While Banks are being made more liquid using taxpayer dollars, I wonder whether the Moguls are progressiving becoming liquid too, from equities, to hedge their position; while, compulsory superannuation fund holders are left holding the bag to prop-up industry, as others progressively shift their holdings to safer portfolios? Should more us manage our own funds and endeavour to protect our wealth, personally?

- Am I a cynic or a realist?

I think you are right Oliver.There is a simple solution to the super problem.Why not let every investor nominate half a $ million of their assets to be super ,thus they get the tax advantage?It won't happen because Govt is beholden to big business.Super does not have to be complicated.Our money gets swallowed up by charges and it's compulsory nature makes the funds managers very lazy ad greedy.We would be better off putting that money into our mortages and having less debt.While it might seem that our employer is putting in the super,the reality is that we are taking a pay cut to pay for that super.It has all been factored in.

This Govt bailout in the US and Europe will also again burn the tax payer since the creeps who sprung the trap,will take their money[ie the tax payers money]and the system will again collapse.

Our super scheme needs a total overhaul.

If we are Oliver the hook in our mouths is real.
So too are the chances of us ending up gutted and cleaned out in the bottom of the boat.
I have zero doubt we are victims of others actions.
Some of us are victims of our own.
Controlling our own super may not be an answer, the idea those who do it for us are careless is laughable.
Threads have pointed to this day over the last 18 months, yet attacked little interest.
We saw massive loss in world shares in just the last 24 hours.
We would all do well to understand how bad this really is.
I do not a long way from being out of the workforce I put 20% of my wages into super , and the 9% my boss puts in.
As houses stand unsold around me at 40% discount on their last sale price my future could be bleak.
Yet it will get worse.
Tell me if I took the loss at least 30%over the last 18 months.
Sold my super shares totally withdrew it now.
How would I invest it
?
And if we all did? the landslide of falling stocks would shake the world.

im looking at a bank advert
its heading reads 'BECAUSE cash-flow is king'
we all know when the king is in checkmate the game is over [but some 'kings' are 'too 'big to fail'[too big to check]so clearly we should not be further consolidating our big bankers into being SOO cashed up

bankers; who are cashed up with govt insured equity [that has increased their cash reserves enough to selectivly take over the smaller banks and REAL[not securitised paper]assets the cashed up big boys club has issued to steal yet more of the REAL[wealth producing assets[even the too bigger to fail]big bankers with huge bonus are NOT too big to fail[they are to be made small enough to control!]

as to where to put your money[invest your kingly cash with your :LOCAL lender's ,local buisness and avoid those too big to fail big bankers who set up this massive colluded fraud by irresponsable lending on valueless paper rated securities ,

the fat superfunds[we are COMPULSORY forced to top up with the[OUR} kingly cash has made them look to spend OUR SUPER ,and while we dont hold ANY shares bennifits[nor get the discounts , voting rights , intrest or returns shareholders get]

thing is invest YOUR OWN supper in your life style[as THE shareholder you get the bennifit[bonus] not the subsidised stockholder trading away YOUR future ,

Your cash is king [be DETERMINED to be different]many little [easilly controlled 'kings ,managing THEIR own super [and own cash reserves] that you invest with those who you give your cash to ,[that give you the KING [shareholder] the bonus and the discount.

yes david we are being played [big time] law courts are NOT constitutional [share trading is mainly trading paper [on borrowings from the king cash [fiat currency] issued at whim by the banker OWNED fed reserve

[cash is paper,you cant eat it]get shares not promises ,not to make money but to survive [invest LOCALLY] first your home and assets ,food and consumable supplies

cash is NOT king
if it were we would be calling out 'CHEQUE mate'

It is truly both amusing and tragic that so many do not understand this crisis.
Our super? it was developed for the boss to put it in our accounts, never paid by us, but earned by us yes.
One day if we had not hit this rock we could have slashed over seas borrowing because of our super funds.
How truly how? can any one not understand world governments had no choice but to back the banks.
Heard of the not so great depression? right now without that bailout we could have been in a bigger one.
Tell those who have had their funds locked up it was not a good idea.
If banks fail, they may still, no more pay on pay day or social welfare checks, it has to be clear to most no one is safe from this.
The meeting Rudd is going to may save us all, no not a return to big profits, it may stabilize our world credit markets.
It will not reduce the coming 3 year recession, it may be come a depression.
It will not stop our coming tsunami in housing ,yes prices are going to fall fast.
This is bad so very much worse than some think.
Right now trillions of dollars are forever lost, in ten years share prices may be back to the price they are today in some cases but will not match inflation in that time.
Remember industry super is non profit and we took the plus 18% without complaint now squeal because an event most knew was coming has come.

Arjay and others.
Have you considered Industry super funds? Some are amongst the best performers around historically, additionally don’t pay agent fees and they’re owned by the members.
The industry super funds tend to be more prudent and hence are less exposed to the financial shenanigans.
A number of these industry super funds own Members Equity Bank and pay higher interest.
Many of these funds are partitioning the government to be involved in government backed infrastructure. Basic economics tells me that that is better for the country as a whole….Check it out.

Oliver,
The Moguls were Muslim overlord in India.
If you mean the super rich well most of them are into numbered accounts in tax havens etc.
Those who are not so rich but have retirement funds invested in unregulated property trusts etc are moving to ensure the guarantee.
• As for managing your own funds it depends on your skills or belief in Astrology/tealeaves reading I Ching etc. So long as governments allow uncontrolled Capitalism there will always be the ‘gotchers’ for the bulk of us.
I chose the industry super funds better something than nothing. (tip: spread your risks) My rule is 60% conservative, 30% medium risk , 10% high risk high performing. Depending on the fund you can change the risk on the fly if you choose or hear some insider info…and…don’t forget who helped you. ;-)
• Are you cynical….just a tad but then again I follow Socrates’ mantra (if he was alive today) "trust nothing and test everything especially human nature "(the biologic imperative not the group....then again.....)

Ps I don’t work for a fund nor am I in a union. Lamentably they won’t pay me finder’s fees either. :-(