Dancing in the Dark

Financial markets are in a period of uncertainty. Central bankers are unsure whether they’ve done enough – or not enough – to get inflation back to their 2 to 3 per cent target band. Economists and market commentators have now danced from the “hard landing” scenario which seemed certain earlier in the year to the “soft landing” scenario in July and are now waltzing into the “could be hard or could be soft” scenario. Without any clear guidance, markets are just dancing in the dark…

Why Market Timing Doesn’t Work

Why Market Timing Doesn't Work_Feature Image

Everyday the financial media has stories about either impending doom or unbridled optimism for the stock market. Not surprisingly, many investors get the urge to move their asset allocations around based on these stories in the hopes of boosting their returns. They should resist that urge. While they might get lucky once and boost returns in the short term, they must get lucky twice to keep that excess return, or else they get financially hurt in the long run. So, do you feel lucky?

Finding the Right Adviser

Finding The Right Adviser

Have you ever seen one of those Shape-O toys? It’s one of those baby toys which has holes cut to specific shapes. To complete the game, you need to make sure that you put the right shape into the right hole. A mismatch means that you won’t be able to progress or finish the game. […]

Our Cyber Security

Our Cyber Security | SIA

We take our cyber security seriously and we are doing what we can do to keep our client’s data safe and secure.

Gravity Catches Up with Big Tech

A look at the decline of the Big Tech stocks as interest rates have risen. Big Tech stocks have got much the same return as S&P 500 index since the nadir of the pandemic in March 2020.

Having Confidence in Retirement

There is universal fear and anxiety over not having enough money for retirement. The thought of not having ‘enough’ can negatively impact people’s lifestyles. Not having confidence in retirement can drive these fears through the roof.  One of the main reasons people don’t have confidence in retirement is because they focus on financial accumulation, without […]

How Can You Get Your Kids Involved with Giving and Philanthropy?

The families with the strongest legacies are not necessarily the ones that build the most wealth. Instead, the families with enduring legacies are those that have a strong sense of identity and that are unified over a shared set of values. Disputes, recklessness and greed can destroy family wealth in a generation. Reduce the risk […]

5 Lessons to Aid a Healthy Succession

It’s difficult to let go. You’ve spent years of your life building up your business. You’ve poured many long days and late nights making tough decisions to get your business where it is, but now you’ve decided that it’s time to pass it onto the next generation. It’s no secret that crafting a healthy succession […]

Known Unknowns

What do we know about the performance of bonds and stocks over the next 12 months? This is a question that I have seen or heard several times in the last few weeks: Given the current state of the markets, are bonds or equities likely to do better over the next 12 – 24 months […]

New Chapter, New Office

We’re moving to a new office & starting a new chapter! We’re making some changes here at Stephan Independent Advisory. We are investing in the future of our business, and the future of our clients, by moving our office from Kew to Hawthorn East. You’ll no longer find us at Suite 506, 1 Princess Street, […]

How to Determine the Costs of Your Life and Your Future

Is being too busy now, jeopardising your future? If you aren’t careful, then the answer is yes. Life is busy. We have work, our businesses, family, children, schooling, extracurricular activities. Plus trying to squeeze in a social life in there somewhere too. And sometimes it can be really difficult to even think about the future […]

A Survival Guide for Volatility

How to achieve your goals, thrive in adversity and grow your wealth. Investors around the world have realised that fighting inflation is going to be painful—which in turn has caused turmoil in the markets. Since the start of the year the Australian market is down 12% – but that’s good relative to other markets. In […]

Does your family need a Foundation?

What is the right structure for your family’s giving? Over the years, we have been delighted to discover that a lot of the families we work engage in giving. They support charities, volunteer in their communities, and participate in a range of other philanthropic activities. And when we find this out, as Financial Planners, we […]

The Outlook: Cloudy with a Chance of Recession

What is the Market Outlook? Cloudy with a Chance of Recession. Rampant inflation, rising interest rates, war in Ukraine, Covid in China and falling bond and stock prices… It’s a very volatile time in markets and investors have every reason to be unsettled by global events. And on top of what’s already happening, some market […]

“Prepaying the Pain” and Family Constitutions

Family Constitutions | SIA

Families, especially families engaging in multigenerational businesses, are much like companies. There needs to be a clear set of rules that everyone abides by in order for it to run smoothly as it grows and gets passed down from generation to generation. These sets of rules are called family constitutions. Understanding family governance and implementing […]

Shirtsleeves to Shirtsleeves in Three Generations

I’m sure we’ve all heard the old proverbial saying before that goes, “Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.” As in, the wealth that is made by one generation, will be lost by the third. It’s Never About Money guest, Mike Boyd, thinks that this fate can, and should, be avoided. Mike is the co-owner and […]

How a Russian-Ukraine conflict may affect markets

The invasion of Ukraine by neighbouring Russia will be felt across several markets, from food and energy prices; to global stock markets; to safe haven assets like bonds and gold, and to future changes in interest rates. However much of the effects of the Russian-Ukraine conflict are already priced into markets. The best investment strategy […]

Exclusive vs. Sustainable: Investing for Success – Part 2

Stephan Independent Advisory_Featured Image_Dr Steve Garth

Dr Steve Garth, member of Stephan Independent Advisory’s Investment Committee, sat down with Joe Stephan on his It’s Never About Money podcast do discuss exclusive vs sustainable investing.  This is Part 2 of a 2-episode series with Dr Garth. If you missed the first episode, listen now. The dangers of DIY investing There are some […]