Investopoly

Watch the presentation on YouTube here. Curious about how to navigate the seemingly complicated world of share market investing? Join me, Stuart Weems, as I unravel the key principles of investing and illustrate why you don't need to be a Wall Street expert to grow your wealth. Together, we'll explore the merits of a hands-off investment approach, the beauty of regular income streams, an...

Watch the presentation on YouTube here. Link to the table regarding how long super will last.  Are you feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of superannuation and its impact on your retirement planning? Fear not! We’re here to break down these financial intricacies, equipping you with the knowledge to retire comfortably. In this dialogue, we address the pressing concerns about fluctuating super...

Watch the presentation on YouTube here. Ever wonder why property investing is such a profitable avenue? It's not just the properties themselves, but the power of leveraging that plays a crucial role. Welcome to an enlightening exploration where I, Stuart Wemyss, peel back the curtain on the ins and outs of property investing. I'll be chatting about key insights like the importance of gro...

Watch the presentation on YouTube here. Ready to level up your tax knowledge? This episode promises to make you rethink everything you thought you knew about taxes. We're breaking down complex tax concepts and deductions, from understanding ordinary and statutory income to exploring work-related expenses and super contributions. We're paving the way for you to keep more of your hard-earn...

Can you imagine opening a third super fund, enabling you to accumulate assets outside of your retirement fund and plan for reduced taxes? What if you learned that you could retire earlier or cut down on work hours without stressing over super balance? Join me in this captivating discussion as we unlock financial planning strategies that propel you towards an early retirement. We'll unravel th...

Click here to read the full blog. Ever wondered why Perth’s property market remains stagnant despite booming markets elsewhere in Australia? Could Perth, in contradiction of its recent performance, soon be the next growth market? Prepare to have your assumptions challenged as we look at the current state of Perth's property market in a fresh light. Leverage insights from the Real Estate Insti...

Read the full blog here. What would you do if you had the opportunity to revolutionise your financial future? Join us as we navigate the complex world of investing and debt reduction, providing you with strategies and insights to build your wealth. This episode explores the importance of financial buffers, the power of reducing debts before retirement, and understanding how your cash flow responds...

Read full blog here. Do you ever ponder the enigma of superannuation returns and how they're impacted by elements such as increasing interest rates and shifting work dynamics? We promise you an enlightening exploration that would shed light on these queries. We chat about the performance of different industry funds during the 2022-23 financial year, despite the tumultuous times, and how they...

Ready to unlock the secret to successful investing that many overlook? This episode promises to reveal the power of patience in building a solid financial future. Inspired by the wisdom of Charlie Munger, Warren Buffet's long-term business partner, we'll explore how discipline and patience can yield incredible investment returns. Unpredictability is part and parcel of the short-term inve...

Read the full blog here. Are you ready to uncover the secrets of successful investing? I promise, this episode will equip you with the essential knowledge and strategies needed to lay a solid foundation for wealth-building. As your host, Stuart Wemyss, we'll be tackling the pivotal first steps in this wealth-creation journey. Drawing inspiration from Stephen Covey, we'll explore the nece...

Read the full blog here. Are you ready to challenge conventional wisdom about investing and home loan repayment strategies when interest rates are on the rise? I share why it's essential to rethink your investment tactics in the face of increasing interest rates. We will compare after-tax returns from both scenarios - investing in growth assets or focusing on home loan repayment. By the end o...

Read the full blog here. Ever thought about the financial impacts of owning a home versus renting? We'll be tackling this head-on today. I'm Stuart Wemyss, your guide through this financial labyrinth, and I'm going to clear up some key misconceptions around capital gains tax exemptions and how they can still apply even when renting out your property. We'll decode the six-year r...

Read the full blog here. How long can we expect the current high interest rates to stick around, and what can we do to navigate this challenging financial climate? I share my  insights and tips on managing debt and restructuring loans to soften the blow of rising rates, while also taking a look back at interest rates over the past 40 years to make sense of the current situation.  As we explore the...

Read the full blog here.   What if your borrowing capacity isn't enough to allow you to invest in a high-quality property? Should you reduce your budget or consider investing  in shares?  Discover the similarities and differences between property and share investments, as well as the benefits of borrowing to invest. Gain valuable insights on investing in the share market, the significance of...

Click here to read the blog online .  What if inflation remains stubbornly high for over a decade? Today, I explore the potential risks of increased inflation and interest rates, based on compelling research by US firm Research Affiliates. We delve into the historical behavour of inflation since 1970 and discuss the significant impact of low interest rates and quantitative easing on the current in...

Some people plan to give money to beneficiaries (typically children and/or charities) before they pass away, especially if they consider they have more than enough money i.e., surplus wealth. Often, their thesis is that their kids can make good use of the money now, whilst they are younger, rather than waiting another couple of decades. By that time, they’ll probably already be financially establi...

Commentators often refer to the price of property relative to household incomes. For example, it is estimated that property in Melbourne and Sydney now costs more than 10 times the median household income.  But is this really a meaningful measure because if it is, property cannot continue to grow at a faster rate than incomes (a point often made).  If prices continue to rise faster than income, ho...

All investment asset classes move in cycles. Investment returns are almost never linear. As such, investors must expect good and bad periods, which is why patience and discipline are big contributors to an investor’s success.  I suspect that commercial property investors’ patience and discipline are about to be tested. This asset class is facing a lot of challenges. However, as they say, every clo...

Many people are attracted to borrowing to invest in property because of negative gearing tax benefits. That is, the (income) loss that an investment property generates helps reduce the amount of tax you pay on your salary or business income.   However, investing in shares also offers unique tax advantages.  I thought it would be interesting to quantify and compare the taxation outcomes of these tw...

Borrowing capacity has reduced by around 30% over the past year due to the impact of higher interest rates and the increased 3% interest rate buffer that banks must use to calculate your borrowing capacity. This was eloquently depicted in this chart by CBA in February 2023.  I wanted to explore the common strategies that people can use to safely maximise their borrowing capacity.  How to borrow sa...

The unrefuted trend in all investment markets is mean reversion . It means that a period of below average returns is always followed by a period of above average returns. It is my thesis that investment-grade property in Melbourne looks attractive compared to other markets and that there are several economic tailwinds that may result in the median house prices doubling over the next decade.  The m...

I was listening to Morgan Housel’s new podcast recently (which I highly recommend by the way), and he said something along the lines of; once you define your investment philosophy, you won’t be distracted by any noise that doesn’t align with it.  It really resonated with me.  Success with investing is more about avoiding mistakes than anything else. Therefore, having a clear, well-defined (evidenc...

Most people struggle with knowing how to invest their money. Do they upgrade their home, contribute more into super, buy an investment property, invest in the share market, or something else?  In fact, this common challenge was the reason that I decided to write my book, Investopoly . I knew that if people understood the fundamental financial planning concepts (i.e., the 8 rules outlined in Invest...

Every few months, there’s a story online about an investor in their 30’s that has amassed a property portfolio of 12 properties…and how you can do it too.  Firstly, we shouldn’t be impressed by the number of properties that someone owns, as it doesn’t tell us anything about their wealth (equity). Boasting about the number of properties you own is like a business boasting about the number of employ...

Everything you must know before you refinance: https://www.prosolution.com.au/ebook/ =================== Share markets have been highly volatile over the past couple of years. Markets fell by circa 30% when Covid hit in March 2020 and then proceeded to boom until the end of 2021, fuelled by government stimulus and zero interest rates. However, markets fell by circa 20% in 2022 after central banks...