Buffett’s Secret Aussie Share Play?

Hi Scott,

I know you’re a fan of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. Well, there’s a relatively small listed investment company (LIC), called Global Masters Fund Limited (ASX: GFL), that invests in Berkshire Hathaway, UK shares and cash. It appears to have performed fairly well over the last five years or so. I am considering investing in it but have some reservations, like their exposure to the UK market given the Brexit situation. Is there any advice you can provide on weighing up a fund like this?

Terry

Hi Terry,

Yes, I’ve heard of Global Masters.

I wrote about them when they first listed in 2006, and then sent my column to Warren Buffett himself in the post (he doesn’t do email). A few weeks later, Buffett sent me a handwritten letter thanking me for alerting him to Global Masters, and for advising people not to invest in them.

As of 30 September the Global Masters portfolio has 63.8% invested in one stock, Berkshire Hathaway, 9% in ASX-listed investment company Flagship Investments, 6% in the Athelney Trust PLC, 6.3% in cash, and 14.7% in something they refer to as “other UK”.

(Interestingly, the Managing Director of Global Masters is also a director of Flagship Investments, and the Athelney Trust.)Global Masters estimates its fees at just 0.23%.

Which is fairly low. Cheaper than many exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Except … it’s not. Flicking open their annual report I see that shareholders also cough up for auditor costs, share registry costs, directors’ fees and admin costs. Put it all together and the true cost of investing through Global Masters is actually closer to 2.2% — and that’s bloody expensive!

So, Terry, considering you don’t even like the UK investments ... why not just Brexit?

With international brokerage fees as low $10 a trade (and there are some apps that are free, but they tend to screw you on the currency conversion), why not buy shares directly in Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) on the NY stock exchange?

After all, Buffett refers to his shareholders as partners, and treats them as such. A quick look at Berkshire’s annual report shows that he takes a salary of just ,000, and even reimburses the company for personal expenses.

Scott

This morning I arrived home from a family holiday from Bali

I’ve just arrived home from a family holiday.

As I opened my front door, I quickly realised I’d brought home a souvenir from Bali: bacteria.

Yes, I’m typing this bent over with a bad case of ‘Bali belly’. Yet nothing bad ever happens to a columnist, so I’m using my tummy troubles as an analogy for how the world financial markets are feeling right now:

Queasy.

And worried about what’s coming down the err … pipes.

Case in point, here are the headlines that greeted my arrival back into the country:

“House prices to fall 15%: Morgan Stanley”

“ASX plunges ‒ $50 billion bloodbath”

Pass the bucket!

However, I view these headlines as about as reliable as consulting Dr Google about my tummy troubles:

“Bloating? Cramps? Vomiting? You could have stomach cancer! And possibly rabies!”

So what is really going on with investment markets, and, more importantly, what should you do about it?

Well, at long last the markets have started paying attention to the fact that global interest rates are on the rise.

Yet this shouldn’t come as a surprise to my regular readers … I’ve been banging on about it for years.

In fact, way back in 2015 I wrote an article entitled “2018, The Year First Home Owners Get their Revenge”, in which I urged young people to start aggressively saving up for a 20% deposit so they’ll be prepared to take advantage of lower house prices.

And for people approaching retirement I’ve long advised to save up a buffer of two to three years of living expenses in cash (less any government pension payments) in their super, so they aren’t forced to sell when the real crash comes.

That’s the real rib-tickler: for all the doom and gloom headlines this week, global interest rates are still incredibly low, and they’ve only just begun rising. In my tummy analogy, what we’re experiencing is merely an uncomfortable rumbling.

Yet the truth is that we Aussies, by taking on record household debt at a time when interest rates are at record lows, have already swallowed the bug. As a result, plenty of overstretched people may well find their financial lives will end up in the toilet sometime in the next decade.

The most important thing to take out of this week is to ask yourself: am I prepared?

Trust your gut.

Tread Your Own Path!

You Made Me Rich! … Now What Do I Do?

Hi Scott,

Twelve years ago (May 2006), you wrote an article in the Herald Sun talking about why you were buying shares in Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. I know the date because I followed your advice, and I am very glad I did!I remember looking at the share price at the time and was astounded that a single share could be worth $59.Well, it is worth $217 a share!Even better, the Aussie dollar has gone down since my purchase, so I am sitting on a 350% total return.I am wondering whether I should sell, because I could use the money to pay off my mortgage. And Warren Buffett, now 88 years old, is older than my grandmother. How long can he go on for?What are you doing with your Berkshire Hathaway shares?

