Investopoly

Not more than 7 months ago, according to the media, investing in property was no longer a smart way to build wealth. Labor wanted to ban negative gearing, increase Capital Gains Tax (CGT), commentators were predicting that the market would crash by more than 20%, banks were tightening lending standards and so on. Since then, the world has returned back to ‘normal’ and most of these concerns have abated. According to the media, property is now a good investment again.But what if Labor had won?Of course, Labor losing the federal election in May 2019 did help the property market because it meant any changes to negative gearing and CGT were off the table. However, if it had won the election, I doubt Labor would have been able to get these proposed changes legislated. And even if they did get them legislated, I stand by my view that whilst these changes would have materially reduced after-tax returns, it would not have rendered property investment uneconomical. In the long run, investing in the right property still would have been a viable investment.Construction of new housing, recession, interest rates…I was reading an article by an investment manager that I respect greatly a few weeks ago. His thesis was that it was too early to call a recovery on the property market because of the fall in construction volume (of new dwellings). He went on to explain that a depressed construction market will create negative consequences for economic growth, unemployment and therefore property.Whilst I don’t disagree with this author’s economic reasoning, I was left pondering what use this information had to an investor. That is, if I’m contemplating an investment in a blue-chip, investment-grade location, do I care about the fall in new construction (which inevitably occurs in locations far removed from investment-grade locations)?So, what information is relevant then?In reality, much of the content produced by the media is relatively useless for making property investment decisions. The media tend to only run stories that they consider newsworthy. Newsworthy often means that the information is time-sensitive e.g. what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. This short-term information does not help if you intend to own a property for many decades.Remember what drives property valuesA good and bad property cost the same to hold. You will pay the same amount of interest in resDo you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Most investors and some homeowners have interest only loans. However, the option to repay interest only doesn’t last forever. Most mortgages have a term of 30 years. Typically, the first 5 years is interest only. After that term has expired, repayments automatically convert to principal plus interest.If you have an interest only loan that is approaching the maturity of its term, what are your options?The government forced banks to curb interest only loansThe volume of interest only mortgages peaked in early 2017 when they accounted for approximately 40% of all new mortgages. The government (APRA) then stepped in and introduced a new benchmark which stipulated that the proportion of new interest only loans provided by banks must be less than 30% of all new loans. Most banks achieved this target by mid-2018 and currently only 20% of all new loans are structured with interest only repayments. As such, APRA subsequently removed this benchmark in December 2018.The banks dissuaded borrowers away from interest only loans by doing four things:1. They increased variable interest rates. Until recently, variable interest rates for interest only loans were 0.42% higher than their principal and interest counterparts. That gap has only recently reduced to 0.34% because most of the banks passed the full 0.25% October RBA rate cut. I predict that this cap will continue to reduce over time.2. Banks made it more difficult to roll-over to a new interest only term by requiring borrowers to go through a full application process.3. Almost all banks reduced the maximum interest only term to 5 years. Previously banks would offer interest only terms of up to 10 years – and a few banks even offered 15 years.4. Lenders tightened credit parameters e.g. they have become very reluctant to allow interest only repayments for owner-occupier loans.The banks are starting to loosen up on interest onlyOver the past few months, we have noticed that some lenders have marginally loosened credit policies in respect to interest only loans. Some lenders no longer require borrowers to go through a full application process if they request a second interest only term. Also, some banks will now offer interest only terms of up to 10 years to investors only.Do interest only loans still make sense?Interest only loans increase your flexibility. Whilst the minimum payment is limited to just the interest, Do you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

