Along with a raft of legislative change, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has also introduced new licensing requirements for accountants who work with and advise Self Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) Trustees. Only approx. 10% of accountants have complied with these changes to date.
As such if you, as many, consider your accountant would be your 1st port of call for Financial Advice, they will likely advise you, they are unable to provide the information you require & should consult a qualified Financial Adviser / Planner.
This is general advice only and you should seek expert financial advice from a qualified financial adviser before acting on any of the information covered in these topics.
Affects the Ageing Population will have on Investment Markets.
According to a recent Vanguard report by 2045 approx. 20% of the Australian population will be over the age of 65. By the same time, it is expected 1/3 of the Japanese population will be over the age of 65.
This research indicated that between 2015 & 2045 the number of people over the age of 65 will double, representing approximately 15% of the population worldwide. There was a body of thought indicating that this would provide significant headwinds for equity markets, as retirees sold down on their portfolios to fund lifestyle needs. However recent ‘Vanguard’ research has allayed fears here with the following findings:
- Over 65’s don’t spend less. They just spend in different areas ie more on housing & healthcare as opposed to leisure & clothing for example.
- They will continue to work longer as access to superannuation and age pension benefits are pushed out.
- Falling workforce numbers will force improvements in productivity to offset higher labour costs.
So 65 might be the new 45.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation, and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you will do things differently” – Warren Buffett.
