Articles by
Barbara Drury
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Saving for retirement outside super
Super is undoubtedly the most tax effective vehicle for retirement savings, but there are plenty of reasons why you might hold investments outside super to augment your retirement income.
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When can I access my super? All conditions of release explained
While super is designed to provide income in retirement, there are circumstances when you may be eligible to withdraw some or all of your savings.
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Can I return to work after I access my super?
It’s generally possible to return to work after you retire and start withdrawing your super, but the rules vary according to your age.
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Super and pension fund performance: Where does your fund rank?
Now updated to 30 September 2024. Have you ever looked at your super fund’s investment returns and wondered how your fund compares with similar funds? Is it a consistently high performer or an inveterate underachiever?
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What is the sole purpose test, and how does it work?
As the name suggests, the savings you accumulate in super are meant to be for one purpose only. Straying from that purpose can be costly.
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Platforms and wraps: Benefits and downsides
Technology is at the heart of recent innovation by platform providers as they compete against each other, industry funds and SMSFs for your super and non-super investments.
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Are pension withdrawal rates safe?
Retirees often regard the government-mandated minimum withdrawal rates for their super pension as a default maximum, so how are these rates set and should you consider withdrawing more?
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Selecting a retirement income calculator
Most super funds provide tools to help you estimate your annual retirement income and how long it should last. But how reliable are they? It pays to know what to look out for.
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Which super funds offer income for life?
It’s been a long time coming, but more super funds are now, or soon will be, offering retirement products that reduce the risk of outliving your savings. Here’s what’s on offer.
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How do SMSFs invest?
If you run your own SMSF, have you ever wondered where other SMSFs or mainstream funds invest their money? This is how.
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SMSF trust deeds: Rules, guidelines and updates
Your SMSF trust deed is your fund’s most important legal document, so it pays to get it right from the outset and to carry out regular health checks.
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Which super funds accept transfers from KiwiSaver accounts?
If you have savings in a KiwiSaver account, you can voluntarily transfer them to an Australian super fund under the provisions of a Trans-Tasman Retirement Savings Portability scheme that was introduced on 1 July 2013.
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SMSF investing: 20 most popular LICs/LITs
They may have lost ground to newer investment products such as ETFs, but listed investment companies and trusts are still prized by many SMSF investors.
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SMSF investing: 20 most popular managed funds
Despite the inroads made by ETFs in recent years, traditional managed funds remain popular with SMSFs seeking easy access to global shares and fixed interest.
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SMSF investing: 20 most popular international shares
While the number of SMSFs investing directly in global shares is still relatively small, the booming tech sector is attracting an increasing number of those that do.
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SMSF investing: 20 most popular Australian shares
SMSF investors continued their love affair with dividend-paying Australian shares in the year to June 2024, with all the usual suspects in the top 20.
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SMSF investing: 20 most popular ETFs
ETFs were the fastest growing asset class among SMSF investors in the year to June 2024, with a surge of inflows to international shares driven by booming tech stocks.
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Location the missing ingredient in retirement planning
When you start planning your retirement, where you live can be just as important as your super balance and have an even bigger impact on your quality of life.