Nina

Hi Nina,

I hope you bought a lot of shares!

If you thought the Berkshire Hathaway’s shares were expensive, just remember that what you bought was ‘Class B’ shares. The original ‘Class A’ shares are currently trading for $450,000 per share in Aussie dollars. That’s for just one share.

Yes, Berkshire is currently trading at all-time highs, for two main reasons:

First, Buffett’s decision to invest in his own shares, via a share buy-back.In other words, the greatest investor in history is essentially telling investors that he thinks his stock is cheap.

(Who are we to argue?)

And second, the US stock market is also at all-time highs. However, Berkshire is sitting on around billion in cash, presumably waiting to be greedy when other people are fearful.

For all these reasons, I’m not going to be selling mine. However, I’m in a different situation to you, and I don’t have a mortgage. Just make sure you need to factor in capital gains tax (CGT) when you eventually decide to sell your shares.Well done!

Scott

First Share Purchase and I’m Petrified!

Hi Scott,

I have just learnt that the value of shares I own have dropped by $5,000 since last week, from $25,000 to $20,000. In April last year I purchased them at $30,000, so they had already dropped $5,000. I want to sell immediately, but I talked to my girlfriend last night and she suggested I contact you. The shares are Audio Pixels, which is an audio company. This is my first ever experience with shares, and I want to cry. I have a high mortgage and can’t afford to lose $10,000 grand. I am petrified if I leave it there, but hate to take such as loss. Please help me quick!

Paul

Hi Paul,

Admittedly, I’d never heard of this company before, but Audio Pixels Limited has a very new-age sound about it:

“Audio Pixels Limited was founded in July 2006 [and] has developed a revolutionary technological platform for reproducing sound, thus enabling the production of an entirely new generation of speakers that will exceed the performance specifications and design demands of the world’s top consumer electronics manufacturers.”

Sounds impressive, but then my ears began bleeding as I flicked open their latest 2017 annual report:

Over the past five financial years Audio Pixels has lost a total of $17.76 million.

And in the past 10 years it hasn’t turned a profit … and there’s not even a squeak of the revolutionary speakers.

“A material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s and Group’s ability to continue as going concerns”, says their auditor Deloitte.

That doesn’t sound good.Paul, there are three rules I apply to investing:

1. Don’t invest with money you can’t afford to lose.

2. Don’t put all your money in one stock.

3. Don’t invest in businesses that don’t make any money.

Cobber, you’ve broken all three!

So what should you do?

Don’t pray that the share price returns to what you paid for it … because the share market is tone deaf to your prayers (much like Audio Pixel’s speakers). If I were in your shoes I’d sell this stock immediately, pay down your mortgage, and buy some Sonos speakers.

Scott

Is This a Scam?

Hi Scott,

I recently received an unsolicited phone call from an investing group offering to invest my savings in their share trading scheme. A promise of 18‒22% sounds attractive, but I could not find them or their associated company on the ASIC website. Is this a scam?

Trudy

Hi Trudy,

Yes it is.

Scott

Here’s What I Really Think About the Acorns (Raiz) app

A lot of people ask me about the youth-focused investing app Acorns.

Its ‘killer app’ is that it collects your spare change and invests it in the share market on your behalf.

The company recently changed its name to Raiz Invest, and this week it had an IPO (initial public offering) and became a public company trading on the ASX (ticker ‘RZI’).

If you’re one of the 160,000 young people who are already a Raiz user, or if you’re just an interested punter, you may be wondering if you should invest in RZI.

Well, thankfully, the difference between being a private company and a public company is kind of like the difference between going on a first date and going on your seven-year wedding anniversary: there’s a lot more disclosure.

So let’s take a look-see.

Raiz states in their prospectus that they make their dough by charging users maintenance fees, account fees, netting fees and advertising fees. Lotsa fees. However, these fees only amount to small beer for the company, because the average Raiz account balance is just $1,234 (not a typo!), according to the company.

Looking at their cash flow statement, it shows ‘receipts from customers’ in FY 2017 was $990,424.

However, ‘payments to suppliers and employees’ for the same period was $3,005,078 (also not a typo!).

Feel the burn, baby.

Raiz has recently launched a super fund version of the app (which is cheap, but not cheap enough for my liking), and is also expanding overseas by targeting kids in South-East Asia, which seems like a very slow ramp-up to me … I’m not sure how much spare baht teenagers in Thailand will have to invest.

So, how did Raiz’s debut on the stock market go?

Not well.

