I had just bought the wife's present & as most males will appreciate outside the store there was a charity offering present wrapping for a small donation.

What a good idea and so I joined the queue.

It so happened that ahead of me a gentleman & yes a grandfather was having a small toy piano wrapped for his grand-daughter.

Yes music appreciation is a lifetime asset.

But the toy itself will be temporary & maybe he would prefer to plan now for her education which will have huge future benefits for her.

Now as many have read recently, ‘Australian students’ results slip dramatically behind the rest of the world’. (Kidspot 4/12/19)
And  ‘Australian schools fail on maths, science
Australian kids are performing at a significantly lower standard in reading, maths and science than a decade ago despite $20bn more in government funding’. (Australian 4/12/19).

And ‘Australian classrooms are among the most undisciplined in the world, the latest PISA study shows’. (Australian 5/12/19) which from my experience a lifetime ago is sadly too true.


He might prefer to later help his grandchild out with private school education.

Now that is not cheap.

I read today that in Qld the average private secondary in metropolitan Queensland is estimated to cost an average of $20,860 per year. In the regional areas it is $16,534.

Now high school is now 6 years & of course there is inflation.

Lets note that even child care which is $115 p.d., before subsidies, is a similar number.

One alternative is to use the built up equity in the house.

However from my experience with clients over many years, this is not a good idea as then the equity is raided for everything else. The slippery slope of overseas trips to Lapland or Cape Kennedy, the house pool, a new car….

An alternative for granddad or her parents is to start a separate investment now & which investment vehicle and owner to help fund the investment will vary for every family.

Of course the investment won’t be in the grandchild's name & so granddad is in control if he wants or needs it himself later. One option is outside of the will which has advantages.

I was also very happy last week when on the way to tennis a man introduced himself & stated that I had taught him maths a lifetime ago.

WOW & he has just retired after a successful 35 years in the QLD government.

And yes it was a state high school.

I play tennis each week now with the ex-principal of the same school.

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John McAuliffe