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 lists the 20 most popular ETFs invested in by SMSFs.
Read moreHow a government co-contribution can help boost your super savings
Free money from the government is pretty rare. But one of the simplest ways is by investing a few extra dollars into your super account to score a co-contribution payment.
Read moreSuper tips and strategies if you are in your 50s
In your 50s you’ve turned the corner and are heading into the final career stretch before retirement. So now’s the time to start paying closer interest to your super and ensuring you are set up to reach your retirement goals.
Read moreAGED-BASED SUPER GUIDES
Work test: Making super contributions over 67
Making super contributions once you reach age 67 is more difficult as you need to meet the requirements of a work test. Here’s a simple guide to understanding the rules and how they affect you.
Read moreSUPER QUIZZES
Quiz: Planning for retirement
Take the following 10-question quiz to test your knowledge on how to plan for your retirement.
Read moreQuiz: Boosting your super with super contributions
Take the following 10-question quiz to test your knowledge on boosting your super with superannuation contributions.
Read moreCONTRIBUTIONS STRATEGIES
Capital gains and super: Using super contributions to reduce your CGT bill
Making super contributions not only helps with saving for your retirement; it can also be a useful tool for minimising your tax bill in the right situation.
Read moreA super guide to understanding the bring-forward rule
The bring-forward rule represents an important opportunity to put more money into your super account in a particular year if you receive an inheritance or are getting close to retirement. Here’s a simple guide to how it works.
Read moreHow do tax-deductible superannuation contributions work?
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.
Read moreSalary sacrifice and super: How does it work?
From 1 January 2020, your salary sacrificed super contributions can’t be used by your employer to reduce their SG payment obligations, regardless of the amount you elect to salary sacrifice.
Read moreSUPERANNUATION
Selecting your super fund: Can I make the choice?
Uncertain about whether or not you can choose your own super fund? Check out our simple guide to the current fund choice rules.
Read moreSuperannuation Glossary
Brush up on the super lexicon with our extensive glossary. 15% pension offset: A 15% tax offset available against assessable pension income if you use super money to purchase a pension income stream. The tax offset reduces your tax liability. ABS: Australian Bureau of Statistics Account-based pension: Regular retirement income stream purchased with money from […]
Read moreContribution splitting: How to boost your spouse’s super
Topping up your spouse’s super account can be an easy way to build the nest egg you have to share during your retirement. Here are two easy ways to boost your spouse’s super balance.
Read more3 steps to making a complaint about your super fund
If you have an issue with your super fund, there are steps you can take that will lead to the best chance of resolution.
Read moreHow is super split in a divorce?
When couples divorce, super is often overlooked in favour of more readily accessible assets. While that’s understandable, ignoring super can result in serious financial disadvantage in the long term. Get the lowdown on what happens to super in the event of a relationship breakdown.
Read moreYour tax guide to accessing your super over age 60
Knowing how much tax you’ll pay when you withdraw your super savings is important and the rules change once you reach age 60.
Read moreAccessing super: Ceasing employment after 60
Retire at 60, grab your tax-free super and ride off into the distance. Sounds like a plan, but as with everything to do with super, the devil is in the detail.
Read moreINVESTMENT PERFORMANCE
Super fund performance: Monthly returns to March 2021
Super funds continued their phoenix-like rise from the COVID ashes in March, with the median Growth fund up 1.9% for the month and an extraordinary 12.2% for the first 9 months of the financial year.
Read moreWhat are lifecycle super funds, and how do they perform?
The surprisingly strong share market rally from April through to August resulted in strong positive returns for all Lifecycle cohorts during that period.
Read more