Note: This article is updated regularly when new financial advisers join the independence club (latest update June 2013). A financial adviser does not have to be a member of the IFAAA to join the SuperGuide list, provided they can declare that they satisfy the requirements of being an independent … [Read more...]
Nearly 5 years ago, SuperGuide embarked on a long and arduous mission. We decided that we wanted to find every independent financial adviser in Australia, and to give these advisers an opportunity to let SuperGuide readers know that they exist. For the past 4 years or so we have published a list … [Read more...]
Note: This article is a supporting article to the two-part series, ‘Crunching the numbers: a $1 million retirement’ and ‘Crunching the numbers: a $2 million retirement’ (links for these articles are set out at the end of the article). If you live off the earnings only from your invested … [Read more...]
Note: SuperGuide will keep you regularly updated on the superannuation policies announced by the major political parties, right up to when the federal election is held on 14 September 2013. From that date, we will then explore what the party in power has in store for us, in terms of superannuation … [Read more...]
Note: This article is regularly updated with new figures to allow readers to compare what a $2 million retirement can deliver if retirement savings are invested with returns of 7% a year, or if invested on retirement with returns of 5% each year. If you opt for a 5% investment return, rather than, … [Read more...]
Note: This article is regularly updated with new figures (in particular the effects of Age Pension changes), to allow readers to compare what a $1 million retirement can deliver if retirement savings are invested with returns of 7% each year, or if invested on retirement with returns of 5% a year. … [Read more...]
Australian baby boomers are underestimating how much they will need for a comfortable retirement, even though they have high expectations for their retirement lifestyle, based on a survey conducted by super fund REST Industry Super. REST Industry Super commissioned the survey that interviewed … [Read more...]
Q: Hi Trish, great website, wish I had come across it sooner. My wife and I recently consulted a planner regarding strategies toward retirement. The initial consult was free. The process of developing the strategy had a cost of $1800, refundable if we go ahead with implementing the retirement … [Read more...]
Q: I’m looking for information on an approximate breakdown of how many Australian financial advisers are part of a dealer group, and how many are operating by themselves as individual businesses. I’ve asked ASIC, FAA and the FPA and I can’t get an answer. Looking through the ABS stats it also … [Read more...]
Thinking about how you’re going to plan your retirement can be daunting and I suggest you do as much research as possible before you book an appointment with a financial adviser or accountant (if that is what you choose to do). If you’re like many Australians within 10 to 15 years of … [Read more...]
On 22 October 2012, Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan released the Government’s 2012/2013 Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO). The report contained several measures affecting the superannuation accounts of Australians, including those who run self-managed super funds. A summary of these … [Read more...]
Note: SuperGuide originally published this article about two years ago, but the topic remains highly relevant for readers today. We have updated the original article with information on the legal definition of ‘independence’ and the IFAAA’s version of independence.. Every week I receive … [Read more...]
Now that super funds, fund managers and other financial service providers have (nearly) survived the GFC, a lingering issue concerning the super industry is ‘adequacy’ (or lack of ‘adequacy’), that is, the worry that Australians will outlive their retirement savings. Okay, the industry is … [Read more...]
A common and reasonable question is, what does a good super fund look like? Professional rating companies, such as SelectingSuper, SuperRatings and Chant West, evaluate and rate Australia’s largest super funds against criteria such as: investment performance number of investment … [Read more...]
Note: This Q&A includes the latest SMSF cost data released in April 2012 by the ATO. The next SMSF cost update will be released by the ATO in April 2013. Q: My wife and I are considering setting up a self-managed super fund to be overseen by a licensed adviser. I asked two advisers for a … [Read more...]
