February 14, 2016

Life/Disability Insurance, do I really need it?

Do I really need life and disability insurance?  Before you can answer this question you need to provide some honest answers to a number of questions.  But first, let’s set a foundation for considering these questions. Human Capital v. Financial Capital When we start out in life on our own, taking over responsibility for ourselves from our parents, we typically have a lot of human […]
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March 14, 2016

Commissions – The Dirty Truth

Before I dish the dirt on insurance commissions, let’s be clear that what I’m about to tell you does not in any way impact on your need for insurance, only how you go about establishing life and disability insurance.  If you are not sure whether you need insurance please refer to last months post. OK, lets get going.  Anyone that has taken out life or […]
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Read more
May 14, 2016

Beware of the Middle Man

A lesson we can all take from how AustralianSuper manages its investment portfolio is eliminating intermediaries where they aren’t seen to be necessary or to add value. AustralianSuper regularly invests directly in major property and infrastructure assets, removing the use of an intermediary structure and/or manager. It is also internalizing management of a significant portion of its Australian equity exposure, which will remove the cost […]
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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 […]
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Read more
October 10, 2017

This Ain’t No Joke

“A man walks into…”   Like the cartoon above, a lot of jokes start with this line, but what I’m about to tell you is no joke.  Unfortunately, it is very real and happening every day. Does this sound ridiculous? A man (or woman) walks into…. their local Toyota dealer.  They are after a cost effective, reliable, value for money solution to their transport needs. Now […]
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September 11, 2018

Tricks & Traps – Insurance Premium Payments

I recently saw it reported that 95% of insurance premiums are paid monthly.  So what you say?  Surely that helps with managing cash flow. I suspect it does, but maybe not the cash flows you’re thinking.  Call me cynical, but I think it has more to do with the cash flow position of the adviser that sold the policy and the insurer than it does […]
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February 6, 2019

Financial One-Stop-Shops

Every now and then I do a Google search on independent financial advice or a variation to see what comes up.  Yes, I’m checking to see if Think Independent does, but let’s move on.  Too often there are advice practices that are far from independent.  That’s a problem but not what this post is about. A recent search brought up a practice that upon further digging is what you […]
Do you like it?
Read more
February 14, 2016

Life/Disability Insurance, do I really need it?

Do I really need life and disability insurance?  Before you can answer this question you need to provide some honest answers to a number of questions.  But first, let’s set a foundation for considering these questions. Human Capital v. Financial Capital When we start out in life on our own, taking over responsibility for ourselves from our parents, we typically have a lot of human […]
Do you like it?
Read more
March 14, 2016

Commissions – The Dirty Truth

Before I dish the dirt on insurance commissions, let’s be clear that what I’m about to tell you does not in any way impact on your need for insurance, only how you go about establishing life and disability insurance.  If you are not sure whether you need insurance please refer to last months post. OK, lets get going.  Anyone that has taken out life or […]
Do you like it?
Read more
May 14, 2016

Beware of the Middle Man

A lesson we can all take from how AustralianSuper manages its investment portfolio is eliminating intermediaries where they aren’t seen to be necessary or to add value. AustralianSuper regularly invests directly in major property and infrastructure assets, removing the use of an intermediary structure and/or manager. It is also internalizing management of a significant portion of its Australian equity exposure, which will remove the cost […]
Do you like it?
Read more
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 […]
Do you like it?
Read more
October 10, 2017

This Ain’t No Joke

“A man walks into…”   Like the cartoon above, a lot of jokes start with this line, but what I’m about to tell you is no joke.  Unfortunately, it is very real and happening every day. Does this sound ridiculous? A man (or woman) walks into…. their local Toyota dealer.  They are after a cost effective, reliable, value for money solution to their transport needs. Now […]
Do you like it?
Read more
September 11, 2018

Tricks & Traps – Insurance Premium Payments

I recently saw it reported that 95% of insurance premiums are paid monthly.  So what you say?  Surely that helps with managing cash flow. I suspect it does, but maybe not the cash flows you’re thinking.  Call me cynical, but I think it has more to do with the cash flow position of the adviser that sold the policy and the insurer than it does […]
Do you like it?
Read more
February 6, 2019

Financial One-Stop-Shops

Every now and then I do a Google search on independent financial advice or a variation to see what comes up.  Yes, I’m checking to see if Think Independent does, but let’s move on.  Too often there are advice practices that are far from independent.  That’s a problem but not what this post is about. A recent search brought up a practice that upon further digging is what you […]
Do you like it?
Read more