Stuart Wemyss

Author, podcaster and adviser. Founder of ProSolution Private Office. Cats fan. Lover of red wine. New book available now:

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Thank you to everyone who has pre-ordered my new book. It is now ranked third among all new releases on Amazon, which is both humbling and very much appreciated. I am very grateful for your support.
https://t.co/6fIeS3zX5f

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

@stuarth47579213 Thanks for your support! 🙏

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

In this week's blog and podcast, I apply Charlie Munger’s 10 investment rules to the Australian market. But first...

I am excited to share that my new book, Wealth by Design, is now available for pre-order.

Pre-orders matter a lot these days. They help determine whether bookstores and other retailers decide to stock the book. So, if you enjoy receiving my blog each week and intend to buy the book, one of the most helpful things you could do is please pre-order it. ​You can access the pre-order links and bonus here​.

The book includes an AI tool that allows readers to apply its concepts, principles, and methodologies to their own circumstances. I think this is a game-changer and will help readers extract even more practical value from the book. On to this week's blog...

In this week’s blog, I review Charlie Munger’s 10 investment rules and explain how Australian investors can apply them in practice. I have always believed in taking an evidence-based approach and using checklists to reduce the risk of making costly mistakes. Munger’s 10 investment rules are a perfect example of that.

https://t.co/O6NZTxvRar

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

In this week's blog and podcast,
I am excited to share that my new book, Wealth by Design, is now available for pre-order.

I have a favour to ask. Pre-orders matter a lot these days. They help determine whether bookstores and other retailers decide to stock the book. So, if you enjoy receiving my blog each week and intend to buy the book, one of the most helpful things you could do is to pre-order it. You can access the pre-order links and bonus here.

The book includes an AI tool that allows readers to apply its concepts, principles, and methodologies to their own circumstances. I think this is a game-changer and will help readers extract even more practical value from the book. On to this week's blog...

In this week’s blog, I examine whether internally geared ETFs have a role within superannuation portfolios, particularly for younger investors with decades until retirement. Using long-term modelling across different ages, contribution levels and gearing assumptions, it explores how leverage, borrowing costs and compounding interact over multi-decade periods. The analysis also considers the practical realities of implementing the strategy through an SMSF, including volatility, sequencing risk, administration costs and the importance of behavioural discipline when using geared investments inside retirement savings structures.

https://t.co/dSJEDvxWC0

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

@stuarth47579213 You’re right - we should add links to the website. Here’s how you can pre-order. Thanks for your support. https://t.co/6fIeS3zX5f

[Peter Tulip @peter_tulip]

@Lindamatija25 No. Treasury estimates, like a stack of other research, are that changes to negative gearing will have a tiny effect on prices, while increasing rents.

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Ironically, the Albanese government has done something that the Libs could have never done by themselves - make the Coalition worth voting for again.

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

With 30 June fast approaching, this blog outlines the key superannuation strategies worth actioning before the annual window closes.

From concessional and non-concessional contributions to carry-forward caps, contribution splitting, and government co-contributions, the opportunities available depend heavily on your balance, income, and timing. Thresholds such as the $500,000 balance test and bring-forward eligibility rules determine what is available, and several strategies are use-it-or-lose-it. Execution matters just as much as strategy: contributions must be received and allocated by your fund before 30 June, not simply sent. Acting early, documenting correctly, and confirming year-to-date figures are essential steps before the deadline arrives.

https://t.co/PyMOWileiC

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Today we discuss how the Budget proposals might impact investors…
https://t.co/RBadllSXVH

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Last night’s Federal Budget included some very substantial proposed tax changes that, if legislated, could affect investors, business owners, property owners, and family groups.

In particular, the proposed changes to capital gains tax, negative gearing, and discretionary trusts are significant and deserve careful consideration.

However, it is important to remember that none of these major reforms has been legislated yet, so there is no need to make rushed decisions. I have prepared a written summary of the key Budget announcements and also recorded a podcast episode to explain the main changes in more detail.

