October 2020 newsletter

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.

Tracey Spicer talks to Chris Brycki from Stockspot about their annual Fat Cat Funds Report which assesses the best and worst performing super funds.

You’ve barely reached mid-career and retirement can still seem a long way off. But there are some important things you need to check when it comes to your super, so here are 10 top tips to help ensure your retirement plans are on track.

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.

In your 60s and 70s, super is still very important. There are important decisions to make and you need to keep a close eye on how your super investments are performing. Here are some tips on what to keep an eye on.

Learn how you can easily find your lost or unclaimed super and transfer it to another super account.

Superannuation is a long-term investment but that doesn’t mean you can afford to put off thinking about it indefinitely.

Just because we may be compelled to have superannuation, is no reason to leave it to its fate. In fact, playing a role in how your super is invested is one of the key ways we can influence its outcome. Here we break down the key concepts to help you gain confidence with the investing side of super.

When it comes to super, it’s still a man’s world. That means it’s up to women to even the score. We show you how.

Now that some of the initial hype has gone out of cryptocurrencies, it’s a good time to take a clear-eyed view of their investment potential.

Property investment is popular with SMSFs, so it’s important to understand what your fund can and can’t claim as investment property tax deductions.

If you are a passionate collector or connoisseur, then you may be able to use that knowledge to boost your retirement savings.

There are legitimate reasons for maintaining reserves in your SMSF, but the ATO is keen to point out that avoiding tax is not one of them.

You satisfy the retirement provisions of Australia’s super legislation if you have reached your preservation age, you have ceased gainful employment and you have no intention of becoming gainfully employed again in the future.

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.

You can access your super in Australia when you turn 65. It is the most straightforward condition of release. To apply for your super benefits you should contact your super fund.

Bruce Manners from retirenotes.com talks to Tracey Spicer about some of the key factors that people need to consider when planning their retirement, the importance of passions, interests and priorities and how to test-drive your own retirement.

Tracey Spicer talks to Jill Weeks, co-author of the book Where to retire in Australia about popular retirement towns across the country, and what to consider if you thinking about a seachange or treechange.

As a retirement coach I help people with their emotional (non-financial) journey to a fulfilling retired life. The definition of a ‘fulfilling retired life’ is very personal, which means it can’t be defined by a checklist.