Ursula Boorman

Have you plans to contribute more to super in 2017-18? There are powerful arguments for beginning to make extra regular super contributions from early as possible in a new financial year. The reality is that many of us wait until the final days of a financial year to decide whether to make extra concessional (before-tax) and non-concessional (after-tax) contributions. This often involves a last-minute dash to contribute by June 30 in any year. Among the most-common arguments for contributing early in a financial year is that your money is exposed to chosen investment markets for the full 12 months ahead […]

Behavioural economists warn investors about a trap known as “confirmation bias”. This involves deciding on a course of action and then looking around for evidence to support that action. The proliferation of online investment newsletters and blogs means that investors can almost immediately find someone, perhaps a so-called expert, who agrees with them. In short, the trouble with “confirmation bias” is that it blocks out contrary opinions and research. As investors try to come to terms with the outlook for lower returns in this low-interest environment, they may be particularly vulnerable to falling into the trap of “confirmation bias” as […]

June is a favourite month. It is an important marker: the year’s mid-point when you can reflect on progress made to date yet still with enough time left to achieve more before the year draws to a close. Until you talk tax. Then June takes on more urgency. It is the end of the financial year, the end of another tax year and time for some serious chats with the accountant. When it comes to investing, a very important measure is the after-tax return. Because that is the figure you get to put in the bank, reinvest or use to […]