Welcome to 2025. The beginning of the year is often the time where you should take stock of your investments, conduct portfolio reviews and look at what you want to achieve for the year ahead. Below are the key dates that you may want to pay attention to in 2025.

January

Portfolio review

Start the year by reviewing and setting investment goals. Christine Benz has written a great article on the steps to conduct a comprehensive Portfolio Review. As most Australian investors base their financial goals around the Financial Year instead of the calendar year, we will be conducting a half-yearly check. This involves understanding whether you are on track with your portfolio goals, whether you need to rebalance your portfolios, or adjust your savings rates.

Superannuation contributions

It’s halfway through the financial year. Now is a good time to assess your superannuation strategy for the year. You will be able to understand the concessional contributions that you have made, and how much you have left in your cap.

Economic data

January usually sees the release of ABS data, including employment and inflation figures. Inflation figures in particular are important to pay attention to. Higher than expected inflation changes the purchasing power of your funds. Although you should focus on the long-term, a few periods of high inflation can impact your financial goals. Not only should you pay attention to the headline inflation figures, recalculate and focus on your personal inflation rate as it is more relevant to your financial goals.

I’ve written on personal inflation rates here, including a calculator that you can adjust for the latest quarterly results.

February

Reporting season

February brings the first reporting season of 2025 for ASX-listed companies that begin releasing half-year results. At Morningstar, our analysts pay close attention to earnings, but the focus is on long-term results and valuations. A single earnings report usually doesn’t lead to a change in the long-term assumptions behind our assessment of a stock’s fair value, unless a company also comes out with new, material information that changes our long-term assumptions. For example, new data on a drug that raises the probability of approval, or pricing gains in a key product line could affect an analyst’s long-run thinking.

The paradox of being an investor is that the only thing that matters is what a company achieves in the future. Yet all the information we have is historic. Many investors place outsized importance on earnings season as it shows how companies, and their investments, performed. Although interesting, it defeats the purpose of investing, as we should not place emphasis on what happened in the past. Our focus should remain on the future. After all, we purchase shares not for their past performance or results, but for their future potential.
However, this isn’t to say that earnings season does not bring opportunities. We believe the real opportunities occur when the short-term reaction to an earnings announcement is not in line with the long-term value of a company. Changes to our fair value estimates for a company can provide context to price movements.

Dividend announcements

As part of reporting season, companies declare dividends. If you are an income investor it can help you understand whether they are in line with your expectations. This may cause an adjustment of your plan if you are drawing down on your portfolios.

RBA meeting

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announces its first interest rate decision of the year. This is a hotly anticipated decision, with economists from ANZ, Macquarie and Commonwealth Bank predicting the first rate cut in four years at this February meeting (at 13 January 2025).

March

A Federal election

Although the Federal election has not been announced yet, it must be held before the 17th of May 2025. Political pundits believe that the election is likely to be held in March or April. A continuation or change in government may result in change in policy – tax or superannuation, that requires investors to adjust their portfolios or approaches for these future changes.

Dividend payments

Investors will receiver dividends that were declared by Australian companies during the February reporting season.

April

Portfolio maintenance

If you conduct portfolio reviews on a quarterly basis, now is a good time to review, and rebalance as required based on Q1 performance.

Easter and holiday season

This year, we have a holiday-filled April. If you are drawing down on your investments, plan around these holidays and weekends as there may be delays from institutions processing any withdrawals.

Federal budget preview

In April, we usually get a Federal budget preview. Check for any updates announced that may impact your investments or portfolio.

May

Federal budget announcement

Key tax and superannuation policy changes are often revealed.

HECS/HELP payments

I’ve covered before why you may make extra repayments to your HECS/HELP debt. The indexation rate is applied to student debt balances on June 1. If you are paying off your debt voluntarily, it is important to make the payment before June 1 to avoid having to pay that extra indexation on top of the debt.

June

End of Financial Year (EOFY)

End of Financial Year brings many deadlines for investors. I’ve put together comprehensive list before.

Super

Importantly, it is the last chance to make super contributions for the financial year. Important to note is that the form must be submitted in time for the superannuation fund to timestamp or process it – depending on their processes. It is better to be safe than sorry and make your contributions with enough leeway for it to be processed, so you’re able to minimise the tax that you are paying.

Harvest capital losses

Not every investment is going to work out. Take advantage of any losers in your portfolio by harvesting your capital losses on these investments to offset gains. You can read more here.

Review your deductions

Now is a good time to review the deductions that you are eligible for from the past financial year. It will make your life easier in July, as the paperwork will pile on for your tax planning and submission to the ATO.

July

New financial year

Happy New Year. This is the time that Aussie investors usually conduct a full year check. This is understanding how your portfolio has performed on a full year basis and understand what’s needed for the year ahead. When you conduct a half yearly check in January, there may be some concerns about portfolios or targets, but six months may not be a sufficient amount of time to justify a change. A full year check may be the time to make some changes. For example, if your portfolio is not meeting the rate of return required, you may need a more aggressive asset allocation.

Often, investors wait for the receipt of your investment and superannuation statements to conduct this review. They are usually received in July, or early August.

Tax season

It’s time to submit or prepare to submit a lodgment of your income tax to the ATO.

Legislative changes

Super guarantee increase

Effective July 1, 2025, the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) increases to 12%. This must be accounted for in your portfolio reviews, and may impact the amount you contribute in concessional contributions to your superannuation if you are maximising your contributions cap.

Superannuation for paid parental leave

Effective July 1, 2025, 180,000 families annually will benefit from government-funded Paid Parental Leave (PPL) payments to their superannuation.

August

Reporting season

We come face-to-face with the full-year results for ASX-listed companies. Again, there is outsized emphasis placed on reporting season. However, investors may be able to find opportunities where the market has unfairly punished companies for unexpectedly poor results that do not impact the long-term outlook for the company.

Companies also declare dividends during this reporting season.

September

Quarterly Economic Data

Employment and inflation updates. Again, pay attention to your personal inflation rate.

October

Tax return deadline

October 31st is the tax return deadline for individuals who are lodging their return without a tax professional/agent.

November

Health insurance review

Many investors that earn over $90,000, will have health insurance (due to the Medicare Levy Surcharge). Australian health insurance funds usually operate on a calendar year basis for their benefits. Ensure you are maximising any benefits that you have before the end of the year. At the same time, it is a good time to review all insurances that you hold, including death, TPD and income protection. If you have a mortgage, it may be a good time to review the rates that you have through a trusted mortgage broker.

December

Relax!

Start collecting your statements for the half-yearly review coming up in January.

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