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Change of season – change of economy...
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Autumn arrived on the 1st March. As Adelaide moved into heat-wave conditions the US economy moved closer toward what appears to be an inevitable recession.
The impact of the looming recession should not be understated, we should however be careful to not overstate the impact either. The emerging economies of China, India and Asia (ex-Japan) have created a "de-coupling" of the emerging economies from the US economy. This position is now accepted as being the new economic world order with the US economy representing 20% of the global economy. This is the lowest contribution to global GDP since the 1940's when Franklin Roosevelt launched the radical overhaul of the US economy in the late 1930's, called the New Deal.
But things have changed.
China on its own now accounts for 50% of global iron-ore consumption and the benefits that flow to Australia from this extraordinary resource boom are enormous. This once-in-a-lifetime urbanization of China has extraordinary benefits to investors who position themselves to take advantage of commodity supply on one side and commodity demand on the other. A portion of our clients' investment portfolios are committed to this strategy.
In these times the need for professional advice has never been greater. Sailing in clear conditions with the wind at your back is not a difficult trick to master. A bit of stormy weather and what seemed like a great idea before, suddenly seems very dangerous. But help is at hand and sound advice based on rigorous financial disciplines will guide you through these difficult times.
The integrated offer from Locumsgroup, comprising our tax and accounting, financial advice and our mortgage services, provides an effective results-focused service for our clients.
Paul Ahearne
Managing Director
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New Structured Investment Products
Matthew Bohlsen, Senior Financial Adviser Locumsgroup
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The next few months see the launch of three new investment products that I believe are worth mention and investigation to see if they suit your investment portfolio.
1) Growth Protection 100 – (Opens March 08)
This is the latest new structured product from Macquarie Bank and Credit Suisse. The investment is an index fund designed to match the performance of the top 200 shares on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
You can invest in the fund using your own cash or using borrowed funds.
Main advantages are:
- 100% invested from day one
- 100% lending available via margin loan with no margin calls
- 100% Capital Protected
- Dividends & Imputation credits will cover most of any loan repayments (if lending)
- 5 year term, but can sell on ASX at any time at Net Asset Value (NAV)
- low fees
Who is suited to this product?
- Clients who want to get exposure to the market without putting down any funds.
- Clients on high income tax rate
- Clients looking to make capital gains via investing in the currently undervalued Australian Share market.
- Self Managed Super Funds (can use Cash or Installment Warrant)
Closing Date: May 5 , 2008
2) Reflections (Opens May 08)
This Macquarie Bank structured product allows you to borrow cheaply in Japanese Yen, Euro or USD and then invest in any or all of the following funds, all with a capital guarantee. To invest in Reflexions you must borrow 100%. 
- Investment options ? Nikkei 225 (Japan)
- Japan Focus Fund- Best of Nikkei 225 & ASX 200
- Morgan Stanley Asian Property Fund
- Macquarie Globalis BRIC Emerging Markets
- Merryl Lynch China Dragon Fund
- Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50
- Wellington Commodities Fund
- Merryl Lynch Renewable Energy Fund
3) Global Themes 100 (Opens May/June 08)
This Macquarie Bank structured product allows you to borrow to invest or use your own cash to invest into a fantastic range of innovative funds with capital protection.
Investment options – Colonial Global Resources Fund
- Colonial China Fund
- Aberdeen India Opportunities Fund
- Credit Suisse Asian Property Fund
- Merryl Lynch World Gold Fund
- ASX 200
- Eastern Europe/ Russia Fund
- Credit Suisse Emerging Markets Infrastructure Fund
- World Food & Agriculture Fund
- Climate Change & Global warming Fund
If you interested in any of the upcoming products mentioned above please contact
Matthew Bohlsen (mbohlsen@locumsgroup.com.au or 02 92558843) or
Larissa Barton (lbarton@locumsgroup.com.au or 02 92558820) to register your interest.
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Start planning your tax now!
Peter Kidd CA, Director Locumsgroup
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As a valued client of Locumsgroup, you too can access personal and professional tax advice tailored to your individual needs.
With the end of the financial year fast approaching, it is time to start thinking about your tax position and potential tax obligations. At Locumsgroup we can offer you specialised tax advice on an individual level, together with providing timely and pertinent advice for partnerships, companies and trusts. At Locumsgroup we can provide you advice on:
- Recognition of potential tax deductions/offsets
- Tax effective superannuation strategies
- Minimising potential capital gains liabilities
- Tax advantages of negative geared investments
- Prepayment of Interest
- Prepayment of Deductible expenses
- Salary packaging opportunities
- Tax efficient structuring of companies and trusts
As an Australian Financial Services Licence holder, Locumsgroup can also provide you with a wide range of investment solutions to help minimise your tax. Our Financial Advisers can provide you with a range of investment opportunities tailored to achieving your long- term financial goals.
Now is the time to take charge of your tax and schedule an appointment to see one of our Accountants or Financial Advisers today. Email info@locumsgroup.com.au or call 1800 24 86 86.
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Locumsgroup Mortgage Centre
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Staff Profile: Brook Roberts
Senior Lending Manager
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How long have you been with Locumsgroup?
I joined the Group in 1997 when we were based in North Sydney and soon moved to our location at 20 Loftus Street so I am just coming up to my 11 years.
What is unique about your role and your team?
Well, this year will be my 43rd year in finance having worked for Barclays Bank in a variety of roles in the UK, France, Germany and the US in the 25 years with them. My background has been predominantly in commercial finance and advisory work over the years and that always leads to residential mortgages which is the core of our business. When I joined the Locumsgroup there were only 5 of us and today we have three fully fledged divisions, being mortgages, financial planning and accountancy. It is great working with a fully integrated professional group of colleagues.
