The retirement advice specialists have teamed up with the association to bring greater levels of financial literacy to more Australians. It comes more than a year after the successful merger of the ASA with the Australian Investors Association.
The benefits of alternative investments are clear, but rapid growth in the product set has made the optimal use of alternatives in portfolios unclear. As markets reach all-time highs, it may be time to re-think how we treat the asset class.
Most advisers know the value of changing their language when switching from industry speak to client discourse, but many still fall into the trap of distancing themselves from clients by using jargon and buzzwords.
When a client posed the question to Wattle Partners adviser Drew Meredith it caught him off guard: “Am I good client?” they asked. “How could I be better?”
As advisers we tend to forget the incredible position in which we sit, as the stewards of client capital, with the power to determine what types of companies deserve or warrant additional investment. Our advocacy effectively provides capital to these companies to continue to grow and evolve.
Despite the emotional expenditure required to hold someone’s hand in the darkest hours of their life, whilst retaining a high degree of professional acumen, it is both a responsibility and an honour. But it can leave a scar, writes Drew Meredith.
The popular debate lacks nuance. Neither are foolproof but both can play a crucial role in building portfolio resistance and balancing the risk/reward dynamic.
The Treasurer’s plan to limit concessional tax treatment within super at $3M comes without a lot of the details required for effective retirement planning. Making bold changes now could be costly, says Wattle Partners principal Drew Meredith.
Ever since the GFC interest rates around the world have been on a trajectory to zero, which acted as a proxy tax on investing for retirement for millions. But the current economic is a whole new ball game, writes Drew Meredith.
Australia may have fared better than its international peers, but markets still took a pummelling in 2022 with traditional safe havens and equities alike bearing the brunt in a wildly dislocated market.
Being independent used to be enough to attract new clients, says Wattle Partners’ Drew Meredith. Today, they are increasingly demanding alignment with their own values.
All advisers have a role to play in the transition to ESG, and it will be a spectrum of outcomes rather than a binary one. One thing we cannot forget, however, is the powerful role that capital flows can have on creating change.
With central banks running out of meaningful avenues to impact economies and markets rife with volatility, many investors will be tempted to dial back risk as much as possible.
Fee raises at the nation’s biggest super fund have raised questions about the benefits of scale. If Australian Super has to increase fees, what chance do smaller funds have?
The tendency to relent to client commentary, which in many cases is driven by headlines and sentiment, is one of the biggest detractors from long-term returns.