It feels like there is more global uncertainty at the moment. Things such as a global or domestic economic recession, US/China trade war tensions, Brexit, Trump’s rhetoric, the prospect of zero (or negative) interest rates, what property prices might do here, all seem to dominate the news. You may find these matters confusing and they can create inertia.So, how do you navigate these seemingly turbulent times?Consider issues in a long-term contextLast week, the Australian share market fell 3.7% between Tuesday and Thursday. These types of dramatic movements attract alarmist headlines. The reality is that despite this drop, the market is still up 10.1% over the past 12 months, which is much better than other developed markets.The volatility (VIX) index is the most common measure for the level of volatility in the US market and is charted below for the past 20 years. The VIX index averaged only 13.2 throughout calendar years 2016 and 2017, which is well below the long-term mean of 18.3. Since the beginning of 2018, the VIX has averaged 16.6, which is 25% higher than 2016 and 2017, but still below the long-term mean.https://www.prosolution.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/VIX.png?6bfec1&6bfec1Perhaps this puts recent share market volatility in context. Whilst the market is more volatile than it has been in recent times, in context of longer-term data, it is actually not all that volatile. For example, there was almost twice as much volatility between 2008 and 2011.I share this with you to make the point that it is important to focus on the data and facts rather than how markets feel.Most of these issues are short termThe best way to deal with these often-exaggerated topics (as listed in the headline) that the media, in particular, love to talk about is to ask yourself whether these are likely to have had an impact 20 years from now. Mostly, the answer is no. Many of these “issues” are short-term in nature and really won’t have any impact on long term investment returns.Markets and economies move in cycles, so recessions aren’t a new phenomenon for long-term investors. Government trade terms and strategies change, but markets and business always adapt. Perhaps the only factor that might have an impact in thDo you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, first homeowner activity has increased by 51% since March 2016. First home buyers now account for just short of 20% of all new home loans.Whilst housing affordability has improved slightly recently, it is still tough for first home buyers to get onto the property ladder. However, the current low interest rate environment and the recent dip in prices is clearly encouraging more first home buyers.So, what is the best way to help your kids get into the property market? And is there anything you need to do now?Challenge has and will always be saving a sufficient depositThere are two factors that will determine whether a person is ready to purchase their first property:(1) Cash flowDo they have a stable and reliable amount of surplus cash flow that they can contribute towards repaying a loan? There are usually two main considerations. Firstly, how stable and consistent their income is expected to be in the short to medium term? This normally requires permanent full-time employment or an established self-employed business. Secondly, do they have good cash flow management and consistently spend less than they earn i.e. are they good savers?(2) DepositDo they have enough deposit to contribute towards the acquisition? Most banks will lend up to 95% of a property’s value. Therefore, first home buyers need to contribute:(1) a 5% deposit;(2) pay for the mortgage insurance premium. This is an expense that is charged by the bank if you borrow more than 80-85% of a property’s value. The cost of mortgage insurance is typically in the range of 3% and 4% of the loan amount (at a 95% LVR). A few lenders permit borrowers to add a portion (up to 2%) of the mortgage insurance premium onto the loan. The rest must be paid from cash savings; and(3) any acquisition costs which could include stamp duty (which may be nil depending on the first home buyer incentive), buyers’ agent fees if you choose to use one and legal fees.Therefore, typically, first time buyers need to accumulate a sizeable deposit, and this can unfortunately take many years to save (over which time property prices will probably continue to climb).Having enough deposit is often the primary hurdle to overcome for first time property buyers.Best way to help is to help yourself firstDo you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

In my experience, it is common for one spouse to have a greater interest in the family’s finances. In fact, the spouse that is ‘most interested’ typically takes fully responsibility for making the family’s financial decisions. However, there are some fundamental and important flaws with this approach which I’d like to share with you.What happens if one spouse unexpectantly passes away?If the spouse that is the ‘financial decision-maker” passes away, particularly if it’s unexpected, it does cause the surviving spouse a lot of stress and worry. Not only do they (probably) have little knowledge of their financial affairs, but they also typically have a low level of confidence and experience with making financial decisions. This all compounds to create a lot of stress and worry, at the worst possible time.To avoid this occurrence, each spouse must understand their financial position and strategy, even if its only at a basic level. They also must know who to seek advice from and who to trust, so they are able to share the burden of making ongoing financial decisions.If the relationship breaks down beware of skeletonsThere have been some horrible situations of spouses finding out about how dire their family’s financial situation is after their relationship has broken down. This includes massive tax debts, liabilities and so on. Of course, a strong relationship is founded on mutual trust and respect which includes discussing and disclosing all material financial decisions with your spouse before any transactions are made. Unfortunately, this does not always occur.One spouse, often men, may feel a strong sense of responsibility to “provide” for their family. Sometimes, this responsibility can unfortunately drive them to make unsound and inappropriate financial decisions. And to compound this, they might avoid discussing these decisions with their spouse, so they don’t ‘burden’ them.Of course, this is a foolish approach. That said, I believe it is the responsibility of each spouse to ask questions and seek to understand their own financial position. Nothing is too complex to explain in simple, easy-to-understand terms. It is something you can share together.It’s your money, so it’s your responsibilityThere is one thing you cannot delegate and that is the obligation to take responsibility for your money. It is your money and its your job to be responsible for it, not anyone else’sDo you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

