Passive v Active Investing – What Works Best

Posted on: 05/05/2020

Raffi Pailagian
MBA, BSc, DipFP
Financial Planner / Managing Partner

View Profile

Categories: Financial Planning & Advice Investing Superannuation Advice Wealth Management

Passive v Active Investing – What Works Best

Coke or Pepsi? DC or Marvel? Apple or Android? Most people favour one over the other. Broadly speaking, you are likely to favour either Passive or Active investing. Both strategies have their pros and cons as well as being suited to a particular type of market activity, which this article Passive v Active Investing investigates.

While Passive investing aims to match the market via a specified Index, Active Investing aims to beat it. So which is better and why?

Passive Investing

Passive investing is all about investing in the share market without the need to pick individual stocks. The aim here is to take advantage of the upward trend of the market over years.

The benefits of Passive investing include:

Low Cost – because it is largely set and forget, you will have low management and transaction costs
Certainty – because Passive investing aims to track the market, and is generally tied to an Index, like the S&P/ASX200, you know what you are getting
Lower Volatility – as passive investors are not holding a more concentrated portfolio of individual companies, the volatile swings that those stocks experience will not be directly felt by the investor
Tax Efficiency – since you are making lower returns and fewer trades in each year, you are unlikely to be hit with a big CGT bill

The downside of Passive investing is:

Available Choice – Since this form of investing tracks the market, you are more or less limited to indexed ETF’s[i] and Indexed Managed Funds
Connection To Market Cycles – Returns reflect the market and only boom when the market does

A Passive investment strategy will aim to incorporate all the stocks in a given market Index, in the same proportions as the Index.

Active Investing

Active investing is all about investing in specific companies or stocks on the market, with the aim of generating a better return than the market via those stocks.

These stocks can be in sectors that are more favourable over a particular economic cycle, or specific stocks across different sectors, based on the investors objectives, such as investing in undervalued stocks.

The benefits of Active investing include:

Transparency – you know the stocks you hold and can easily track them. You are also not exposed to companies or market sectors you don’t want to invest in
Flexibility – you can sometimes pick up undervalued stock and make some great returns, since you are not locked in to mirroring an index
Tax Benefits – if you make a loss, there is an opportunity to offset any CGT you may have incurred on other investments

Of course, there are downsides:

Cost – It can be more costly as it requires an analyst or fund manager to asses the market, and transaction costs can be high if the portfolio is traded actively
Volatility – can be higher if specific stocks move up or down more than the market

If you are considering Active investing, it is essential you do your due diligence on the advisor or analyst you intend to work with. They will need to know when to pivot, when to hold, continually assessing the market through in depth qualitative and quantitative analysis, as well as individual stocks. Their experience and skill can make a significant impact on the performance of your investments, especially over the long term. Our blog What Makes a Good Wealth Manager, can give you some tips on how to go about choosing the right person for the job.

Historically, certain asset classes have proved more profitable than others with an Active approach, and again, this is something your advisor should be aware of. Since these stocks are often more risky than some others, this can make Active Investing more appealing to those with a High Risk investment profile.

Best of Both Worlds

Despite the rivalry between the two camps, it is generally acknowledged that a combination of Active and Passive investments will provide investors with the best overall plan. This strategy maximises diversity, thereby helping to manage the overall risk.

How you might structure your Passive/Active strategy depends, as always, on your situation. Unlike the set and forget nature of Passive investing, the balance of how much you have in Passive vs Active investments will likely change over time, as your life and the market change.

Which approach you take will depend heavily on your level of interest, available resources you can apply to chasing results (time/money), the condition of the market, your financial goals, your underlying risk profile and your stage in life.

The one thing every advisor would agree on though, is you should keep an eye on your investments and regularly review your strategy to make sure it remains in line with your goals.

If you would like to discuss your financial situation and get some investment advice based on your own circumstances, please give us a call on 02 9976 3388 or click below and we’ll be in touch.

[1] An EFT – Exchange Traded Fund is similar to a mutual fund, but is listed, bought and sold like ordinary stock throughout the day, rather than once a day after market close. The benefit of an EFT is it is cheaper than buying stocks individually

03/03/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Investing In A Low Interest Rate Environment

Almost unbelievably, the last time there was a rate rise in Australia was November 2010, when the rate went from 4.5% to 4.75%. It’s been…

17/07/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

The Great Wealth Transfer

Discover How Australia’s $3.5 Trillion Great Wealth Transfer Is Reshaping Housing, Superannuation & Investing Across Generations

20/06/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

Australian Inheritance Tax

Many Australians are still confused about Inheritance Tax & whether Australian Inheritance Tax EVEN EXISTS. So does it?

