Insights

This article was originally published back in 2017 but with recent market volatility and a never ending stream of news and coverage of the global economy we thought we would refresh it. It's a timely reminder not to mistake activity for achievement.

On our sister sites, Eureka Report and Intelligent Investor the Q&A sections are one of the most popular features. The sections are so useful we've decided to introduce Q&A to InvestSMART.

Following the revelation that Australia is being cyber-attacked by a state-based actor, Steve Sammartino explains why cyber security needs to be taken more seriously before humans become a hackable species.

It's time to dust off the calculator and start poring through receipts - tax time is around the corner, and that means a refund could soon be coming your way. The end of the financial year is also a time to take stock of your investment portfolio.

Bryan Ashenden explains the importance of creating an exit plan when establishing your SMSF.

We take a look at why the market is behaving as it is and what lays ahead for COVID affected economies.

Scott Francis explores the question of what is a safe retirement withdrawal rate and whether it is better to have a static or dynamic approach to retirement planning.

Last edition it was a big sell-off at Technology One, this edition it's Appen that's in the spotlight as Alex Gluyas looks at some big sells made by ASX Directors amid the continued buying.

Patrick Duke explains how to transfer certain assets 'in-specie' into superannuation and treat them as a contribution.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen Australians hunker down their finances - spending less and tucking away more cash. That's seen our household savings rate jump from 3.5% (of income) in 2019, to 5.5% at present. But plenty of people could be missing out on easy ways to boost their bank balance.

InvestSMART Capped Fee Portfolio review: 'The Monthly Musing' - bang for your buck

As society moved online in response to COVID lockdowns, Alex Gluyas looks at how increased network and cloud usage has been supported by data centres, and how companies operating in the sector are becoming a crucial part of the digital supply chain.

Robert Gottliebsen looks into how top management has performed throughout the COVID crisis in several ASX 200 companies and explains the close link between quality managers and a stock's performance.

The Reserve Bank's decision to keep the official cash rate on hold at 0.25% for June comes as no surprise. Our central bank has already made it clear that rates are likely to stay at record lows for some time - certainly until the economy picks up. That's great news for anyone with debt, though not so good if you rely on interest-bearing investments for income.

Steve Sammartino explores the concept of investing in digital DNA, and how it impacts disruption and investment portfolios.

Theo Marinis tells the story of a client who received an unexpectedly large inheritance and how she could use an investment bond to achieve intergenerational wealth transfer.