The media loves to talk about the property market; will prices rise or fall over the next year? It’s really not that important. “Timing” the market is virtually valueless, as I concluded in this analysis last year. That said, I understand the psychology behind it. People want to buy at the bottom of the market, just before it takes off and only experience the upside.There has been a lot of commentary recently about improvements in auction clearance rates, uptick in lending volume in July and so on. So, I thought I’d weigh into the commentary and share my views.Looks like I called the bottom correctlyLet me begin this blog with some shameless self-promotion! In December 2018, I wrote a piece for The Australian in which I said “I believe that price growth next year will be neutral or positive”. At the time, I was only one of two people in Australia to make this public prediction (AMP Capital’s chief economist, Shane Oliver was the other).As the chart provided by CoreLogic below illustrates, national auction clearance rates reached their lowest point in December 2018 at around 40%. Over the past nine months they recovered dramatically to be circa 70% (and mid-to high 70%’s in Melbourne and Sydney).https://www.prosolution.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Clearance-rates.png?6bfec1&6bfec1According to CoreLogic, national capital city house prices grew by 1% in the quarter ending August 2019, with Melbourne and Sydney leading the way at close to 2%. Therefore, it looks like the bottom of the market was in fact December 2018 when I wrote my article.All happening with very low volumesProperty market sentiment began improving after 10pm on 18 May when the Coalition won the election. We definitely witnessed a temporary improvement in our business in terms of enquiry levels from both investors and homeowners.This is also evident in the chart below which begins on 11 May, the week before the federal election. It sets out Melbourne’s auction clearance rateDo you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Many people feel investing in the share market is a complex and scary concept. This is often due to a lack of understanding.I have written a number of blogs about the advantages of index investing. However, I thought it might be useful to take a step back and take a look at the basics of share market investing.How does the stock market work?The share market is merely a place where people come to buy and sell shares. Some people will be buyers, and some will be sellers. They will each bid what price they are willing to buy or sell a particular stock. A deal will be done when they meet in the middle and agree on price. This is all done electronically (although, in Australia, prior to 1990, it was done on chalk boards).You can see an example of this in the screen-print below (for CBA). As you can see, there are 9 people that would like to buy 455 shares in CBA shares for a price of $79.77. There are also 16 people that are prepared to sell 519 shares for $79.79. Seconds after taking this screen shot, the shares traded or $79.78 (i.e. the mid-point). These transactions happen all the time and this is how shares are valued by the market.By the way, this is called market depth. That is, the number of buyers and sellers (and number of units) interested in trading a particular stock. It is important to invest in a stock with good depth to ensure your investment is liquid and fairly priced. More on this soon.What is a company worth?Obviously, the ‘market’ determines the value of a stock. As stated above, the market is made up of many buyers and sellers (most of them professionals).There is a concept in financial theory called the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EFH) which states that the price of a stock reflects all available information about that stock and therefore is an accurate indication of its intrinsic value. Whilst this theory has some merit, I believe that EFM is truer in the long run than it is in the short run. In the short run, popularity can drive stock prices, not fundamentals.Fundamentally, the value of a company is simply the present value of its future cash flows (i.e. profit). That is, what is the total value of say the next 10 years of profit after applying a discount rate (which is like an interest rate) to account for the businesses risk.Do you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

Australian’s have a well-documented love affair with property. Many people pursue the “great Australian dream” of owning their own home and over 2.1 million taxpayers invest in property. Most Australian’s also invest in the share market too, via their superannuation.However, one of the decisions that many people struggle with is whether to invest in property, shares or both. And if the answer is to invest in both, how much do you invest in each and is it wise to do one before the other?Like with many things in life, moderation is the keyAll things being equal, diversification is typically the wisest approach. Spreading your money across various asset classes helps you reduce your investment risks. Property and share investment returns are not correlated, so by investing both, hopefully the ‘good’ years in property will randomly offset the ‘bad’ years in shares (and vice-versa). That is less important in the long run, but in the short run, diversification smooths investment returns, which makes the road less bumpy and less stressful.Don’t invest if you are uncomfortableWhilst you should always aim to never let your emotions guide financial decisions (as discussed here), sometimes people are very uncomfortable with investing in either property or shares.I believe that you should never invest in anything unless you are 100% comfortable. Therefore, if your risk tolerance drives you to invest in one asset class only (i.e. property or shares), then that is okay as long as you use the correct investment methodologies. At the end of the day, the quality of your investments is more important than your level of diversification, especially in the long run.You probably don’t need to invest in more than two investment-grade propertiesSome businesses and articles online promote the benefits of acquiring a large property portfolio. Whilst this might be realistic for some, it’s completely unnecessary for most people. Of all the financial plans that I formulate, I rarely recommend my clients invest in more than three properties. In fact, most plans involve investing in one or two.There are two reason for this. Firstly, quality trumps quantity every day of the week! It is much better to put all your money in one high-quality property than spread your monies across several “averaDo you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

