April 2019 newsletter

The 2019 Federal Election has been announced for 18 May, and the ALP are now presenting their campaign policies to the nation.

On 2 April 2019, Josh Frydenberg announced his first Federal Budget as Treasurer. There were only a handful of policies that directly relate to superannuation, but also tax cuts and a one-off energy payment for older Australians.

On Thursday April 4th Labor leader Bill Shorten delivered his reply to this week’s Federal Budget. In this article we’ll look at Labor’s reply in relation to tax and superannuation measures, as well as announcements that affect older Australians.

With all the announcements on tax over the past few days it’s hard to keep track. So here goes. A year ago the then treasurer Scott Morrison unveiled a “seven year personal tax”.

Super fund fees are in the government’s sights, and funds are beginning to take notice.

Sustainable investing is moving into the mainstream as investment choice and long-term returns grow strongly.

Making a tax-deductible super contribution can be a great way to boost your retirement savings. Find out whether they could be the right strategy for you.

Whatever your circumstances, it’s important to canvass all your options before you make your final selection. It’s also worth remembering that your choice of fund is not a life sentence. If you are unhappy with your fund for whatever reason, you are free to switch funds provided you have choice.

To legally access your super in Australia you must satisfy a condition of release. Different conditions of release have different payment conditions and tax implications.

Knowing what and where you will spend will make retirement planning much easier, and help you avoid retirees’ biggest fear: outliving their savings.

Let’s be frank, at a time of historically low interest rates it’s no wonder SMSF investors have been flocking to franked dividends from shares.

The ability to invest in real property is one of the attractions of SMSFs, but it’s tightly regulated.

SMSF trustees are legally obliged to ensure their fund’s compliance with superannuation legislation in Australia. The ATO imposes a range of penalties for non-compliance, depending on the seriousness of the breach.

While cash and shares are still the go-to investments for SMSFs, the range of assets they hold are diverse, even in retirement.

One of the benefits of having a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) is its ability to pay members an income stream, or account-based pension. Of course any superannuation fund can do this, but paying a pension from an SMSF offers members more control and flexibility.

How long does it take to double your investment? By applying The Rule of 72, you’ll be able to answer that question since it is an easy mathematical formula.

Planning for your retirement and working out how much you’ll need to enjoy a good standard of living after your working years can be a complex task, and one factor that needs to be considered is inflation.

The impressive share market recovery since the end of March last year has boosted returns for all Lifecycle age cohorts during that period, but younger members with higher allocations to shares have enjoyed the best of bounce back.