Super and contributions strategies, SMSFs and ETFs, Quiz time, Latest returns
Welcome to the NOVEMBER 2018 edition of the SuperGuide Premium newsletter. Highlights include:
- SUPER STRATEGIES: Many super laws, rates and thresholds changing depending on your age. It pays to be on top of these and plan appropriate strategies around them.
- CONTRIBUTIONS STRATEGIES: We take an in-depth look at salary sacrificing and the bring-forward rule, as well as lesser known strategies such as tax-deductible contributions and reducing capital gains.
- ETFs: These are increasing in popularity with SMSF investors, particularly because they are a low-cost way to diversify. Robert Barnes reports on the 20 ETFs that are most popular with SMSFs.
- QUIZ TIME: Test your knowledge with our two quizzes on planning for retirement and boosting your super. Each quiz is 10 questions (multiple choice) and we point you to SuperGuide articles where you can get the answer.
- INVESTMENT RETURNS: October was a difficult month for investors, and the median growth fund lost 3% in value. Find out how super funds are tracking so far this financial year.
FEATURES
SMSF investment: 20 most popular ETFs
ETFs provide SMSFs with an easy and cost-effective means of gaining exposure to international assets, and other harder-to-access asset classes such as emerging markets. This article includes the 20 most popular ETFs invested in by SMSFs. Read more
Gaining from the government: How you can score a co-contribution freebie
Free money from the Government is a pretty rare thing and most Aussies would be willing to go a bit out of their way to try and get some, but one of the easiest routes to those extra bucks is often overlooked. Read more
Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) now handles complaints about super
Disputes about your superannuation and other finances are often stressful, but until recently, the complexity of the system has made the process even tougher. Working out which of the multiple external dispute resolution bodies was the right one to approach has long been a source of frustration for super fund members and consumers dealing with a complaint or dispute. Read more
Super tips and strategies for all ages
Whatever your age, putting some time and effort into your super now can result in significant benefits down the track. To help get you headed in the right direction, SuperGuide has put together a list of useful tips and strategies to consider implementing in each decade. And don’t wait until just before retirement. If you do, you will miss out on the valuable benefits of compound interest. Read more
AGED-BASED SUPER GUIDES
Super’s rulebook: What rules apply to you at different ages?
Australia’s super system has lots of rules – many of which have significant penalties if you breach them – but not every rule applies to everybody at every age. Read more
Work test: Making super contributions over 65
Reaching age 65 is one of life’s big milestones, but unfortunately, it does make putting money into your super account a bit more difficult. Read more
SUPER QUIZZES
Quiz: Planning for retirement
Take this 10 question quiz to test your knowledge on how to plan for your retirement. Read more
Quiz: Boosting your super with super contributions
This quiz tests your knowledge on the superannuation contribution rules. Read more
CONTRIBUTIONS STRATEGIES
Capital gains and super: Using super contributions to reduce your CGT bill
Super contributions can be used in many different ways when it comes to planning your finances and saving for your retirement. In the right circumstances, they can also be a very useful tool for minimising your tax bill. Read more
A super guide to understanding the bring-forward rule
Putting money into your super account is easy. But to ensure you don’t take too much advantage of the generous tax benefits within the super system, the government has progressively tightened up the rules around making contributions. Read more
Guide to tax-deductible superannuation contributions
Tax-deductible super contributions are an option that more Australians can now consider due to recent legislative changes. However, it can be a complex area, so with tax-time looming, it’s a topic worth reviewing. Read more
Salary sacrifice and super: How does it work?
While the sacrificing bit might sound painful, salary sacrifice is really just about giving up something now to get a financial benefit later on. Read more
FEATURES
Superannuation Glossary
Brush up on the super lexicon in this extensive glossary. Read more
Contribution splitting: How to boost your spouse’s super
Topping up your spouse’s retirement savings account with some of your own super contributions can be a great way to help them save for life after work – and possibly save yourself some tax in the process. Read more
How is superannuation split in a divorce?
Superannuation can be divided between you and your partner if your marriage or de facto relationship breaks down and you permanently separate (including couples in same-sex relationships). However, there are specific rules that need to be followed in all situations to ensure compliance with both Australian super legislation and family law. Read more
Over age 60? A simple tax guide to accessing your super benefits
When it comes to the super system, reaching age 60 triggers an important change. It means you can withdraw you super benefits and most people pay no tax on their savings. Read more
Accessing super: Ceasing employment after 60
Ceasing employment after you reach the age of 60 is a “condition of release”, or one way you that you can access your super in Australia. Ceasing employment means leaving a job, even if you get a job with another employer. Read more
Selecting your super fund: Can I make the choice?
Life is full of choices and the super system is no different. But there is one area where not everybody has a choice and that’s when it comes to selecting the super fund into which their employer directs the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions they make on their behalf. Read more
INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE
Super fund performance: Monthly returns to September 2019
In this article you can learn the monthly performance for super funds over 5 investment options going back to July 2015. Read more
What are lifecycle super funds, and how do they perform?
Close to 70% of Australians with super in one of the major funds are invested in their fund’s MySuper option, the default option for employees who don’t choose a super fund. If you are a member of a retail fund, this is most likely a lifecycle product which is designed to reduce your exposure to higher risk growth assets as you age. Read more