My strong view is that the right approach is to understand what has been proposed, consider the potential implications, and wait until the final legislation is known before taking action.

https://t.co/Ydrr9aFzMm

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Tax matters, but for most investors, it sits near the bottom of what actually drives long-term wealth creation. This week's blog makes the case for keeping tax in its proper place within a well-constructed financial plan, drawing on financial modelling across both property and share portfolios to show where returns actually come from.

The analysis reveals that marginal changes to capital gains tax have a surprisingly modest effect on long-term internal rates of return. What moves the needle materially is gearing. Borrowing to invest can account for close to half of total property returns, followed by the underlying performance of the asset itself. For shares, ownership structure, whether investments are held personally, through a family trust, or within a company, adds meaningful tax efficiency over time.

I outline a practical hierarchy of investment decision-making: asset selection and proactive management first, funding structure second, ownership structure third, and tax planning last. By the time investors reach the final step, the bulk of the long-term outcome is already determined by the decisions made above it.

https://t.co/6qJhEA0uX4

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

@PeteWargent Interesting. Logically you’d think higher rates would have a proportionally larger impact on lower income earning households.

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Included a shout out to @PeteWargent for his anti-Melbourne rhetoric.

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Australian property investors are facing a structural shift in the risk and return equation, and many have not yet adjusted.

Rising holding costs, tighter tenancy rules, and higher federal and state taxes are making it harder to generate acceptable long-term returns from residential property. Melbourne provides a useful case study, but this is not just a Melbourne issue. Tenancy laws will become more harmonised across Australia, so investors in every state are likely to face similar pressures over time.

The conclusion is not that investors should avoid property. It is that the old playbook is no longer enough. As I discuss in this week’s blog and podcast, investors now need to apply higher return hurdles, look for ways to manufacture growth through value-add strategies, and diversify more deliberately across locations and asset classes.

https://t.co/OXdnA9nY53

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

I think we’re at the point now where the Victorian Labor Party should just offer $500 for every Victorian that votes for them. We’re probably eventually gonna get there - let’s just cut to the chase. 😳

[Jacinta Allan @JacintaAllanMP]

We’re taking 20% off rego to help Victorians deal with the cost of living.

Like cheaper public transport, this won’t fix everything, but it’s immediate action I can take to make a difference.

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Diversified funds have their place and are a great starting point for most investors. But a well-constructed portfolio of individual ETFs can improve diversification and increase the odds of stronger long-term returns.

This blog outlines a practical framework for constructing an ETF portfolio that goes beyond convenience, starting with quality through the Forever Test, then applying value-aware asset allocation to improve the odds of stronger long-term returns. Stuart explains why price paid is one of the dominant drivers of future performance, how returns flow from income, earnings growth, and valuation repricing, and the four key ways to tilt a portfolio across geography, index methodology, company size, and emerging markets. The final edge, and the hardest to maintain, is time.

https://t.co/6avGQSOxjc

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Concentration risk is one of the most overlooked threats to long-term portfolio resilience, and its impact depends not just on exposure, but on how heavily a financial plan relies on that asset's performance.

This blog outlines a structured three-step framework for assessing future returns, liquidity, and opportunity cost; testing whether underperformance would materially affect long-term outcomes; and weighing the cost of exiting against the risk of staying exposed. The analysis also explores the common trap of letting tax liabilities drive inaction, and why disciplined diversification, even when it comes at a tax cost, can significantly strengthen a portfolio's long-term position.

https://t.co/ZKIVvqjrT6

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

Most investors feel uneasy putting a large sum into the share market all at once, but is that caution actually costing you?

The evidence may surprise you. Studies spanning up to 95 years of market data consistently show that lump sum investing outperforms a staged approach around two-thirds of the time. I also unpack the real truth behind debt recycling, a widely misunderstood strategy, and introduce enhanced dollar-cost averaging for those who want a more measured approach. If you are sitting on a lump sum, this episode could change how you think about investing it.

https://t.co/zYXt1AiQoV

[Stuart Wemyss @StuartWemyss]

@PeteWargent Yes, you do post a lot of silly content - thanks for demonstrating that yet again.

Cats have a lot of improving to do. But the AFL might want an interstate club to win again, like last year. #maybeitsrigged 🤪🤪