Plain Talk Guide - Building your investment portfolio

One thing we know is that you can’t control investment markets. Volatility is part of investing. What you can control is your investment strategy—having the framework in place to give you the best chance of meeting your goals and objectives and aligning investments to your risk profile.

Plain Talk Guide - Quality financial advice

Many people find it difficult to invest on their own, particularly as they accumulate wealth and their financial situations become more complex. That’s when professional financial advice can help.

Plain Talk Guide - Managed funds

Managed funds provide a cost-effective way for investors, large and small, to access a diversified mix of professionally managed investments.

Plain Talk Guide - Exchange traded funds (ETFs)

Exchange traded funds, or ETFs, are attracting increasing attention from investors with a growing range of products available. In this Plain Talk Guide you will find answers to common questions about ETFs. You will also learn how ETFs and traditional managed funds compare and gain a better understanding of how ETFs could benefit your investment portfolio.

Plain Talk Guide - Bond investing

Bonds can play an important role in your portfolio by generating income, reducing volatility and diversifying your investments. The global bond market is much larger than the stock market and nearly every economy around the world has its own market, each with its own set of issuers, intermediaries and securities.

Plain Talk Guide - Understanding indexing

Investment funds can be managed in one of two ways—active or passive. Active managers aim to beat the return of a market index or benchmark, while index or passive managers aim to closely match market returns.

Plain Talk Guide - Self-managed super funds

Self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) are increasingly popular with Australians who are choosing to manage their own retirement savings.

Plain Talk Guide - Equity investing

When you invest in equities - also known as stocks, shares or securities - you’re typically buying an ownership stake in a listed company. This means you become a shareholder and have claim to the company’s assets and earnings. These companies can be listed on stock exchanges around the world—in developed and emerging markets.

Plain Talk Guide - Investing for retirement

When you’re building your investment portfolio, it’s important to find the right balance between your daily spending needs and long-term capital growth. A good starting place is to work out your financial goals, which can be heavily influenced by your life stage.

Vanguard Index Chart brochure

The Index Chart illustrates the benefit of diversifying your investments to help reduce volatility and smooth out returns over time.