The Australian, Wealth - Gold report THERE are many ways to buy gold and unless you want some complicated financial instrument the Perth Mint pretty much offers all of them, despite the fact that it owns very little gold itself. “We don’t own any gold, or virtually none at all,” says Perth Mint treasurer Nigel Moffatt. The reason [...]

From The Australian, Wealth: CONSUMER NEWS: Your credit card might not work overseas, Ed Charles reports | September 19, 2007 AUSTRALIANS may be enjoying the Rugby World Cup in Europe but many may find that they will have trouble spending any money on their credit cards. The problem is that in Britain and Europe, credit cards that contain [...]

From The Australian, Wealth: Ed Charles | August 29, 2007 Investors with low-doc loans should reassess them, MORTGAGE brokers are warning property investors to be careful which low-doc and non-conforming lenders they choose to ensure they don’t face interest rate increases over the market rate charged by mainstream banks. The combined effect of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s August [...]

From The Australian, Wealth: Ed Charles | August 22, 2007 THERE is a trade off on credit cards between ones that charge an annual fee and offer rewards, travel insurance and other benefits, and cards that cost little or nothing and are cheap to use abroad. The equation isn’t an easy one to work out. Harry Senlitonga, financial analyst [...]

The Australian, Wealth: YOU’RE on holiday and haven’t got a care in the world. But at the back of your mind there is a nagging doubt. How much will I be charged for using my credit card abroad? Should I use the ATM, or would travellers’ cheques have been the best option? Will my free travel insurance [...]

From The Australian, Entrepreneur: CANBERRA IS CUTTING SOME OF THE RED TAPE TO REDUCE THE BURDEN, ED CHARLES REPORTS TAX isn’t the simplest of subjects and for many entrepreneurs or small business it is an annoyance that gets in the way of business. But now the tax office seems to be finally acknowledging that it is anything but [...]

From The Australian, Wealth: Building a portfolio of multi-million-dollar properties is easier than you might have thought, Ed Charles writes | July 18, 2007 WHAT can be better than owning property? All you need to do is to know how to navigate the mortgage maze and have a sense of timingfor the peaks and troughs of the property [...]

From The Australian, Wealth: Ed Charles | July 18, 2007 ONCE upon a time it was difficult to borrow money. The major banks required a 20 per cent deposit and some evidence of financial prudence. Now, thanks to the influx of smaller lenders known as the non-banks, it’s possible to borrow more than the value of an asset. The [...]

COVER STORY Platinum is the new gold in the prestige credit card market, Ed Charles reports ONCE upon a time it was a class act to have a gold credit card. Then in 1997 along came the American Express Platinum charge card. It was invitation-only and more exclusive. Although the prestige was diluted when other players entered the [...]

By Ed Charles THE question has been exercising the minds of the wealthy forever — how to ensure the kids don’t blow the family fortune. Private banks report that independent advice on investment strategies for the intergenerational transfer of wealth is one of the fastest growing areas of demand. This is especially so in the case [...]