How do we retire if we’re not employed?
We do not intend to work again and would like to take a pension from our SMSF. Is this intention sufficient? We cannot retire from gainful employment because we do not have any.

I’m 59 and I have $180,000 in super. Will my super be taxed?
Q: I’ve just turned 59, and I’m thinking of retiring before I turn 60. I would like to know whether I would have to pay tax on my superannuation. I know that after I turn 60, it’s tax-free, so my inquiry is regarding the period till I turn 60.
Is my super pension income counted when applying for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card?
Q: I have searched numerous websites but cannot find a simple answer. I intend starting my allocated pension next month when I turn 64 but can’t find out if I am entitled to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

CGT calculations for SMSFs
Q: If I purchased a rental property in my SMSF for say $200,000 five years ago and the house is now valued at $300,000 in the SMSF what will be the capital base for the calculation of future capital gains tax (CGT) if I transfer the house out of the fund?

Pensions: Starting a TRIP takes planning
It seems that many Australians nearing retirement don’t like the terms ‘retirement’ or ‘pension’. Some advisers who are recommending transition-to-retirement pensions (TRIPs) are experiencing client resistance because clients are adamant that they’re not retiring (at least not for a few more years), and they don’t want to be embarking on any strategies involving ‘retirement’.

SMSFs: What is the proportioning rule?
Q: I have come across a statement which refers to a proportioning rule. Could you please explain to me exactly what the proportioning rule is, who it applies to and when it applies, and how you do the calculations for a SMSF?

Tax-free super: what happens when I start a pension just before turning 60?
Q: I will be 60 in March 2012. Is the compulsory 4% drawdown from my super pension treated on a pro rata basis for my tax return for the 2011/2012 year, or can I draw it down after March 2012 rendering my super income after 60, tax-free?

SMSFs: Can I run two super funds? (2 questions)
Q: My wife is 58 and retired and she has her own self-managed super fund, where she has rolled over her super funds from various employers. She plans to start her SMSF pension soon.

Comparing super funds: Check out the cheapest funds
Rating agency, SelectingSuper has conducted some nifty research on the fees that super funds charge, and in generous fashion SelectingSuper regularly releases the highlights of this research for free access by the general public.

What are the super and retirement rules for over-65s?
Q: My wife and I have a small business. I was told by an organisation that at 65 I could put money into super, pay 15% tax on the way in and then draw it out when I wished and pay no tax.