03/06/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

Maximising Superannuation Contributions Before EOFY

Maximising Superannuation Contributions before EOFY, can significantly enhance retirement outcomes, but would it for you?

24/04/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

Why Financial Literacy Matters

Financial literacy is more than a precaution, it’s a strategy that empowers you to make sound, informed decisions regardless of market fluctuations

21/03/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

Retirement Planning Strategies For Australians

Retirement Planning is one of the most important financial decisions you need to make & these key strategies will help you build a solid foundation for your golden years

12/02/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

How To Build Wealth

10 actionable strategies to help you build wealth and secure your financial future, in an easy to digest summary format

06/02/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

How to Fix Your Cash Flow

Wondering how to fix your cash flow? If yes this short video and article, which outlines some simple, easily implemented steps will be worth 4min’s of your time.

07/01/2025 | Raffi Pailagian

Negative Gearing – Is It A Good Strategy?

Whether it’s property or shares, negative gearing has sparked debates for decades, praised for its tax benefits but is it a good strategy?

17/12/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Australian Gift Tax

Gifting can be a powerful way to share your wealth, but it’s essential to understand the tax implications

29/11/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Is Your Retirement Plan on Track?

Retirement is a significant milestone in life, so how do you ensure your retirement plan is on track to provide the lifestyle you desire?

29/10/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

How To Create Generational Wealth

If you’re interested in understanding effective strategies to create generational wealth with property, then this article is for you!

23/10/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Downsizing

Downsizing is a significant life decision that can have far-reaching impacts on both your financial health and overall well-being

21/10/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Intergenerational Wealth Transfer

In this episode we discuss intergenerational wealth transfer & optimal strategies you may want to consider

29/08/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Tax Effective Investing In Australia

Is your investment strategy optimised for tax efficiency & what should tax effective investing in Australia ideally include?

16/07/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Investment Opportunities

With so many investment opportunities being created by the current global market environment, where should you focus?

02/07/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Building Generational Wealth

Understanding the principles behind building generational wealth is becoming of increasing interest, driven by amongst other things the current cost of living increases

24/05/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Tax Tips

Tax Tips to help you maximise the upside & minimise the downside before June 30th

24/05/2024 | MFS Authors

Mortgage Rate Update

We are celebrating our 11th Year Helping clients reduce their interest rates and realise their dream of buying a home or investment property

30/04/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

De-Risking Business Growth

Although de-risking business growth stands as a fundamental goal for every ambitious venture, these 6 strategies are often overlooked

27/03/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

Superannuation Death Benefit Tax

In Australia, superannuation is a nest egg many rely on for a comfortable retirement, but what happens to your super savings if you pass away?

12/03/2024 | Raffi Pailagian

The Concessional Contributions Cap

Understanding the concessional contributions cap can be a powerful tool for building retirement savings & maximising your super

30/01/2024 | MFS Authors

Downsizer Contributions

What Is the downsizer contribution concession and why could this be relevant to you if you’re nearing retirement?

15/12/2023 | MFS Authors

Risk Profiling

Risk Profiling is possibly the most important but often the most misunderstood and overlooked element when investing

30/11/2023 | MFS Authors

How To Use Debt To Create Wealth

Not all debt is created equal. In fact, if you’re careful and think about it strategically, you can actually use debt to create wealth

27/10/2023 | MFS Authors

Looking for a Home Mortgage?

Developing a good understanding of the key concepts, before looking at specific mortgage products, can help with fast tracking the selection process.

29/09/2023 | MFS Authors

What Is Refinancing?

What is refinancing, when should you do it, does refinancing impact your credit rating, & is there anything else you need to know?

25/08/2023 | MFS Authors

Financial Wellbeing

It’s easy to assume higher income means more financial wellbeing, and there is a strong correlation, but it is not the only factor at play.

19/07/2023 | MFS Authors

Why Use A Mortgage Broker

With a wealth of information at all our fingertips thanks to the internet, you might wonder why use a mortgage broker?

27/06/2023 | MFS Authors

Reasons To Refinance

With interest rates rising, it’s worth understanding how you can benefit by going to the trouble of refinancing.

25/05/2023 | MFS Authors

Tax Deductions On Investment Property

Property is a popular investment asset, particularly in Australia, due to whole host of attractive benefits which include the allowable tax deductions on investment property

27/04/2023 | MFS Authors

Tax Bracket Creep

We thought this might be a good time to take a look at the current income tax system and how you might be able to mitigate its effect on your take home income.

