Category Archives: Events

We held our 16th Annual Golf Day at Riversdale Golf Club on Friday 16th March 2018, attended by 83 of our keen golfing clients. We were blessed with perfect weather for the day.

It was great to have some new players join us this year. The course was in perfect condition and we had some terrific prizes on offer. Everyone had a fantastic day. The competition was Ambrose, and the winning score on the day was 55.44, followed by Runners Up scoring 57.42.

Congratulations to Nick Walsh, Patrick Malcolm, Jenny Eddy, Jim Fuller – The Winning Team!

The Runners Up with a score of 57.42 were Mark Tully, David Brookes, Anne Brookes, Paul Kaiser

3rd Place with a score of 57.83 – John Trevorrow, Tini McKimm, Russell McKimm, Dan Moore (absent)

4th Place with a score of 58.16 – Peter Ferguson with Witi Suma & Mai Davies. Team members absent were Bill Patterson, Les Monk, Peter Keppell

NAGA with a score of 70.83 – Ingrid Crichton, Peter Favaloro, Marysia Paszkiewicz, Peter Hayes

Winner Straightest Drive on the 18th hole – Tony Rawlings

Winner Longest Drive on the 6th hole – John Trevorrow & 15th hole – Jan Ellery

Winner Nearest The Pin on 14th hole – Rod McFarlane, Marysia Paszkiewicz – 3rd hole, Steve Fletcher 17th hole

We have been holding annual movie nights for 16 years, and this year we held two nights on Wednesday 29th November and Monday 4th December at the Rivoli Cinemas in Camberwell. This is always a very popular event and we had 215 clients attending on each night. The evening started with pre- movie canapés followed by the screening of Murder On The Orient Express.

Our clients had a chance to catch up and chat with members of our team and also with other clients that they have met over the years at GFM events. The feedback from the night was excellent, everyone had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed the movie, which most thought was outstanding.

We held our Estate Planning and Centrelink Update Seminar on Monday 5th September at Leonda By The Yarra with 160 clients and guests in attendance. The two topics covered were Estate Planning and the Upcoming Changes to the Centrelink Age Pension.

The feedback from the attendees was excellent. They found the presentation very interesting and informative and appreciated having a lawyer present.

Our special guest presenter was Andrew Lord, Director of Lord Commercial Lawyers who gave a general overview of Estate Planning and specifically covered the Tips and Traps of SMSF Estate Planning.

Paul Nicol provided an overview of the Centrelink Age Pension System and the changes from 1st January 2017 which will impact almost all Centrelink Age Pension Recipients.

This was a very detailed presentation. Andrew and Paul discussed the following:

• Benefits of a good estate plan
• Preparing a Will
• Common mistakes with Wills & Estate Planning
• Enduring Power of Attorney
• Testamentary Trusts
• Role & Responsibilities of Executor
• Asset protection for beneficiaries
• What Happens to your superannuation on death
• The best superannuation/SMSF Beneficiary options
• An overview of the Centrelink system and the Age Pension
• The upcoming decrease in the Assets Test thresholds
• The upcoming increase in the Assets Test taper rate
• Maximising your Age Pension entitlements

Estate Planning is a complex area and it’s very important to have an understanding of all the aspects involved in having a good estate plan.

If you would like a copy of the presentation, please call our office on 9809 1221.

We held our second Quarterly Business Lunch for the year on Wednesday 16th March 2016 at Leonda by the Yarra.  This was well attended by 148 clients and guests.

Our special guest presenter was high profile economist Shane Oliver.  Shane is the Head of Investment Strategy and the Chief Economist at AMP Capital.  Shane has extensive experience analysing economic and investment cycles and what current positioning means for the return potential for different asset classes such as shares, bonds, property and infrastructure. Shane is a regular media commentator on economic and investment market issues and engages regularly with investors at public events and forums.

With calendar year 2016 starting on an indifferent note for investment markets, Shane provided a thorough understanding of what is causing the current volatility.

Shane provided a market and economic update and his presentation covered the following:

• 2015 saw constrained but positive returns – Balanced Growth super Funds returned an average 5.3% (post tax & fees)
• It has been a rough start to the year for shares – Same concerns as last year: Chinese Growth, Fed, RMB, $US and flow on to commodity prices.
• Economic and Investment Outlook
  • Okay but uneven global growth – 2015: 3.1%, 2016: 3.0%
  • 2016 GDP Growth.  China 6.5%, US 2%, Eurozone 1.75%, Japan 1%, Australia 2.5%
  • Interest rates remain low, maybe only one Fed hike this year, further easing from ECB, BoJ, PBOC and RBA
  • Short term bounce in $A, but still headed down to $US0.60
  • Bonds and term deposits offer low returns and are not attractive
  • Short term downside risk in shares, but should provide strong return opportunity as global recession avoided.
• Global Business Conditions Uneven – Manufacturing Weak, Services slowing a bit too
• Oil in a secular downswing. Bad for producers but consumers benefit.
• US Economic Growth bouncing around 2% – Manufacturing hit but may be bottoming
• The US Job Market is still solid – But weak global growth, slowing CAPEX & low inflation likely to constrain the Fed this year.
• The Eurozone looking okay with even more ECB support likely in March
• Chinese growth has slowed but not collapsed – Stimulus measures are helping.
• Continued slow growth means inflation will remain low, central banks Dovish
• The collapse in Australia’s export price is weighing heavily  on national income
• The Australian Economy – Stronger than predicted
• Reversal of the two speed economy = Rebalancing
• Why a severe global bear market is unlikely?
  • Share valuations are okay
  • A recession is unlikely – they are normally preceded by imbalances and significant monetary tightening, neither of which have been seen
  • Normal lags suggest the boost to energy consumers from lower oil prices will provide a growth boost this year
  • Monetary conditions are set to remain very easy… expect only one Fed hike this year at most
  • There is a lot of pessimism around
• Sharemarket valuations are fine
• Australian Shares are offering a very high cash flow versus bank deposits
• With interest rates & bond yields remaining very low and the “search for yield” is likely to go further
• Crash calls for Australian Property? Expensive housing and high debt but years of undersupply
• 9 Rules for Investors to keep in mind
  • The power of compound interest
  • There is always a cycle – bear markets happen
  • Invest for the long term – consider goal based investing if you can’t
  • Diversify
  • Turn down the noise
  • Buy low and sell high – selling after a 20% fall just locks in a loss
  • Beware the crowd at extremes – shares bottom at the point of maximum bearishness
  • Focus on investments providing decent and sustainable cash flows
  • Seek advice

The feedback from the attendees was excellent.  They thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and found it extremely informative.

If you didn’t attend the session and would like to receive a copy of the presentation emailed to you, please call Mai on 9809 1221.