Financial year-end reflection is quite often useful when considering our investment portfolio – whether that is confined to superannuation account(s) or is diversified to include some non-superannuation investments. This article was written following the 2013 financial year-end: the comments are relevant to how we might reflect following each financial year.
Five weeks after the end of the 2013 financial year it seemed that the financial year that ended 30 June 2012 was still part of our financial lives – no doubt influenced by the fact that for many of us, tax and other reporting for that year has took most of the 2013 year to get through. The 2013 financial year resulted in another outstanding share market performance (and fairly respectably for those of us invested in diversified portfolios as well).
Financial and investment markets aren’t the only events in our lives and reflecting on the year makes us realise just how quickly it passed. When we watch the market movements on a frequent basis (daily in so far as shares and bonds are concerned), the time seems to pass incredibly slowly (even when ‘market volatility’ returned to more normal levels). However with a longer-term view such as we usually take with property, the outlook is not so challenging.
Throughout the 2013 financial year, our posts (particularly our Market and Economic Outlook for the relevant part of the calendar year) talked about the strategic opportunities that were presenting, but warning that there are still periods of set-back and protracted slow growth to deal with. Whilst we anticipated corrections at particular times they didn’t materialise until somewhat later – and were not as severe as we had cautioned might be the case.
Depending on the type of property and the suburb it is in, there is a view that Brisbane home prices increased modestly over the past year (on average less than 2% we understand); the Australian Share Market’s All Ordinaries share price rose more than 15% over that same period – a lot more palatable than the daily torment of listening to the exaggerated rises and falls of the 2008 through 2011 years!
Nevertheless, the 2012/13 financial year has passed and whilst it finished in a ‘flat’ trend, superannuation performances, like other diversified investment portfolios, were well up on the 2012 finish – and now the 2013/14 financial year is already 10% done!
Have you taken the opportunity to review your wealth management strategies for the coming year?
Are you working to a financial plan to optimise the opportunity to have financial independence when you are ready to retire?
Don’t let the 2014 financial year pass without ensuring that you are giving your future ‘your best shot’: at Continuum Financial Planners Pty Ltd our experienced financial advisers are ready – to listen to your financial goals, dreams and aspirations; and to show you that they understand your needs by providing practical, workable solutions: call us now (07 3421 3456), or go to our website Contact Us facility, let us know your availability and we’ll arrange a meeting. If you are seeking first-time advice your initial meeting is obligation-free and at no cost to you.
(Originally posted in the June 2010 eNewsletter with the title ‘Where did it go?…the year…’: occasionally revised/ updated, most recently in June 2017.)
