InvestSMART

Investing insights from experts like Paul Clitheroe & Effie Zahos and more Investing insights from experts Think back to 2001. John Howard was PM, Harry Potter was slaying it at the box office, and in a quiet corner of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), the first exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were listed. It's doubtful that anyone back then could have foreseen the impact ETFs would have. Fast forward to 2025, and ETFs have well and truly come of age.

Investing insights from experts like Paul Clitheroe & Effie Zahos and more Investing insights from experts Over the past 18 months, we've been using our Spotlight series to shine a light on our ETF portfolios. We're now expanding the series to focus on the individual ETFs that help power those portfolios - or are available through InvestSMART Custom. This time, we're focusing on the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY), which is part of our Custom offering.

Should negative gearing be scrapped? It's the political question that refuses to fade. But before we answer, we need to ask a better one: who actually relies on it, and who doesn't? The answer might surprise you, because it's not who the headlines say it is. As two of Australia's most experienced property commentators and educators, we've spent decades helping Australians cut through the noise and focus on what drives long-term financial success.

Welcome to the sixth update in my retirement journey diary. In my previous entries, I've shared details about how we've simplified our financial lives, our investment strategy, our retirement budget, our plans for downsizing and supporting our kids and how we plan to stay healthy and keep our minds active in retirement. In this diary entry, I am focusing on our SMSF - why we set one up, the time and costs involved in running it and what we'll do when we can't manage it ourselves.

Read the headlines right now, and it can be tempting to wonder where the world is heading. Of course, no one knows the answer to that. But it's human nature that we can feel the urge to 'do something' when geopolitical tensions flare, or economies are uncertain, or markets are moving fast. Successful investing, however, often means doing the opposite - staying the course. Continually changing tack can throw the best-laid investment plans off course.

IMPORTANT: This information is general financial product advice only and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Financial Services Guide (FSG), Target Market Determination (TMD) or seek professional advice before making any investment decision.

InvestSMART's diversified ETF portfolios have delivered solid results over the past 12 months, returning between 6.9% and 15.9% to the end of August 2025. Over 10 years, the diversified portfolios have returned between 4.2% and 9.2% a year on average. Keep in mind, past performance is not an indication of future performance.

IMPORTANT: This information is general financial product advice only and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Financial Services Guide (FSG), Target Market Determination (TMD) or seek professional advice before making any investment decision.

Can a cat make more money in the share market than professional investors? Back in 2012, the UK's  Observer newspaper set out to find the answer. It pitted the stock-picking abilities of Orlando, a ginger cat, against three investment professionals from well-known firms (including Schroders) as well as a group of high school students. Each team had a notional £5,000 to invest in the FTSE All-Share index, with their results tracked over the course of a year. How did each team perform?

IMPORTANT: This information is general financial product advice only and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Financial Services Guide (FSG), Target Market Determination (TMD) or seek professional advice before making any investment decision.