Value Collector
Have courage, and be kind.
- Joined
- 13 January 2014
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Firstly, the govnuts shouldn't be guaranteeing private institutions, it is fool hardy at best. Ireland comes to mind to some degree. Banks are responsible to their shareholders, govnuts should not get involved.
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The government guarantees depositors only, the banks shareholders, bond holders and other debtors will all have their capital wiped out before the government pays anything to depositors.
So when you are looking at the capital structure of a bank, the depositors sit at the very top, every one else loses 100% before they lose a cent, plus the government kicks in a guarantee.
So it's as close to risk free as possible, So if inflation didn't exist, how much should they be entitled to earn? given that you are going to have to pay bond holders and other debt holders more because they are taking a larger risk and locking up funds for fixed terms, you kind of have to start by paying the depositors very little.
Also, any over payment to savers, is just taking away from the equity holders, who are the first to lose because they have the riskiest position, equity holders have neither a guarantee on capital or income.
So to answer you question, a reasonable rate of return after tax and say 50% above inflation.
whats the reasonable rate of return after tax? lets just say inflation doesn't exist, how much should they get.
But I ask you this, if the govnuts didn't offer the guarantee, what value would the banks place on deposits and what return would savers demand knowing that they money is not 90% safe? Currently it is not even 70% safe with the guarantee. Or even better, would people become more astute with their savings and look for opportunities that could grow their savings other than mostly non productive pursuits like property. Like innovation and creativity
Deposits are very safe even without the guarantee, but yes without the guarantee the strongest institutions would get the most deposits, but the rate that is available to pay those deposits still have to be much less than the multitude of other securities that sit lower in line for payment.
I don't get how you can say they are 70% safe, the deposits are mostly secured by the banks borrowers ability to earn, then real assets eg houses, farms, factories etc which on average have quite low LVR, then the deposits have the banks capital, if that fails, they sit ahead of the banks bond holders and other debtors.
People should be looking for other opportunities to grow their money if that what their goal is, bank deposits are for safe storage of cash, with a bit of inflation hedging.