The share price plunged 20% on the first day. Though I don’t think it helped that ‒ of the $15 million the company tapped investors for ‒ $2 million was trousered by staff, including a $1 million cash bonus for the CEO.

So should you invest via the Raiz app?

I think it’s a great introduction for novice investors, which is why it’s been so successful. However, after a certain point the fees Raiz charges are too high for what amounts to a cute index fund app.

So should you invest in the Raiz company itself?

Based on what I’ve read, they won’t be getting any of my nuts.

After all, I’ve always thought of Raiz (Acorns) as being a little like your first teenage love:

Memorable, but you’re not going to stay with them long term.

Tread Your Own Path!

We Smell a Rat!

Dear Barefoot,

My wife and I desperately need your help. We have been following your wise advice for many years. We do not earn a lot (I am on $80,000 a year) but by implementing your plan we have accumulated $1 million in super, $250,000 in shares and $160,000 in savings. I am 64 and want to retire, so I went to see a financial advisor. He recommended we take all our super and invest it in five Vanguard ETFs plus an SPDR Dow Jones Global Real Estate Fund. We smell a rat ‒ do you?

Frank

Hi Frank,

Before we get into sniffing rodents, first let me give you a pat on the back: on your income you’ve played an absolute blinder — well done, mate!

Now, I don’t know what you’ve got a whiff of, but I’m not sure if we can call it a rat just yet. See, the Vanguard ETFs (exchange traded funds) and the SPDR (or ‘Spider’) ETFs are ultra-low-cost index funds — the fees are around 0.20 per cent, or $200 for every $100,000 invested. To quote financial rapper Jay-Z, “I got 99 problems but the fees on these ETFs ain’t one”.

That being said, things might get a little pongy if the advisor tries to wrap in substantial admin fees on top (not that I’m saying they will, but keep a close eye on it). Know this: on your balance, paying an additional half a percent will end up costing you an extra $100,000 in fees over the next decade. Ay caramba! That’s a lot of Coronas!

Look, if you’re going to invest your super in low-cost index funds — and that’s a smart strategy — I’d suggest you do it via an ultra-low-cost industry fund. You should be able to replicate the advisor’s stated portfolio for fees of less than 0.10 per cent, and under $100 a year in administration fees.

Sniff, sniff!

Scott

Reminder: I first wrote about this years ago and highlighted the low costs. Today there are better deals on offer. How do I know? Because my readers constantly email me about them! So before you do anything, do a quick google.

High Returns from Medical Cannabis?

Hi Scott,

We are in our mid-forties with a combined income of $110,000. We own our home and have an investment property worth approximately $420,000. We would like to further secure our future and are thinking of investing a small amount, $3,000 to $5,000, in shares in a medical cannabis company. We could invest more but, because we have never played the share market and do not really know anything about it, would like to start small. What are your thoughts, and do you think medical cannabis is a safe choice?

Christine

Hi Christine

The dot bong boom!

Mark my words, the medicinal marijuana business is set to explode. Analysts are suggesting that the domestic market could be worth $1 billion a year, and that the global market could reach as high as billion by 2025.

Even better, earlier this year the Federal Government gave the green light for exports of medicinal cannabis. Health Minister Greg Hunt sparked up a spliff and told reporters, “Australia is brilliantly placed to be a world leader in medical development and medical cannabis”.

Exhale.

So it is a good investment?

I have absolutely no doubt that medicinal marijuana will become a huge industry all around the world. And I also have absolutely no doubt that there are hundreds of companies around the world that are looking to cash in on this boom.

Listen, I have a simple, old-fashioned rule when it comes to investing: I only invest in companies that make money.

And none of these medicinal marijuana companies are making any money … yet.

Take the largest pot player on the ASX, the Cann Group. Its share price has had a phenomenal run, up close to 500% since May last year, and the company is now valued at around $350 million.

However, they’re also burning cash like Bob Marley rolling a spliff with a hundred dollar note: they lost $1,462,561 in the six months to 31 December 2017. Despite this, they still hit investors up for more dough, even though they admitted that they had no expectations of being profitable in the short term, and that their financial projections were unreliable.

Look, if you’re just getting started in the share market, don’t dabble in dope. Now, this is the straightest thing you’ll ever hear me say: call your super fund and make a tax-deductible contribution to your fund, man.

Scott

I’m Freaking Out Here!

