Noel Whittaker's Blog
By Noel Whittaker
I continue to receive questions about using contributions to superannuation to reduce capital gains tax. The following is typical. “We have an investment property in joint names that we would like sell in a few years to fund our retirement. The capital gain should be approximately $250,000 and we are keen to consider strategies to …
Once again stock markets are bouncing around. The optimists see it as an opportunity to buy – the pessimists reckon we are on the brink of another big crash. Yes, owning shares can get a bit scary, but anybody investing in shares must understand that volatility is the price we pay for liquidity. Only shares …
It’s been another volatile week in world stock markets – caused mainly by the American Federal Reserve continuing its policy of increasing interest rates. This has caused a rout in the bond market, which has somehow led to a fall in the share market, with the papers claiming that investors are fleeing to the safety …
Recently a reader emailed with a problem that is becoming increasingly common for retirees. She and her partner had long had a credit card with the principal card in his name, and her card held as a supplementary card. She had read my columns recommending both partners have a card in their own names because …
Bank interest rates are on the rise, and it’s got nothing to do with any action by the Reserve Bank. Simply, the interest rate cycle has turned, and rates all around the world are going up. As a consequence, the cost of funds sourced by our banks from overseas is rising as well. Unfortunately, our …