Retirement Income That Lasts: The Considerations That Matter Most

A strong retirement income plan balances reliability, inflation protection, and flexibility. The Age Pension often forms the base, supported by super and other assets. Growth assets help protect purchasing power over long retirements. Flexibility allows retirees to adapt spending as markets, health, and needs change.

Aged Care at Home: What It Costs and How to Plan for It

Most Australians want to age at home, but doing so requires planning and realistic cost assumptions. The new Support at Home system replaced Home Care Packages and uses eight funding classifications. Government funding covers much of the cost, but most people contribute based on their means. Planning early reduces stress and improves control when care needs increase.

Tax Planning Before 30 June: Strategies Beyond Super

EOFY (End of Financial Year) tax planning extends well beyond superannuation contributions. Timing asset sales, harvesting capital losses, and managing income can reduce tax. Prepaying legitimate expenses may bring deductions forward into this year. These strategies work best when aligned with your broader financial plan.

 

Q & A

1. How does prepaying expenses before 30 June work?

You may claim prepaid deductions this year if the service period meets the 12‑month rule.

2. What are the minimum pension drawdown rules?

You must withdraw a set percentage each year based on age to keep pension tax benefits.

3. What changed under the new Support at Home system?

It introduced eight funding levels and shared contributions based on financial circumstances.

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 The US/Israel conflict with Iran is creating turbulence across global markets, with oil supply risks driving sharp price swings and dampening investor sentiment.

 

 

Please see the full article for more of Shane Oliver’s thoughts and further detail.

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Important note: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this article, AMP Capital Investors Limited (ABN 59 001 777 591, AFSL 232497) and AMP Capital Funds Management Limited (ABN 15 159 557 721, AFSL 426455) makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of any statement in it including, without limitation, any forecasts. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. This article has been prepared for the purpose of providing general information, without taking account of any particular investor’s objectives, financial situation or needs. An investor should, before making any investment decisions, consider the appropriateness of the information in this article, and seek professional advice, having regard to the investor’s objectives, financial situation and needs. This article is solely for the use of the party to whom it is provided.  

Blended Families and Estate Planning: When Love Gets Complicated, So Does Your Will

Blended families are now common in Australia, and with that comes a higher risk of accidental disinheritance if estate planning isn’t carefully structured. A key trap is owning the family home as joint tenants, which can override your will and result in children from a previous relationship missing out entirely. Strategies such as using tenants in common, reviewing superannuation death benefit nominations, and considering tools like testamentary trusts, life interests and specific bequests can help balance the needs of a current partner and children from prior relationships. Regular reviews, thoughtful executor selection and open family conversations are essential to reduce disputes and protect everyone’s interests.

Testamentary Trusts: Why More Australians Are Looking Beyond the Simple Will

A testamentary trust is a structure created by your will that can provide long-term tax efficiency, flexibility and asset protection for your family after you die. One of the key advantages is that income paid to children under 18 from estate-derived assets in a testamentary trust can be taxed at normal adult rates, often allowing meaningful income to be received tax-free, which is a significant improvement over standard penalty rates for minors. These trusts can help protect inheritances from relationship breakdowns, business risks and creditor claims by keeping assets held in a trust rather than in a beneficiary’s personal name. For families with larger estates, more complex circumstances or vulnerable beneficiaries, the benefits can easily outweigh the additional cost and administration involved.

Staying Ahead of the Scam: How to Protect Your Wealth from Sophisticated Fraud

Scams are increasingly sophisticated, with criminals using professional websites, fake trading platforms, bank impersonations and even AI-generated voices and videos to deceive people. Investment scams remain the largest source of reported financial losses, but phone-based impersonation, phishing and emerging superannuation scams are also growing threats. Scammers rely on urgency, secrecy and emotional pressure, often targeting people during life transitions such as retirement, bereavement or job changes when decision-making can be more vulnerable. Staying safe means treating unsolicited financial contact with caution, verifying information directly with institutions, strengthening digital security on banking and super accounts, and being aware that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

 

Q & A

1. Offset vs Redraw?

An offset account uses your own cash to reduce loan interest, while redraw uses extra repayments from inside the loan and can complicate tax deductibility later.

