Your Wealth Creation

What is Wealth?

Wealth is commonly identified as a state of having an abundant supply of material goods, especially money.

Creating wealth for a financial goal can be a short-term saving plan or a deposit on the purchase of your first home. This could also include more complex goals like early repayment of a mortgage or putting a strategy in place to achieve financial freedom.

At Money Mechanics we help make money work for you, rather than the other way around. To do this, we need to understand the benefits of compound interest and saving money to invest, while still ensuring you can enjoy the quality of life that you want.

To maximise the benefits of compound interest, starting early is better. If that’s not an option for your situation, we also can advise relevant wealth creation strategies that work for you.

Wealth Creation

Unpacking the Tax System

Learn more about the Australian tax system with Jane Hadrill from Hadrill Accounting on the Money Mechanics Podcast.

Why Invest?

Before investing, you need to know the reason behind it. Your purpose will direct you to your goals even before you start acting on the best practices in investing. Investment is commonly done for financial security. It matters that your concept of financial security is clear, so that when markets get volatile, you can always remind yourself of your reason behind investing, and you can gauge if you have achieved financial security.

 

Five-Step Process to Develop Investment Strategies:
  1. Clarify your why
  2. Understand yourself
  3. What tax strategy and whose name to invest in
  4. Investment Product Selection
  5. Regular review process in place

Unpacking Lifestyle Property

Learn more about the owning and managing lifestyle property and AirBnB with Narelle Glynn.

Types of Investment

There are three types of investments. They also share the same features such as, growth return (capital return), income return (interest), and a level of risk in volatility.

1. Debt Backed Investment (Defensive Assets)

 

This refers to any debt on a balance sheet like cash in a bank account, fixed interest investments, a term-deposit, bonds and debentures.

Types of Debt or Defensive Investment

 

  1. Cash – money you have deposited in bank accounts.
  2. Fixed interest investment and term deposit – issued by banks, governments or other companies based on the issuer’s credit quality.
  3. Debenture – lending your money to a business.
  4. Bond – an alternative asset. It sits on equity investment while its capital value can change overtime.

 

2. Equity Investment (Growth Assets)

This includes property and share based investments. They provide access to capital returns over time with the aim of trying to beat inflation.

 

Types of Equity or Growth Investment

 

  1. Shares – refers to part ownership of a company or a business.
  2. Property – includes residential, commercial, holiday or serviced apartments and vacant land.
  3. Private Company/Equity – unlisted and has more risk compared to listed companies. Good for more sophisticated investors.

 

3. Alternative Investment

This refers to usually unrelated to the debt or equities markets and has what is often referred to as an ‘uncorrelated’ relationship with the more traditional assets of debt and equity.

 

Types of Alternative Investment

 

  1. Hybrid Fixed Interest and Bonds – has the value that depends on: if the interest rates go up the prices of the security will fall because fixed returns offered becomes less attractive. If interest rates go down the price of a bond will rise.
  2. Agriculture – also referred to as Argi-business investments or Managed Investment Schemes (MIS).
  3. Commodities and Hedge Funds – the oldest and most traditional. They are the raw materials used to make things.
  4. Crypto or Crypto Currencies – the newest: block chain and crypto. Its ideology is around secure trading outside of institutions.

Unpacking Share Investing

Learn more about share investing with Liz Tran, Director at Citi for Equity Derivatives, Global Markets.

Diversification and Risk Management

This involves methods of reducing investment risk by investing in a number of different investment asset groups and having a good understanding of what you are investing into.

Three General Ways to Diversify:

 

  1. Buying a range of investments in the same asset class;
  2. Buying a range of investments in different sectors or areas; or
  3. Buying a range of investments in different asset classes.

Your Wealth Strategy Options

Risk Free Rate of Return? – all about opportunity cost. This is basically about what you are missing out as a return when you are not investing and had the money doing something else.

Goals Based Investment
  1. Short Term Goals – 1-2 years, cash or bash based term deposits
  2. Medium Term Goals – 3-5 years, monthly cash term deposit, blue chip shares or property trusts
  3. Long Term Goals – 5-10 years, shares or property
  4. Extra Long Term Goals – 10-30 years, mixed of defensive and growth based on age and risk appetite
Building Your Asset Allocation

This depends on your risk appetite and timeframe. Which type of investor are you?

  1. Secure – seeking income or have some specific short term objectives.
  2. Defensive – seeking income with the potential for some growth over the medium term.
  3. Conservative – seeking both income and the potential for some growth over the medium term.
  4. Balanced – seeking both income and capital growth over the medium to long term in order to achieve your long term financial objectives.
  5. Growth – seeking capital growth over the long term.
  6. High Growth – seeking to maximise capital growth over the long term.
Why do people borrow money for investment?

Legislation, as of this writing, allows you to claim a deduction on money which is borrowed and to generate an income return.But the golden rule for any investment is to ensure you do not just do something for a tax benefit or a perceived high return.

Account 1 Your Weekly Cash – a few key items in this account are ‘pocket money’- which is money that you can spend no questions asked. ‘kids or hobbies’ are regular weekly expenses for your children’s activities or for regular hobbies you have.

Account 2 Your Regular Bills – a key item in this account is the ‘home maintenance and repairs’ and ‘new furniture’ which is the emergency buffer for expenses around the home. Consider having a buffer account if you drive an older car or have older appliances. Overtime you will need to spend money on repairs and maintenance. The amount you allocate will depend on the size of your home and number of appliances you have.

Account 3 Your Travel Account – This account can be a great way to mix finances for the first time. If you are in a new relationship or just want to keep things separate. A joint account which is focused on something fun that you both enjoy can be a great way to start to experience how you each engage with money.