Hi Scott,

As I write this, the Dow Jones has suffered its “biggest fall in history”. They are saying on Sunrise that our market will plummet today. I feel physically ill. I am 62 years old, earn $110,000 a year (I work in logistics for a government department), and am due to retire in three years — or at least that was the plan until today! I feel so stupid. This was the year I was finally going to sort my super, work through the steps in your book, and get on top of it all. But have I left my run too late? What should I do? Help! I’m panicking.

John

Hi John,

Thanks for your email, which brilliantly captured the madness of Monday’s market.

It’s like you wrote it on a plane just as the oxygen masks fell from the ceiling: “Captain Kochie says the market’s plummeting!”

But then after a few scary bumps the pilot’s voice comes over the PA saying “sorry about that, folks, we just hit some unexpected turbulence; everything is back to normal now”.

So adjust your tray table, resume your in-flight viewing, and notice that Kochie has gone back to dancing with the Cash Cow.

Okay, enough with the analogies.Monday saw some brief market turbulence, but there will most certainly be a crash at some stage.

That’s because, historically, the Australian stock market crashes every 10 years or so.The good news is that it’s not too late.

What I’m saying, John, is that you need to harness the fear you were feeling when you wrote me this email on Monday, and make sure you strap on your financial life jacket right now.

Here’s what to do:

First, get rid of any debt you have. Interest rates have never been lower — but that won’t always be the case. The time to get out of debt is right now.

Second, get rid of any dodgy investments you have. They fall into three camps: the ones your brother-in-law talked you into, the ones you’ve borrowed money for that aren’t paying their way, and anything you don’t understand. Ditch ’em.

Third, my advice to anyone over the age of 60 who is preparing to strap on the sandals and socks is to start aggressively building up three to five years of ‘Retirement Mojo’ — a cash buffer of living expenses. (If you think you’ll get a pension or part-pension, that’ll reduce the amount you’ll need to save to reach your buffer.)

Better yet, put it on autopilot — contact your super fund and request that all future super contributions go to a cash and fixed interest investment option.

Why would you do this?Well, my old finance professor called it ‘sequencing risk’ — which is a fancy way of saying that a market crash in the final years leading up to your retirement has a significant impact on the future income you can generate from your nest-egg.

I learned this first hand in 2008 when I saw many retirees watch in horror as their super got smashed. What did they do? They sold out at the market bottom … and locked in their losses.

Think of last Monday as a test-run, John. When the real crash comes, you want to be able to say yourself: “That’s Day 1 — it’s a good thing I have 1,825 days (five years) of living expenses set aside to ride this sucker out.”

That way you won’t end up having to rely on the Sunrise Cash Cow!

Scott

How to Invest in Shares With No Risk

Hi Scott,

My partner and I are quite young (both 28) and have bought our first home already. We are now looking to invest in the share market, and would like to take out a ‘protected equity loan’ to do so. Yes, the cost of it is high, but after that you own the asset. We are in it for capital growth over time, so we can accept breaking even for 10 years or so, particularly with the potential for tax minimisation. The trouble is, I know you do not think highly of this product. Could you please explain why?

Angie

Hi Angie,

On first glance these things look like the best thing since sliced (gluten-free) bread.

Here’s how Westpac describe their protected equity loan:

“The potential of Australian shares. The certainty of capital protection at maturity.”

Let’s say you take out a Westpac protected equity loan of $1,000 and invest in an Aussie share fund. If in five years’ time the shares are worth less than $1,000, all you need to do is hand them back to Westpac, and just walk away Renee (or Angie -- word up to those 90s kids who got that music reference).

Hot diggity dang! Who doesn’t want the potential of shares with the certainty that you won’t do your dough?

Sign me up!

Trouble is, there’s no free lunch in the stock market, and Westpac sure ain’t handing out gluten-free dinner rolls.

The devil with these loans is the interest rate you’re charged. Westpac builds in the cost of the capital protection (otherwise known as a ‘put option’), then adds a bit of gravy.

How much gravy?

Well, Westpac charges an interest rate of 8.95%.‘Trời ơi!’, as my Vietnamese friends say.

Bottom line?

These fancy loans are dreamt up by bankers and flogged by financial planners with one goal: to make them fat ongoing fees … not to help you.I’ve been Barefoot for years now, and I’ve come to understand a few things:

First, most people make dumb decisions just to save tax.

Second, most people don’t have the ticker to invest in the market with their own money, let alone with borrowed money.

Third, most people borrow at the wrong time. Like right now, when the market has been going up for over a decade and everything appears ‘safe’. The time to go ‘balls in’ (as my father would say) is straight after a crash, precisely when no one wants to invest in the share market.

So what should you do?Stick to the Barefoot Steps.You’ve bought your home at a young age -- well done!

