State of the states – state & territory performance report

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How are Australia’s states and territories performing? Each quarter CommSec attempts to find out by analysing eight key indicators: economic growth; retail spending; equipment investment; unemployment, construction work done; population... Read more continue reading

Three out of five sector ETFs have outperformed the ASX200

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Australian-owned ETF provider, Australian Index Investments (Aii), sector ETFs have had an exceptional year with its resources, metals & mining and industrials ETFs providing investors with returns well in excess... Read more continue reading

BT insurance new end-to-end life solutions a success with advisers and dealer groups

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BT Protection Plans have been added to more than 100 approved product lists within dealer groups and the number of advisers the products have doubled since its launch in February 2011 to... Read more continue reading

Aussie dividends ETF catches eye of international investors

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Russell urges investors to consider cash alternatives with new ETF Global investment services firm Russell Investments is encouraging investors to think outside term deposits and cash and look for income... Read more continue reading

Life insurance gap beginning to close in Australia

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New report from Rice Warner reveals increasing levels of personal insurance Australia’s life insurance gap has reduced over the last six years, according to a new report from Rice Warner Actuaries.... Read more continue reading

Deferred date for new tax treatments for managed investment trusts

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Last year, the government announced a new tax system for managed investment trusts (MITs) that will reduce complexity, increase certainty and minimise compliance costs for MITs and their investors.  In... Read more continue reading

The taxation of financial arrangements under TOFA rules

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Background to the TOFA reforms The TOFA reforms were first announced in the 1992 budget and were later taken up by the Review of Business Taxation. The review’s final report... Read more continue reading

Australia sets the standard in ETF regulation

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BetaShares Capital Ltd (BetaShares), one of Australia’s leading exchange traded fund (ETF) providers, says Australia is leading the way with best practice standards for regulating ETFs that are designed to... Read more continue reading

Digging Deeper: Institutional ETF investment in Australia

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The Australian ETF market has gathered momentum over the last two years, gathering AUM across a range of products, investment styles and providers.   However unlike the US or Europe,... Read more continue reading

A Short Morality Play – The Triway Super Case

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A recent decision of the AAT has highlighted certain basic rules when operating an SMSF. The facts of the case are very straightforward. A couple, at the urging of their... Read more continue reading