Are you a shareholder?
If so, you’re part of a growing club according to key findings from the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). In 1986 just 9% of Australians owned shares. Now it’s 35%, with a median portfolio size of $130,000. And these statistics refer to holdings outside your super fund savings. Covid-19 has had an impact on share investment, of course, with 28% of those surveyed by the ASX changing their retirement plans and 54% making changes to their portfolios. The ASX also notes that many investors had a very active response to the pandemic, by focusing more on diversification and risk management. In the early days of the pandemic, many investors also sought to capitalise on lower stock prices by adding to their portfolios.
Interestingly, 17% of shareholders surveyed were now more inclined to seek professional advice. And these shareholders showed an appetite for increased activity, with a majority agreeing that ‘their adviser had helped them manage the impacts of the pandemic more effectively’.
According to the ASX, the top investment challenges for retirees remain market volatility and low interest rates. Delaying retirement is a consideration for more than one in five investors aged under 64, while almost one third of 55-64 year olds now feel that they need to live on less money or rely on social security.
Read the full ASX report here
Worried about your need to live on less? Check to see if your entitlements can help
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I have recently sold some shares that I have held for many years and the accountant is asking for the purchase price of these share to determine if there is any capital gain to be paid. In view of the fact that I have held several shares for over 30 years, how can I determine their purchase price.
Hi Carlyle, thanks for reaching out for further assistance. Determining original purchase price of shares is not something we specialise in however we can suggest you consider the following 2 options:
1. If the share was issued by a publicly traded company (Australian or foreign), you can look up the historical rate for the share online.
2. If the share was bought or sold by a private company or broker on your behalf, you can contact them to request the historical purchase price of the share.