Account 4 Your Future Savings or Debt Reduction – Whatever is left in your budget should be going to future savings or debt reduction. See our tips below if you are not in surplus. If you have investments we suggest you have an account to manage each one. This provides transparency over the costs overtime so you know how things are really performing.

Unpacking Property

Learn more about Property from Elizabeth Jackson of Public Property.

Ethical or Socially Responsible Investment Decision Making

This refers to the consideration of both financial return and social and environmental good to bring about a positive change.

Negative Issues Surrounding Ethical and Social Responsibility
  1. Alcohol & Tobacco Retailing
  2. Animals (Meat Dairy processing)
  3. Animals (Meat/Dairy Retailing)
  4. Environmental Damage (Comprehensive Policy)
  5. Environmental Damage (General Statement Only)
  6. Oppressive Regimes (Pro-active, balanced policy)
  7. Oppressive Regimes (Strict Avoidance)
Important considerations regarding Ethical Investments:

A fund matching your ethical considerations may not necessarily match your attitude to risk. There might be a trade-off here;
There is a limit on the range of funds and asset class. They tend to be Australian and global equity funds only with some limited fixed income options coming to market recently;
Ethical Funds may be higher risk as they have a smaller universe of allowable stocks in which to invest;
The fund objectives are ethically based and therefore may not meet your stated objectives (for example the need to generate income).

Where to go from here?

  1. Your mindset, values and attitudes around money affect all elements of your life.
  2. Educate yourself and remember money skills are a learnt behavior.
  3. Have honest open conversations around money.
  4. Start focusing on what is important to you in life and what ideal life you want to be living.
  5. Build your financial decision making framework which is aligned to your investment framework and any ethical or social responsibility.
  6. Diversify your investments.
  7. Decide: D-I-Y investor or getting formal advice?
  8. Keep your investment costs and turnover low.
  9. Stay in the course even when markets get volatile.

A comprehensive wealth creation plan may include:

Salary Sacrifice

Salary Sacrifice

An arrangement with your employer to purchase specific goods from your pre-tax salary

Property Investment

Property Investment

Accumulating wealth by borrowing to invest in property for capital growth or cashflow

Share Investment

Share Investment

Building wealth by borrowing money to invest in shares. Also referred to as stocks, equities or securities.

Trust Structures

Trust Structures

Includes Family Trusts, Discretionary and Unit Trusts to help protect your wealth while you grow

regular saving

Regular Savings

Working with you to prepare a budget and manage outgoings to put away the balance into a savings

Taxation Management

Taxation Management

Establishing your marginal tax rate and helping to make tax work for your wealth creation strategies

Debt Recycling

Debt Recycling

Increasing future wealth by leveraging your home equity to invest in other wealth creation opportunities

Margin Lending

Margin Lending

Borrowing money to invest in equities and the lender uses the equities as security against the loan

Capital Protection

Capital Protection

Providers usually pay back at least the original investment at the end of a specified period to minimise risk.

Wealth Creation Guide

Download Your FREE Copy Of Our Wealth Creation Guide

Understand investment options and asset allocation strategies that work best for you with our Wealth Creation guide below.

Testimonials

“Money Mechanics gave me a solid strategy which I have started implementing. I can’t fault that for value plus service. I consider this money well spent.”

Cherry | 65+ years old

“Money Mechanics was exceptional. Their advice was accurate and timely and the information provided was of a very high standard. They are friendly, professional and trusted, I would have no hesitation recommending them.”

Caroline | 35-45 years old

“Fabulous, empathetic and extremely well informed. Money Mechanics helps you make confident decisions by understanding all options and consequences of each. Can’t recommend him highly enough.”
Kathryn | 35-45 years old

Money Mechanics takes a holistic approach and gives real world advice. They are understanding, empowering and encouraging and have helped me understand money, take control of what I have and grow it in a way that works with the sort of person I am. They are fantastic.”
Jane | 46-55 years old

“Scott is very knowledgable and helpful. He does a very good job explaining things that may be hard to understand for less savvy or financially inclined people. He is very easy to talk to and is very understanding and relatable.”
Jason | 35-45 years old

“Money Mechanics advice was reassuring during a time of great potential change to my working life and impending retirement. I greatly valued the knowledge and expertise they offered. Scott came highly recommended and I’d certainly recommend him highly to anyone seeking financial advice. “
Carmel | 56-65 years old

“Very personable. Scott treated us as individuals. He was very down-to-earth and gave us clear explanations. He saw immediate potential for improvement in our situation and gave us some tangible actions at the meeting and in the follow-up. I really appreciated that he is not judgemental of our situation or values.”
David 46-55 years old

“Money Mechanics provided advice on setting up a Self Managed Super Fund including purchasing property and developing an investment strategy. Scott spent many hours explaining the ins and outs of the fund, simplifying complex structures, and ultimately guided us through the entire process to make sure the solution was right for what we need. “
Tait | 46-55 years old

“I find Scott’s help very clear and informative. He looks at every possibility and gives a very clear and understandable explanation of all aspects of the process.”
Diane

“Scott’s personal style helps me focus on what I most want for the coming years and how I can make that happen.”
Robyn

“Excellent presenter and empowering material brilliant”
Tom

“I’ve been given excellent insights on a lot about financial matters that were very abstract to me that I can use.”
Jocelyn

“Scott is an amazing teacher and makes money not so scary. He knows his subject very well.”
Stacey

“Scott is extremely well versed in finance. People can learn a great deal from him.”
Kah