23/03/2023 | MFS Authors

Home Mortgage Rates

With the significant increase in Home Mortgage Rates over the last 10 months, what options are there to minimise their impact?

17/03/2023 | MFS Authors

How Much Do You Need to Retire?

If you feel like the answer to this question is a constantly moving target, you’re right. Working out how much you need to retire can be a complicated task.

23/02/2023 | MFS Authors

Sustainable Investing

So what is sustainable investing, how can it help your bottom line & does it makes sense for more people to be considering?

16/02/2023 | MFS Authors

Estate Planning

You probably have at least a vague idea about how you would like your assets, or your ‘estate’, to be divided amongst your family, loved ones and other potential beneficiaries, but you won’t be there to oversee what happens.

27/01/2023 | MFS Authors

5 Small Business Strategies

There is a temptation in business to review small business strategies at the beginning of the new financial year, but sometimes a better choice can be the new calendar year.

18/01/2023 | MFS Authors

Financial Planning For A Great Year

With the current high inflation, high interest rate environment, it has never been more important to take a serious look at your financial position

10/01/2023 | MFS Authors

Retirement Planning For Small Business Owners

Retirement planning for small business owners can be much more complex than for employed people, due to a selection of factors.

21/12/2022 | MFS Authors

Applying for a Mortgage

Applying for a mortgage is both exciting and scary, but there are a few things you should know, that can move the needle away from scary, towards exciting

13/12/2022 | MFS Authors

Downsizing Before Retirement

This is a tricky question to answer because it impacts your lifestyle and your family as well as your finances. So there are a number of things to consider when weighing this decision.

23/11/2022 | MFS Authors

Home Loan Mortgage Rates

Buying a home is usually the single most significant financial decision a person makes. With no end in sight for the predicted home loan mortgage rates rises, reviewing your home loan strategy makes a great deal of sense.

27/10/2022 | MFS Authors

Small Business Insurance

There’s no doubt about it, running a small business is tough. Not only do you need to manage the business, but you need to think about the inherent risks and how you might manage those should the worst happen.

14/10/2022 | MFS Authors

Estate Planning For Business Owners

Whether it is a family run business, partnership, or a company structure, you need to determine how ownership and running of the business will work should you not be available.

29/09/2022 | MFS Authors

Why Start A Business?

One of the key things to remember when you delve into the waters of setting up your own business, is that you are working towards future goals.

20/09/2022 | Raffi Pailagian

Cashflow Tips

So what can we do to manage our finances as effectively as possible in this current environment?

08/09/2022 | MFS Authors

Family Business Succession Planning

One of the most important things you can do as a family business owner is succession planning. You haven’t spent years of your life building a successful business only to have it fall over when you want to retire, or are no longer able to run it.

25/08/2022 | MFS Authors

Investing in Property

Owning your own home has long been known as the Great Australian Dream, but these days, investing in property seems to come a pretty close second.

18/08/2022 | MFS Authors

Keeping Up With The Joneses

The Keeping Up With The Joneses Mindset Can Have A Devastating Effect On Your Finances & Result In Insufficient Funds To Support You In Retirement

11/08/2022 | MFS Authors

Get Rich Quick Schemes

High returns usually come with high risk, so when a scheme sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

21/07/2022 | MFS Authors

Insurance Cover

Australia has certainly been through the wringer over the past three years. As confronting as it may be, it is essential to be prepared for the unexpected & understanding what insurance cover you need is a good start point

20/07/2022 | MFS Authors

Quarterly Economic Update

As bad as this might seem, Australia still has one of the lowest inflation rates among OECD nations, beaten only by Japan and Switzerland, at the bottom of the inflation table

13/07/2022 | MFS Authors

Saving for Retirement?

Saving for Retirement or Supporting Your Children? There are ways to do both & still ensure you have enough to retire comfortably, but it requires a little bit of planning

07/07/2022 | MFS Authors

What is Inflation?

So what is inflation? It’s a complex beast & understanding the impact it can have will help you make wiser financial decisions.

12/05/2022 | MFS Authors

Financial Fraud

Personal and financial fraud is on the rise. 11% of Australians experienced some form of fraud in 2021 & losses due to investment fraud were up 119.6% compared to the same period in 2020.

11/05/2022 | MFS Authors

Saving For A House Deposit?

Should you invest your house deposit savings? This article investigates the pros & cons through a mini case study.

09/05/2022 | MFS Authors

Inheritance & Movement Of Wealth

Australians pass on average $561,000 to their heirs, almost four times the global average of $148,000, with two in every three Australians planning to leave an inheritance.