What does Locumsgroup do differently to other lenders?
Apart from being a one stop shop for clients, we provide the old fashioned, personal service to our clients that the Banks used to give when I joined the industry in the 60s. We are a family business with family values and having been in the market for over 50 years have a sense of pride about what we deliver.
How has your team improved service to your clients?
Over the years we have strived to constantly improve the delivery of our service and products. As I often say, business is all about its people and we have worked hard to get the right team in place and that is so important. I know that if I am not in the office, any client who calls will always be well looked after. It is also about keeping ahead of your competitors and that is a constant challenge so the need for updating ones knowledge is an ongoing demand.
What motivates you to go the extra mile for your customers?
The majority of mine and my colleague's clients have come to us through personal association or a personal referral. As a result many of my clients are friends or have become so. Interestingly, a high percentage I have never met but we have developed good relationships over the phone which is interesting. I have always prided myself on providing good service and generally that leads to other new clients being referred. I am always available 24/7 and enjoy responding to my clients needs whenever.
Is there a recent example where you have been asked to deliver a lending solution to a client where they had otherwise been unable to get finance?
I think that in the main, most of the clients we see, are seeking to have a problem solved. Many are self employed or have a point of difference and don't fit into the Bank?s standard matrix so we have the opportunity to structure their deals in a way to make it easier and more tax effective to obtain approval. Over the years we have widened the range of products so that there are very few deals that we cannot get approved in one way or another.
Brook Roberts can be contacted on email broberts@locumsgroup.com.au or by phone 02 9255 8821 to discuss any financing requirements.
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Personal Insurance cont...
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Personal Insurance Explained
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There is so much jargon used in the personal risk insurance industry. Policy names might sound familiar to you but you might not quite understand what the cover entails. Below is a list of the various types of policies explained:
Life Insurance
Life Cover provides a lump sum in the event of your death. This can be used to repay your mortgage and other debts and if required pay for childcare or home help services. You should ensure sufficient cover to ensure all existing liabilities will be repaid and arrange additional cover to provide a lump sum which can be invested to generate future income for your family.
Total and Permanent Disability Insurance (TPD)
TPD is often combined with life insurance and pays out a lump sum if you are totally disabled and unable to work again, or can't work in your usual occupation. Again it is recommended that you arrange sufficient cover to ensure your mortgage and other debts are repaid. It is also a good idea to arrange additional cover to pay for medical expenses, rehabilitation and care along with the cost of possible modifications to your home.
Trauma Insurance (Critical Illness cover)
Trauma cover pays out a lump sum upon diagnosis of a comprehensive range of specified life-threatening illnesses or injuries such as cancer, heart attack, stroke and paraplegia. This differs from TPD insurance in that the payout does not depend upon you being unable to ever return to work, but is triggered by diagnosis of one of the serious illnesses covered. The lump sum can be used to repay or reduce your mortgage, to cover any medical expenses which you may incur, to compensate for lost income due to time off work. This is normally the most expensive of the different types of cover available as it is the most likely to happen. It is desirable to have as much trauma cover as is affordable and at least some level of cover should be included in your risk management strategy.
Income Protection Insurance
Income Protection cover will pay up to 75% of your gross monthly salary if you are unable to work due to sickness or accident. This will allow you to continue to pay your mortgage repayments and other monthly bills while you are off work and not earning. Premiums are tax-deductible which makes this type of policy more affordable and very tax efficient. You are also able to select the waiting period before you are paid and the benefit period to suit your own particular circumstances and budget.
Business Overheads Insurance
This can be used to ensure business overheads, such as rent and staff salaries continue to be paid if you are self employed and unable to work due to illness or injury. It is also possible to arrange business succession plans and key person insurance to provide additional protection for yourself and your business.
Very few people have sufficient cover to fully protect themselves and their family. If you wish to discuss the level of cover you currently have and what you should have call us on 02 9255 8888 and we will discuss your options and recommend suitable cover.
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Anyone that becomes a new client to any one of our divisions, Financial Advice; Accounting; or Mortgages, during the months of March and April will receive a $150 Caltex Fuel Voucher!
To take advantage of this special offer please contact Larissa Barton 02 9255 8820 or email lbarton@locumsgroup.com.au to schedule your appointment.
Conditions apply: a new client to a division is one that has not transacted with that division on any prior occasion, voucher is issued on settlement/invoice date and you must mention this offer to claim your voucher.
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Friends of Locumsgroup...
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Designer Office Furniture – Where concept meets function!
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Adding form to a category that so often scrapes at the knees of bland functionality, RJ Workspace provides workstations, tables, seating and storage for commercial clients that range from creative to corporate.
Soft touches like the kidney bean curves of the Hot Desks in its Epicentre range to the colour panels on its Cargo storage units inject life and energy into corporate environments, and prove that ugly clunkiness need not be synonymous with office life.
RTculate provides a framework to build a wide range of elements to provide solutions that best suit your needs.
Guiding its product from design to manufacture, RJ Workspace insists on strict environmental guidelines, ensuring its materials and services leave as small a footprint as possible.
http://www.rj.com.au
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Note to the reader:
The Locumsgroup message is sent to you as either a client or someone who is interested in our products and services. We are against the sending
of unsolicited mail. If you have received this email in error, or would like to unsubscribe, please click here and simply click "send".
Information contained in this message is of a general nature only and does not constitute formal advice. Everyone's financial situation and lifestyle
is unique and we recommend you contact your financial adviser prior to making investment decisions. Locumsgroup does not accept responsibility
for any inaccuracies or errors that may appear in this publication.
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