2. What does an executor do?

An executor manages the estate, pays debts and taxes, and distributes assets according to the will, often with professional support.

3. How can I grow my spouse’s super?

You can use spouse contributions for a tax offset or split your concessional contributions to help build their balance, subject to the rules.

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From Waiting Lists to Water Pipes: Turning Australia’s Infrastructure Squeeze into Investment Resilience

Australia’s rapid population growth is outpacing investment in hospitals, schools, transport, water systems and housing, creating a structural infrastructure deficit that affects daily life. While this strain poses challenges for governments, it also highlights a long pipeline of essential infrastructure projects that can offer stable, inflation-linked returns for long-term investors. Infrastructure assets including toll roads, utilities, renewable energy, and digital networks provide defensive income and growth characteristics when used thoughtfully in diversified portfolios. Investors must remain aware of political, regulatory, and cost risks, but professional management and broad diversification can help turn nationwide infrastructure pressure into portfolio resilience.

Living With Dementia Up Close: What Families Can Do Now To Protect Dignity, Finances And Peace of Mind

This article offers a deeply personal account of the realities of dementia care, highlighting how quickly independence, communication, and daily functioning can decline. It stresses that early planning – legal, financial, and emotional – is essential to protecting dignity and reducing family stress later. Choosing the right care facility requires careful observation, understanding behavioural needs, and assessing staff culture rather than relying solely on brochures. The key message is clear: preparing documents, care strategies, and funding plans well before cognitive decline provides peace of mind and better outcomes for everyone involved.

Beyond the Greenback: Building Resilient Portfolios When the US Dollar No Longer Feels Bulletproof

The US dollar remains central to global finance, but rising deficits, political uncertainty, and valuation concerns mean it may no longer be the automatic safe haven it once was. Recent market events show that assets like gold, the yen, and other currencies can sometimes outperform the dollar during periods of stress. The article encourages investors to think in terms of diversified “baskets” of defensive assets rather than relying on one currency or market to do all the heavy lifting. For Australians, awareness of currency movements, hedging decisions and diversification across economies can support more stable long-term portfolio outcomes.

 

Q & A

1. How can I build super for a partner with little or no income?
   Spouse contributions and contribution splitting can boost their balance and may provide tax benefits.
2. What is sequencing risk in retirement?
   It’s the danger of poor returns early in retirement reducing how long your money lasts.
3. I earn under $60,000, what government incentives can boost my super?
   The co‑contribution and LISTO schemes can add up to $1,000 combined to your super depending on eligibility.

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Choppy Waters and Short Supply: What Australia’s Housing Crunch Means for Everyday Borrowers

Australia’s housing market faces structural challenges, with supply constrained by labour shortages, zoning delays, and infrastructure bottlenecks. Risky loan structures, such as 40-year terms and extended interest-only periods, are amplifying household vulnerability. Borrowers tempted by incentives or low repayments may underestimate long-term costs and exposure to rate rises. Practical resilience strategies include conservative borrowing limits, shorter loan terms, and diversifying beyond property to maintain financial stability.

From Money Printing to Rate Rises: What Broad Money Growth Means for Savers and Borrowers

Broad money growth plays a critical role in shaping inflation and interest rates, influencing household budgets and borrowing costs. The surge in money supply during 2020–21 helped fuel inflation, while recent stagnation explains its decline. If money growth accelerates again, inflation may remain stubborn, keeping interest rates higher for longer and eroding real returns for savers. Households should stress-test finances for higher rates, maintain buffers, and diversify investments to protect purchasing power.

Taming the Australian Share Market: Equal Weights, Factors and Discipline for Everyday Investors

The Australian share market is heavily concentrated in banks and miners, creating hidden risks for index investors. Strategies like equal-weighting and factor investing can improve diversification by spreading exposure across sectors and tilting towards value or smaller companies. These approaches are not about chasing trends but about maintaining balance and discipline over time. Regular rebalancing and a clear portfolio structure help investors stay on track without relying on market predictions.