That’s Step 4 done and dusted. Now it’s time to move on to Step 5 and increase your super contributions from the basic 9.5% (paid by your employer) to 15% by salary-sacrificing some of your pay packet (up to the $25,000 cap per person per year).This has two benefits:

You’ll get a genuine tax deduction (possibly slashing your top marginal tax rate by almost two-thirds) and, if you choose a super fund with ultra-low costs, your returns won’t be eaten away by some banking fairy.

Scott

Do I Have to Pay Tax on Bitcoin?

Hi Scott,

I have just bitten the bullet and invested in Bitcoin (and it has been a wild ride over the past week!).

Judging from what the experts suggest, the price could hit $60,000.This got me thinking -- what tax will I pay on my gains?

Lloyd

Hi Lloyd,

If your purchase of Bitcoin was under $10,000, and you’re only using it to pay for goods or services, any capital gain you make will be tax free because the Tax Office considers it a ‘personal use asset’.

However, you’re speculating (i.e. hoping to ‘get rich or die tryin’, as Fiddy Cent says), so you’ll pay tax on any capital gain at your marginal tax rate. Having said that, if you hold on for at least 12 months, you’ll be able to claim a 50% capital gains tax discount.

Even though the Tax Office can’t track Bitcoin, they still want their share of any capital gain you make. So make sure you keep good records (transaction dates, how much you invested, the price you bought and sold for) in case you get audited.

Finally, if you cop a loss on your Bitcoin, you can use it to offset capital gains made that year, or you can carry it forward to offset against gains made in the future. (Losing money on Bitcoin? That’s never going to happen, right?)

Scott

Why Advisors Hate Barefoot

Hi Scott,

My husband and I would like to share with you a conversation he recently had with our financial adviser.

Husband: “My wife and I have been looking into our shared finances. We think we are paying too much for financial advice on your managed super fund. We will be switching to a ultra low-cost super fund.”

Adviser: “Sounds like your wife has been reading the Barefoot Investor.”

Husband: “I bet that’s the bane of your life.”Adviser: “Yes. Hmf. Well, our fund is better because …”

You can guess the rest. We are so thankful to you, Barefoot!

Meg

Hi Meg,

Just for kicks, let me visualise the rest of the conversation:

Adviser: “You’ll get better returns from our actively managed fund, which employs some of the finest fund managers in the world and has a history of outperforming the market.”

Meg: “Go on.”

Adviser: “Fees are important, but they’re not the only consideration. You need to consider long-term performance.”

Meg: “Do you have access to exclusive hedge funds?”Adviser (panting): “We most certainly do!”

Meg: “Well, did you read about the million-dollar bet Warren Buffett made in 2007? He bet that a basic no-brainer index fund that simply tracks the market would outperform the most elite hedge funds over 10 years. Guess what happened? The $1 million invested in the expensive hedge funds gained $220,000 … the ultra-low cost index fund gained $854,000.”

Adviser (closing his folder): “I’m late for my next appointment.”

Scott

Million Dollar Payday

Dear Scott,

I am 24 years old and I earn $40,000 a year working part time. Today I received a lump sum of $1,000,000 (after costs) due to being run over by a car seven years ago. I need to pay around $5,000 a year in ongoing medical costs. How should I invest this money, and is it worth setting up a trust and a ‘bucket company’ that reinvests in itself?

Max

Hi Max,

First up, you won’t have to pay tax on the payout itself, but you will pay tax on any investment earnings you earn on it. Now, would I invest the money in a trust and then distribute the investment income to a company?

Possibly. The trust will give you asset protection benefits, and the company acts as a ‘bucket’ to theoretically cap your tax rate at the company tax rate of 30 per cent. But know this: it’ll also gobble up a few thousand dollars a year in fees to your accountant.

However, let’s not put the cart before the horse.I

f I were in your shoes, I’d keep it simple:

I’d buy a nice little unit for cash (say $500,000).I’d put $15,000 into Mojo (high-interest online saver account).

I’d put $25,000 into term deposits with different maturities to cover any medical costs within the next five years.

I’d also kick $25,000 into your super.

Then I’d invest the rest ($435,000 or thereabouts) into good-quality Aussie shares (either via a trust, or in your own name), tick the ‘Dividend Reinvestment Plan’ option (so your dividend earnings are automatically reinvested rather into more shares), and let your money compound.

Scott

Should We Sell Our CBA Shares?

