Working longer or retiring earlier: Australia’s retirement reality

Working longer or retiring earlier: Australia’s retirement reality By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer Super and retirement When Australians are choosing to retire comes down to a range of factors. Vanguard’s 2024 How Australia Retires research found that nearly 50% of retirees have retired earlier than they would have thought. The average retirement age reported by…

The end of hybrids. What that means for investors

The end of hybrids. What that means for investors By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer Investing strategy Why high-quality bonds are a logical alternative to hybrid securities. Some of the biggest changes on financial markets that are likely to have a profound impact on many retail investors can occur without attracting too much attention.…

The biggest assets growth areas for SMSFs

The biggest assets growth areas for SMSFs By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer Investing strategy   What five years’ worth of SMSF asset allocation data reveals. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) releases quarterly data showing where self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) are parking the retirement savings that they have invested within the super system. The…

Why the cash rate is being kept on hold

Why the cash rate is being kept on hold By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer Markets and economy The RBA is unlikely to start easing interest rates until the second quarter of 2025. “The board needs to be confident that inflation is moving sustainably towards the target and we need to see more progress…

Hidden fees are a super problem

Hidden fees are a super problem By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer Super and retirement The super fees you’re probably being charged. It’s key to compare like for like.  Millions of adult Australians have superannuation that’s either held in a managed accumulation account, if they’re still working, or a managed account-based pension, if they’re…

Our investment and economic outlook, October 2024

Our investment and economic outlook, October 2024 By Vanguard Markets and economy Our latest forecasts for investment returns and region-by-region economic outlook. The upturn in U.S. unemployment before the start of the Federal Reserve’s rate-cutting cycle likely reflects a normalised labour market, not one poised for rapid deterioration. The unemployment rate has risen from 3.4%…

Beating the market is much harder than you think

Beating the market is much harder than you think By Tony Kaye, Senior Personal Finance Writer Investing strategy The latest SPIVA results highlight the benefits of index funds as portfolio cores. “Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack”. That’s a famous quote by Vanguard’s founder, John Bogle, that really sums…