03/05/2022 | MFS Authors

Inflation & The Cash Rate

What is the Cash Rate & how will the changes applied today impact inflation and your financial situation?

06/04/2022 | MFS Authors

2022-23 Federal Budget Highlights

The Federal Government has delivered a big-spending 2022 budget, taking immediate steps to reduce cost of living pressures for working Australians while implementing a range of massive infrastructure and defense spending measures.

06/04/2022 | MFS Authors

Working from Home – Tax Optimisation Opportunities

Working from home and not sure what tax optomisation opportunities may be available to you, well this short article would be worth reading

04/04/2022 | MFS Authors

Digital Assets – Pros & Cons For Investors

What are the advantages & disadvantages of digital assets compared with physical assets from an investors point of view?

02/04/2022 | MFS Authors

BNPL vs Credit Cards – Which is Best?

BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) or Credit Cards, what do they have to offer and which is the most financially efficient approach for consumers?

11/03/2022 | MFS Authors

Portfolio Management During Turbulent Times

There’s no doubt we continue to live in turbulent times. Between the challenges and uncertainty of the pandemic, the instability in eastern Europe & ongoing supply chain issues, effective portfolio management is a prominent topic amongst investors.

11/03/2022 | MFS Authors

Super Success For Women

While women earn less and spend less time in the workforce than men, sharply eroding their super contributions throughout their working lives, there are some simple steps women can take to boost their retirement savings.

10/03/2022 | MFS Authors

Retirement Cashflow

Low-interest environments are great for borrowers but can be a disaster for retirees reliant on interest to provide retirement cashflow.

04/03/2022 | MFS Authors

Stock Market Corrections

Stock Market Corrections can be an opportunity or a curse, depending on how you have set up your investments, are you taking full advantage of the opportunities?

31/01/2022 | Raffi Pailagian

Ethical Investing

Ethical Investing – what does this mean for you as an individual investor, what should you look for & why does it even matter?

19/01/2022 | Raffi Pailagian

The Great Resignation

What is the Great Resignation, is this a trend you should be part of & how is it impacting business owners as well as investors?

05/01/2022 | Raffi Pailagian

Transitioning To Retirement?

Transitioning to retirement & not sure of the most tax-efficient method or whether a TRIS is needed?

14/12/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Investing In Real Estate

If you are going to or are investing in Real Estate, there are a few key things to consider…

22/11/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Financial Freedom

What is Financial Freedom, how is it different from Financial Independence and how do you achieve it?

08/11/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Financial Literacy

One thing it’s important to understand, is being highly educated does not necessarily mean you have good financial literacy. The two do not always go hand in hand

19/10/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Bull vs Bear Market

Understanding the difference between a Bull & Bear Market, combined with the opportunities they present, can help greatly when formulating an investment strategy.

11/10/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Stocks And Shares – What You Need To Know

So, when it comes to stocks and shares, what do you need to know before investing? Understanding the language can be a great first step.

20/09/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

What To Do With An Inheritance

Sometimes in life a small or not so small windfall comes our way. It can be tempting to rush out and spend it, but it is worthwhile taking the time to think about how best you can make this money work for you.

13/09/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Financial Planning For Women

While preparing a financial plan is much the same for men and women, there are a few key things we need to factor in when developing financial plans for women.

24/08/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Retirement Planning Strategies

It may seem obvious, but lack of planning is what can lead to disappointment come your retirement party.

11/08/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Independent Financial Advice

How do you make sure the advice you are getting is independent and perhaps more importantly transparent?

19/07/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Are Gifts Tax Deductible?

According to the Tax Office, not all gifts are created equal. Depending on the type of gift, and more specifically, to whom the gift is made, the tax implications of gift giving differ.

05/07/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

What Are Family Trusts?

These days setting up a Family Trust Fund is not just for the wealthy. Many small business owners are using the vehicle of a Family or Discretionary Trust to protect their family from potential loss, whilst at the same time taking advantage of tax benefits.

21/06/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

Portfolio Reviews & Effective Approaches

So, you have a financial plan in place. You’re set. Right? Well, for a while at least. While financial experts sometimes disagree on methods or theories, there is one thing they all agree on, this is not a set-and-forget activity.

07/06/2021 | Raffi Pailagian

June Tax Preparation Tips

Tax time is one of those chores of life that nobody enjoys. It can be a real pain. Not only do you have to scramble to find all the receipts and statements you have misplaced over the course of the year, but there is often a fear that you will end up with a great big, unexpected tax bill. Or even worse – get an audit notice.