Think Independent, Author at Think Independent

July 19, 2016

Property Pain or Gain

There are a lot of myths in investing and a big one is that you will never lose money in bricks and mortar. Well the simple answer is that not only can you, but that many people do every day. And they lose a lot. CoreLogic® RP Data’s – Pain and Gain December Quarter, 2015, report provides some hard numbers to disprove this myth by […]

August 17, 2016

Self Managed Super – Savior or Scam?

For some the option of a Self Managed Super Fund (SMSF) is the ultimate expression of control over their finances. They get to control how their capital is invested with relative freedom and save on costs at the same time. For others this is simply the story they are sold. Two recent experiences only served to reinforce earlier experiences of the misuse of SMSF’s, where […]

February 20, 2017

So you think your financial planner is an investment expert?

If you’re thinking “I hope so, that’s what I’m paying them for” I’ve got some bad news for you. It’s highly likely your financial planner/adviser is not qualified to manage investment of your money. For starters let’s clarify what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the day-to-day management of your investment portfolio (e.g. whether you sell BHP shares to fund the purchase of NAB shares […]

March 20, 2017

You paid HOW MUCH???!!!

It was suggested to me recently that I should write a book about what I know to help those looking for financial planning help. But what could I write about that hasn’t been done to death before. There are plenty of books out there talking about wealth accumulation strategies, super, investment fundamentals and strategies, risk management (insurance) and estate planning, etc. and to be honest […]

April 15, 2017

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble…..”

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. “ – Mark Twain I love Mark Twain quotes. He cuts through seemingly complex and confusing matters with such precision and gets to the heart of the issue. The above quote is another great example. Mark Twain’s quote is alluding to a tendency to believe […]

May 22, 2017

You’re Out of Your Mind

Time for a New TV After getting sick of sharing TV time with the kids we recently decided it was time to replace the broken second TV. Now electrical items fall under my jurisdiction in our house, be that a good thing or not, and it was my job to buy the new TV. In a prior work life I worked for one of the […]

June 20, 2017

Fees for No service

ASIC recently released a report into the behaviour of financial advisers controlled by the big 4 banks and AMP. It probably won’t surprise many that the findings weren’t great, but it was a non-headline grabbing and little reported finding that caught my eye. Further, it is an issue that is not confined to the big 4 and AMP. It is an issue involving the vast […]

September 4, 2017

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci

In prior posts, we have highlighted the value in pursuing simple solutions, over complex or simplistic solutions. It has also been highlighted that our desire as humans to feel special can lead us to the misconception we must seek out “special” solutions, which not surprisingly come at a significant price and in reality aren’t special at all. I would like to pick up on da […]

July 19, 2016