Hi Carlin,

It’s a pretty interesting journey, looking so far into the crystle ball of the future to try and predict what our needs are. I too have been paralysed by analysis regarding structuring – and I have not even started investing!! It is hard to know who to take advice from, especially when they all seem so different on the same issues.

I have a ‘wall of product’, advising me on all manner of aspects of investing – and as such, am probably a well informed non-investor (so far). I think I’ve probably come to realise that one has to trust one’s judgement in your own decision. I don’t know that I can come to know all that I need to know about each option by reading everything. As you have discovered – unless we visit many accountants, it is unlikely we can affirm all of our knowledge either. I’ve come to the decision about my structure by looking at what drove me to wanting to structure differently (i.e., tax structuring, liability issues, family involvement, superannuation, etc) and then prioritised them. Then I drew up a pros and cons for each option to see which structure met my main priorities. When i ended up with two of my favourites, I then popped off to my new accountant and asked questions and asked for an opinion.

In preparation to commence investing soon, I have finally found some peace with the whole ‘structuring’ thing. I think it seem to come down to understanding that one structure is not likely to meet all of my needs, but hopefully the most important ones. AND probably the most important part, was to believe I could make my own decision based on my own knowledge of my own needs now and for the future, and my own knowledge about the options- and check the details / assumptions I believed were at play about my chosen structuring options – were accurate (hence the final check with the accountant).

Not sure my journey is helpful – but sometimes it’s nice to hear others are going through the same frustrations with all the ‘expert’ advice. The crazyiness may come from our obsession with the detail, hoping this would make our decision for us?

Anyway, I’m logging of and hope the ‘sharing’ helps.

cheers

Cherie[grad]