Tara Jones
Articles by this Author
The Business of Insurance
- By Tara Jones
- Published 6/10/2010
- Spring/Summer 2010
- Unrated
In our previous Winter/Spring edition we highlighted the very real issue of underinsurance in Australia particularly in regards to personal insurances’ such as Death, Total and Permanent Disability, Income Protection and Trauma Insurance. Whilst this continues to be an ongoing issue, our focus in this article is on the importance of Business Insurance and in particular the need to insure key people and have business succession plans in place. There are essentially two forms of business insurance – ‘Key Person Insurance’ and insurance to fund ‘Buy/Sell Agreements’. Both these insurances have quite separate and distinct purposes, however they are both equally important in ensuring a business is well equipped to deal with an unforseen event. Below we provide a summary of some of the characteristics of these insurances.
Leverage lives on
- By Tara Jones
- Published 12/04/2010
- Autumn/Winter 2010
- Unrated
'Leverage' - the definition according to the Oxford Dictionary is ‘the exertion of force by means of a lever; means of accomplishing a purpose, power, influence’. The definition according to Investorpedia is ‘the use of various financial instruments or borrowed capital, such as margin, to increase the potential return of an investment’. To the everyday investor, leverage may simply be described as ‘debt; fear; catalyst of the financial crisis; sub-prime; greed’.
Tax effective transitioning
- By Tara Jones
- Published 8/10/2009
- Spring/Winter 09
- Unrated
Transition to retirement (TTR) is not a new concept, it has been an option for super fund members since 1 July 2005. However, in the current environment, the strategies that exist around this concept continue to be attractive.
Centrelink’s Age Pension - are you eligible?
- By Tara Jones
- Published 25/05/2009
- Winter 2009
- Unrated
While the thought of looking at the value of your wealth may not appeal in the current environment, there may be significant benefit in doing so. Why? The Centrelink Age Pension.
Critiquing the crisis
- By Tara Jones
- Published 5/02/2009
- Summer 2009
- Unrated
‘As we wait nervously to see what is next to unfold …’
This was a concluding statement made in our previous issue, which we have undoubtedly lived over the last three months and it continues on. Despite the efforts of the U.S. Congress passing the $700bn revised government rescue plan on October 3rd 2008, following the shock rejection of the earlier version, a chain of significant events continued to unfold. To mention a few…
This was a concluding statement made in our previous issue, which we have undoubtedly lived over the last three months and it continues on. Despite the efforts of the U.S. Congress passing the $700bn revised government rescue plan on October 3rd 2008, following the shock rejection of the earlier version, a chain of significant events continued to unfold. To mention a few…
Background and why it went wrong
- By Tara Jones
- Published 20/10/2008
- Special Feature
- Unrated
Whilst reasons for the sub-prime mortgage crisis and consequent credit crunch are complex and diverse, it ultimately began with the bursting of the U.S. housing bubble and high default rates on sub-prime loans.
Credit crunch of 2007 and 2008
- By Tara Jones
- Published 20/10/2008
- Special Feature
- Unrated
Timeline of Events – July 2007 to October 2008.
Special feature - Credit crunch of 2007 and 2008
- By Tara Jones
- Published 10/10/2008
- Spring 2008
- Unrated
Credit crunch – a term that prior to last year was rarely spoken or heard of. Today the term spreads through global economies on a daily basis as governments, investors and employees await the next extraordinary event to unfold. Defined as a ‘severe shortage of money or credit’, the global credit crunch became a harsh reality in August last year following sub-prime contagion in the months before.