Hi Scott,

We got Commonwealth Bank shares when the bank was floated years ago. Until recently they were worth $100,000, but now they have plunged to just $74,000. We are retired and self-funded (income about $70,000 combined) and do not want to watch them disappear! What is your recommendation?

Bernice

Back it up,

Bernice!

I’ll answer your question in a moment, but first, for the benefit of younger readers, let me give the backstory:

The Commonwealth Bank floated on the share market in 1991, for $5.40 a share. The minimum you could purchase in the float was 400 shares -- so you BPAY’d your $2,160.

A few weeks later you ticked the ‘dividend reinvestment plan’ form.And then you sat back and ate kabana.

Fast forward to today.

Your $2,160 investment is now worth … drum roll please ... $138,400.

(So, given you say your shares have ‘plunged to $74,000’, I’m assuming you have sold some along the way.)

Yes, my nipples are getting hard, but let me give you one more amazing stat: last year CBA paid out $4.29 per share in dividends … that’s 80% of what you initially paid for each share!

Okay, so that’s the backstory. Now let me answer your actual question -- should you sell your CBA shares?

The answer is … it depends. If your CBA shares make up more than 30% of your portfolio, it would be wise to sell down part of your holding and diversify by investing in other companies. (This doesn’t just apply to CBA shares; it’s not good to be too reliant on any one company.) It’s even more attractive if you’re holding the shares in a self managed super fund (SMSF) and you’re in pension phase, as there are no tax consequences. Either way check with your accountant. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Scott

Borrow to Buy Shares?

Hi Scott,

My husband and I are both 40, have two very young girls, and have owned our home outright for three years. We are now down to one wage ($100,000), but have also managed to also put away $90,000 in savings. With an eye to growing our wealth, we have borrowed to invest in shares -- on the advice of our financial adviser. But we are worried that the interest each month is less than the dividends received, and think we could have been saving this money instead and investing our own cash. What is your take on this?

Natalie

Hi Natalie,

Getting the banker off your back is (financially) the best thing you could have done for your family.

Well bloody done!

Truth be told, you’ve got the one character trait that almost no broke people have: a savings mentality.

Now, the strategy your financial advisor has you on is negative gearing (in this case shares, not property). And while the gains from borrowing to buy shares can look awesome on a spreadsheet, the truth is that most people don’t have the ticker to stomach a stock market crash with borrowed coin.

There are two major purchases that money can buy you from hereon out: the financial security of never having to worry about money again, and the freedom to spend time with your family and friends. Here’s how to achieve them:

First, save up three months of living expenses in a Mojo savings account.

Second, max out your pre-tax super contributions of $25,000 each year. That’ll give you both a tax deduction and a secure retirement. If you go back to work, do the same (i.e. $25,000 for each of you).

Third, set up a long-term share investing program to fund your kids’ education, awesome family adventures, and weird hobbies. Invest in the lower-earning spouse’s name and, if you’re a nervous investor, do it without debt.

Scott

Should I Sell My Telstra Shares?

Hi Scott,

I was one of the sheep who bought Telstra in the floats (T1 and T2) when the government thought it would be a good time to sell off taxpayers’ assets. I have been a long-term investor -- I have been holding them for 20 years and they have delivered me bugger all! Now they have come out and cut their dividend, the share price has been shredded even more. So my question is, should I just sell this dog?

Tim

Hi Tim,

The first thing to understand is that the stock market doesn’t give a stuff about what price you bought Telstra for.

Seriously, it’s totally irrelevant.

The only thing that matters is what the price is today.

So you need to ask yourself this question: “Knowing what I know now, would I buy Telstra shares today?”

If you wouldn’t, sell them. If you would, keep them. It’s that simple.

Personally, I’m a Telstra shareholder … and I’ve been buying Telstra shares recently.

Why?

First, because data is about to explode, as the internet goes from your computer to syncing up to your fridge, your washing machine, and every other smart device.

Second, the NBN is proving to be quite the white elephant. While it’s true that Telstra has (sensibly) decided to stop paying out all its profits in dividends to shareholders … this decision is in part to fund the roll out of their 5G mobile network, which could eventually eat the elephant.

Finally, while the dividend has been cut, on the revised numbers it’s still delivering around 6 per cent fully franked. They’re my reasons for continuing to hold the dog-and-bone, anyway. Over to you.

Scott

Are we heading for a stock market crash?

Well, less than a year ago, the leader of the free world had this to say about the market:

“We are in a big, fat, ugly bubble. And we better be awfully careful.”At the time, the Dow Jones was trading at 18,000 points.

