right question to ask for those in or moving to retirement.

  • Tim Mackay
Services that offer simple wills are not doing the will maker any favours unless they explain what the will maker is giving up by using one.

Why there is no such thing as a simple will

You’ve got to understand what you’re giving up when you sign a simple will – and how there are better ways to protect your loved ones.

  • Peter Townsend
Fed Chair Jay Powell clearly wants to do everything he can to avoid adversely impacting President Joe Biden’s electoral prospects.

Central bank independence is dead

Politicians are compromising central banks’ commitments to price stability targets, and the ensuing sticky inflation will require a much tougher cost of capital to extinguish.

  • Christopher Joye
The rooftop pool at Moran’s new Cronulla development.

Inside Australia’s most luxurious retirement pads

Rooftop pools, plush libraries and temperature-controlled wine cellars – welcome to deluxe retirement living.

  • Michelle Bowes
Hornsby resident Alex De Muelenaere may live in Sydney but when hunting for an investment property he looked north to Brisbane.

Why this Sydney investor bought property in Brisbane

Investors from Sydney and Melbourne are increasingly looking further afield in the hunt for value. But how do you go about buying in an unfamiliar market?

  • Michelle Bowes

Should we pay off our mortgage or keep it for a line of credit?

A line of credit can serve as a financial lifeline – the trick is to know when to let go.

  • Penny Wise
Undersupply and cashed-up buyers are driving house prices higher. But affordability may limit that growth.

What every buyer needs to know about auction clearance rates

Auction clearance rates give some clues about when to buy or sell.

  • Tom Richardson
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Over 75s may not be able to reopen super accounts, but there are other tax-effective opportunities.

We retired overseas but came back. What should we do with our money?

This couple may not be able to reopen their super accounts, but there are other tax-effective opportunities.

  • John Wasiliev
Even badly timed investments can be better than making no investments at all.

How to sleep easy with your investment decisions

If your portfolio is inconsistent with your risk tolerance, you’re more likely to lose sleep and make poor decisions driven by emotions.

  • Michael Hutton
House and apartment prices in Victoria should be due for a solid rise.

Melbourne property market is due for a comeback

Oxford Economics predicts the median Melbourne house price will grow 21 per cent over the next three years, outpacing Sydney’s forecast 18 per cent expected growth.

  • Sam Tamblyn

April

AFR

I lost $2.5m of my super to scammers

Five victims outline how their funds were taken by sophisticated impersonation fraudsters and why they feel abandoned by their banks.

  • Duncan Hughes

Why it’s worth selling your investment property before you retire

Making the most of higher superannuation caps can boost your retirement coffers just when you need it the most.

  • Kelly Kennedy