You would be excused for thinking that developed economies all over the world are gradually making their way to a zero interest rate environment.Long term fixed mortgage rates in the United States are less than 3% p.a. In the UK, rates are under 2% and even lower in Europe (circa 0.50% p.a. in France for example). In Australian this week, 5-year fixed home loan rate fell below 3% p.a. And in Demark the other week, Jyske Bank announced it would pay borrowers 0.50% p.a. to take out a mortgage! Anyone that had a mortgage in the early 1990’s would regard today’s interest rates as almost unfathomable.What does this mean for investor, especially those that borrow to invest in property?Interest rates lower for longer?The market is predicting that the RBA will cut rates by 0.50% by mid-2020. If this turns out to be correct, Australian mortgage rates could fall even further.In July, RBA Governor, Phillip Lowe said "Whether or not further monetary easing is needed, it is reasonable to expect an extended period of low interest rates." Many commentators have suggested that interest rates may not increase materially for a decade or longer. Japan, for instance, has been stuck on zero interest rates for 20 years.But the banks need to charge at least 2%A measure called the ‘net interest margin’ is the gross profit a bank makes from lending money to its customers. The net interest margin must cover all the banks costs and still deliver a healthy net profit. In Australia, the major banks net interest margin is approximately 2%.Therefore, even if Australia’s cash rate fell to zero, it is unlikely that variable mortgage rates would fall below 2%, as the banks would seek to maintain their profit margins. Of course, a negative RBA cash rate, which exists in some countries in Europe, could push variable mortgage rates below 2%.Bye, bye negative gearing tax benefits for property investorsThe most obvious consequence of low interest rates for property investors is that it significantly reduces negative gearing tax benefits. When interest rates were 7Do you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.

We all want to stay on the ATO’s good side. No one wants to invite a tax audit. But, at the same time, it is prudent to investigate all opportunities to minimise the amount of tax we pay.This often requires a balance between minimising taxes wherever possible, but not being too aggressive that you risk getting into trouble with the ATO. My view is that you always stick within the black letter of the law – never transgressing into any grey areas – as it’s never worth it in the long run.The ATO has made some significant changes lately that I want to bring to your attention. These changes might encourage you to review how to manage your finances.ATO: 90% of property investor tax returns have errorsThe ATO announced in April that it will double the number of audits of property investor tax returns to 4,500. It said that its data indicates that 90% of property investor tax returns contained errors. The ATO found four main errors:Interest deductionsErrors included incorrectly claiming interest that was not tax-deductible (i.e. debt was not used to produce taxable income e.g. home loan) and/or loan purpose was not able to be proven by the taxpayer e.g. they mixed purposes in one loan.It is likely that interest is your largest tax deduction, so you must take care in not compromising it. Make sure your loans are correctly structured as I have previously described here. And keep good records i.e. you can demonstrate what investment asset each loan relates to.In short, separate loans by asset i.e. separate loan/s for each property or investment – avoid having one loan for multiple purposes. And if you refinance and/or loan amounts change, keep thorough records.Claiming improvements as repairsIn short, a repair brings an asset back to the same condition it was in when you first acquired the property. An improvement on the other hand is improving the asset beyond its original condition and/or changing the nature of an asset.The cost of repairs can be claimed in full in the year they are incurred whereas an improvement must be depreciated over its useful life.The ATO does proDo you have a question? Email: questions@investopoly.com.au or for a faster response, post a comment on the episode's video over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investopolypodcast/podcasts If you're interested in working with my team and me, discover how we can work together here: https://prosolution.com.au/prospective-client/If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating on your favourite podcast platform. Subscribe to my weekly blog: https://www.prosolution.com.au/stay-connected/ Buy a one of Stuart's books for ONLY $20 including delivery. Use the discount code blog: https://prosolution.com.au/books/DOWNLOAD our 97-point financial health checklist here: https://prosolution.com.au/download-checklist/IMPORTANT: This podcast provides general information about finance, taxes, and credit. This means that the content does not consider your specific objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is crucial for you to assess whether the information is suitable for your circumstances before taking any actions based on it. If you find yourself uncertain about the relevance or your specific needs, it is advisable to seek advice from a licensed and trustworthy professional.