Recently the Dow broke through 22,000, but this time Trump tweeted triumphantly:

“Stock Market at an all-time high. That doesn’t just happen!”

Thought bubble?  Well, we all know the Tweeter-in-Chief has four of those before breakfast. (And if you’re trying to make sense of any of this, you haven’t been paying attention.)  Whether Donald likes it or not, the share market has a nasty habit of crashing (on average) every 10 years or so:1987 was the Black Monday crash.

1997 was the start of the Asian Financial Crisis.

2007 was the start of the Global Financial Crisis.

2017 is  … well, let’s not get carried away, because, just like the Trump presidency, there’s no logic to any of this.

(Case in point: the ‘tech-wreck’ happened around 2000, which didn’t fit the 10-year pattern.)

Again, to be clear, I’m not saying the share market is going to crash this year.

However, I am growing more cautious, and taking my cues from another US billionaire …Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway currently has $100 billion in cash in its war-chest. That’s the most they’ve ever had. As a percentage of Berkshire’s assets, it’s actually more than the prescient pile Buffett went into the GFC with, when he made good on his motto: “Be greedy when other people are fearful.”Tweet! Tweet!

Tread Your Own Path!

What’s Wrong with Ethical Investing, Barefoot?

Hi Scott,

I am currently reading your book. It interests me to read how lovingly you speak about your family, yet I have not come across any mention in the book of investing ethically, socially or environmentally. You suggest readers should switch to indexed super and stock funds, but do these align with your values? Having said that, I am currently getting ripped by high fees on a well-known ethical super fund. So what is the best and cheapest way to invest ethically?

Helen

Hi Helen,

Your ethical fund is ripping you with fees? That doesn’t sound too … ethical.Still, as an investment option within superannuation, socially responsible investing (SRI) is so freaking hot right now. It’s the financial equivalent of a paleo-approved, gluten-free, organic kale and almond milk combo shake (and you get charged through the nose-ring for both!).

My view? I think you need to be careful about outsourcing your ethics to a bunch of … finance guys. That being said, I strongly believe in ethical investing, so much so that I have an ethical fund: it’s called the Pape family portfolio, where we make our own investment decisions, based on our own convictions.

Scott

How to ruin your financial life

He didn’t even introduce himself.

An old bloke just walked straight up to me, poked his knobbly old index finger into my ribs, leaned in, and said:

“They don’t listen to you, do they!”

“Huh?” I replied, cowering like a schoolboy (I was at a function, and I didn’t know this old codger.)

“I’ve been reading your questions in the newspaper for years … and they don’t listen to your advice!”

He did have a point. Maybe my message just isn’t getting through. After all, each week I try and give people honest, commonsense advice to help them out.

Fat load of good that does!

So this week let’s try something different — a bit of reverse psychology.

If people don’t respond to good advice, maybe they’ll listen to some bad advice?

So in honour of the old bloke, let me give you half a dozen ways to totally screw up your financial life.

How to Lose Your Shirt in the Share Market

Buy shares based on the tips of your brother-in-law (a 43-year-old IT helpdesk employee who ‘dabbles’ in shares, porn, and sporting memorabilia).

Yet what if you are not lucky enough to have a brother-in-law who has outspoken views on things he knows very little about?

Easy.

Just read scary newspaper headlines: “Sell Everything!”, “Prepare for a Cataclysmic Year!”

(The Royal Bank of Scotland made these headlines in January 2016. Since then the US stock market has jumped 35 per cent, while our market is up around 18 per cent … not including dividends.)

And after you’ve bought some shares, make sure you watch them right throughout the day.

Do not take your eyes off them for a second.

The minute the shares go up, buy more. The minute they go down, sell.

Okay, so now let’s focus on losing money in something you are an expert in: property.

You’ve been living in a house your entire life … right? How hard can it be?

Let’s roll.

You: Property Mogul

If you buy an investment property, don’t buy a good-quality family home from your local real estate agent.

What do those losers know?

Instead, go to a wealth-creation seminar, preferably hosted at a suburban Holiday Inn conference room.

You want a tanned fellow from the Gold Coast who’ll teach you the ‘secrets’ the rich have been keeping from Domino’s-Pizza-munching plebs like you.

Ideally, you’d like a complicated strategy that involves you purchasing ten properties in ten years and will have you retired at 40 and living off $229,345 a year!

Go ahead and buy a property from the spruiker using ‘OPM’ (Other People’s Money), interest only (remember, the more debt you have, the wealthier you are). Location? Preferably South-East Queensland, though what matters most is that the property you buy at the seminar is located somewhere far, far away. While you’re at it, use their legal representatives and mortgage broking ‘team’. It’s so much easier than worrying about all those annoying details yourself.