 

Q & A

1. Salary sacrifice vs personal deductible contributions – what’s better?
   Both offer similar tax benefits; the choice depends on flexibility and timing preferences.
2. Do I still need personal insurance after paying off debts?
   Review existing cover to ensure it aligns with current income, loans, and family needs before adding new policies.
3. Is a will enough for estate planning?
   No – super, insurance, and beneficiary nominations require a broader plan to avoid delays and disputes.

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Are Your Children Really Ready to Inherit? A Practical Stress Test for Australia’s $5.4 Trillion Wealth Transfer

Australia faces a $5.4 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer, but research shows many heirs lack financial capability and confidence. The inheritance “stress test” highlights key factors such as attitude, independence, values, and financial literacy as critical to readiness. Families can build capability through early conversations, gradual responsibility, and formal education before wealth changes hands. Advisers play a vital role in guiding these discussions, creating structures, and ensuring inheritances become legacies rather than liabilities.

Bubbles, Booms and AI Hype: How Everyday Australians Can Protect Their Wealth When Markets Look Frothy

Global markets show signs of an “everything bubble,” with stretched valuations in tech, property, private assets, and even gold and Bitcoin. While AI leaders remain profitable, smaller speculative names and leveraged portfolios pose significant risks. Investors should stress-test portfolios, diversify across asset classes, and avoid over-concentration in fashionable themes. Practical strategies include maintaining buffers, considering bonds and value stocks, and working with advisers to set rebalancing rules for resilience.

Investing When You’re Probably Wrong: Humble Strategies for Uncertain Markets

Evidence shows even experts are poor forecasters, making prediction-based investing highly unreliable. Overconfidence leads to concentrated bets and reactive decisions, often harming long-term returns. The solution is to embrace humility: diversify broadly, cap conviction in any single idea, and pre-commit to disciplined rebalancing. For Australian investors, focusing on controllable factors like savings, risk levels, and costs offers a more dependable path to wealth than chasing short-term market calls.

 

Q & A

1. Why consider CPI indexing on insurance policies?
   It helps maintain the real value of your cover against inflation, ensuring future needs are met.
2. Is consolidating super worth it?
   Consolidating super can reduce fees and simplify management, but check insurance and investment options before moving funds.
3. Why update beneficiary nominations?
   A valid beneficiary nomination ensures your assets go to the right people and reduces delays or disputes in your estate plan.

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Hanging Up His Boots at 95: Buffett’s Timeless Investment Principles

Warren Buffett’s retirement at 95 marks the end of an era, but his principles remain a blueprint for investors and advisers. His approach emphasizes patience, compounding, and disciplined value investing, while avoiding emotional reactions to market volatility. Buffett’s reflections on luck, humility, and generosity remind us that financial success is intertwined with personal values and foresight. For Australian investors, his lessons reinforce the importance of simplicity, resilience, and long-term thinking in wealth creation.

Sequencing Risk in Retirement: How Smart Strategies Can Safeguard Your Super

Sequencing risk – the danger of poor returns early in retirement – can erode savings faster than expected, even when average returns look healthy. This risk is most acute during the transition from accumulation to drawdown, making asset allocation and withdrawal strategies critical. Practical solutions like the bucket strategy, flexible withdrawals, and annuity options help retirees manage volatility and preserve capital. Advisers play a key role in tailoring these strategies to individual needs, ensuring income stability and longevity.

Meeting Meaning with Money: Generational Shifts and Practical Strategies for Savvy Spending

Australians are seeking deeper meaning in their spending, balancing convenience with values and financial resilience. Generational dynamics show Baby Boomers hold significant wealth, while younger Australians influence cultural trends despite financial constraints. Consumers increasingly prioritize experiences, ethical choices, and small luxuries, even amid cost-of-living pressures. Advisers can help clients align spending habits with personal values, fostering financial wellbeing and intergenerational wealth strategies.

Q & A

1. How does the 125% rule work for investment bonds? Stay within 125% of last year’s contribution to keep the original 10-year tax timeframe intact.
2. Should I switch from agreed value income protection to a cheaper policy? Agreed value locks in your benefit; newer policies adjust based on recent income – choose based on stability needs.
3. How do Innovative Retirement Income Solutions compare to account-based pensions? IRIS offer higher, stable lifetime income but may reduce or eliminate estate payouts compared to flexible pensions.

If you would care to share your experience with me, please comment below!