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What are Assets?

Written by Cameron Drury
Updated over a week ago

What are Assets?

Assets are things you own that have financial value.

In Canwi, assets represent the resources you currently hold that may grow in value or generate income over time. These assets form the foundation of your long-term financial projections.

Examples of assets include:

  • savings and cash accounts

  • superannuation

  • investment portfolios (shares, ETFs, crypto)

  • property

  • vehicles

  • collectibles or precious metals

When you add assets to your plan, Canwi uses their current value, growth assumptions, and any income they produce to project your future wealth and cashflow.

How does Canwi 'model' Assets

  • Growth rate – how the asset’s value increases over time

  • Yield rate – the income the asset generates each year

Growth increases the value of the asset, while yield represents taxable income generated from that asset.

Example

Let’s say you have a stock portfolio with:

  • Current value: $100,000

  • Annual growth rate: 5%

  • Yield rate: 4%

Year

Start of Year Portfolio Value

End of Year Portfolio Value

Income Generated (4%)

Year 1

$100,000

$105,000

$4,000

Year 2

$105,000

$110,250

$4,200

Year 3

$110,250

$115,763

$4,410

Year 4

$115,763

$121,551

$4,631

Year 5

$121,551

$127,628

$4,862

NOTE: Income / Dividend yield is assumed to be paid as income into cashflow not Reinvested.

What counts as Liquid Assets?

Liquid assets are assets that can be quickly converted into cash without losing significant value.

These are typically funds you could access relatively easily if needed.

Included as liquid assets

  • Cash balances

  • Non-property, non-vehicle financial assets (e.g. shares, ETFs, crypto, fixed income)

  • Superannuation once the owner is age 60 or older

Not included as liquid assets

  • Property

  • Vehicles

  • Superannuation when the owner is under age 60

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