Yet the real money is made (and lost) in business.

You’ve read Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal, and look where he ended up.

Okay, so he did get a multi-million dollar loan from his father, but screw it — let’s do it!

How to Go Broke in Business Without Even Trying

Start a business you have no experience in, preferably in partnership with your ex-boyfriend … preferably funded with credit card debt.

Focus on ‘brand positioning’ (business cards, a fancy office, an agency-designed website) before you even think of finding any customers. If your product is as good as your friends on Facebook think it is (38 ‘likes’ — you GO girl!), customers will beat a path to your door.

And what if you can’t think of an idea for a business?

Easy. Just buy a franchise, like Pie Face, or 7-Eleven.

They always work out well.

Harness The Secret

Money can be attracted through your mind.

(Picture me rubbing my temples as I write this).

Let’s be clear: God wants you to be rich.

The 800 million people in sub-saharan Africa? … not so much.

But you? … Sure.

Now, one way to awaken the spiritual money muse is to always keep $2,000 worth of cash ($5 notes) in your wallet. It’s a sure-fire psychic signal to the universe that you are bathed in abundance.

And it works! Every time you open your wallet you’ll see your riches … and so will the sketchy dude waiting behind you at the Taco Truck on King Street.

Now repeat the affirmation: “please, take my money, just don’t hurt me”.

How to Find the Wrong Financial Advisor

Once you’ve got a bit of dough … you need to share it with someone. So it’s time to find the most expensive financial planner you can find.

Judge them on (a) their car, (b) their office, (c) their pinky ring.

Let them know you’re a player.

Explain that you want the most expensive super fund they have. Your retirement is no time to be a tightarse.

And when they explain it to you in terms you don’t understand – nod like an idiot.

And make sure you invest in things you don’t understand.

And if someone cold-calls you about an investment opportunity, under no circumstances should you Google them.

Who cares what other people’s experiences have been?

Let’s be honest, the interwebs is just full of freaks that like cats anyway. If you are tempted to go near Google, the only keywords you should use are: “get rich”, “lifestyle design”, “Barnaby Joyce”, and “Multiple Streams of Income”.

Let’s be honest though, the real reason to get rich is so you can exert control over your family, right?

Well, I’ve saved the best to last.

How to Ruin Your Relationships

If you’re dating, don’t talk to your partner about their financial situation, or their views on spending and saving.

Didn’t your mother teach you anything?

It’s rude to talk about money — and unless you’re loaded it’s not going to help you in the sack anyway.

Split everything down the middle except for: your secret shopping money, your secret mistress money, and your secret betting money. Oh and keep a little set aside that your partner doesn’t know about, just in case you have to run. Because you will, eventually. And divorce will be the final crowning achievement of your financial life.

So there it is: six simple ways to completely screw your financial life.

Are you listening? Don’t make me have to poke you in the ribs.

Tread Your Own Path!

How Would You Invest a Spare $10,000, Barefoot?

Hi Scott,

I’ve just turned 28, and after reading your book I came to the realisation that my savings have been sitting in my bank account for several years doing nothing. I have no investments whatsoever, but I do have $10,000 I could invest. Based on your previous advice, I am looking to invest $5,000 into AFIC and $5,000 into Argo. Is this a good idea, thinking about the long term (30-40 years)? And if I continue to add to them over time, is that better than adding the money to my super?

Rick

Hi Rick,

If you’ve read my book, you’ll see that I set out a time-tested plan: do a monthly date night (Step 1), set up your buckets (Step 2), domino your debts (Step 3), then start saving a 20 per cent deposit for a home (Step 4). Step 4 is where you’re up to at the moment.

So right now you have $10,000 sitting in a bank account. I want you to give that account a nickname, call it “my house deposit”. I know it sounds like I’m making you suck pea and ham soup, but make no mistake, the act of naming something is powerful. It gives you clarity and purpose.

If you’ve been Barefoot for a while, you’ll know that I love low-cost index funds as investments, but everything at the right time. Now, after you buy your home, you’re onto Step 5, where you boost your pre-tax super contributions from the standard 9.5 per cent to 15 per cent (or up to the annual cap of $25,000). If you can do that before you’re 35, your retirement will be soupy.

Scott

Reminder: I first wrote about this years ago and highlighted the low costs. Today there are better deals on offer. How do I know? Because my readers constantly email me about them! So before you do anything, do a quick google.