Note: This article explains the benefits of state Seniors Cards, and how to apply for a card in your state. Information is current as at July 2018. If you’re seeking information on the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC), then check out SuperGuide article Are you eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health ... Read more
Financial advice: Only 114 independent financial advisers in Australia
Note: This article is updated regularly when new financial advisers join the independence club (latest update August 2018). A financial adviser does not have to be a member of the IFAAA to join the SuperGuide list, provided they can declare that they satisfy the requirements of being an independent adviser (we now have ... Read more
Responsible investment: A guide to investing your values with your super account
Although super fund members want their super fund to produce a good investment return every year, many also want their money to be invested responsibly and in line with their personal values. Some super fund members feel uncomfortable with their retirement savings supporting activities like fossil fuel mining, ... Read more
Investment returns after retirement: Understanding the 10/30/60 Rule
When Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) governor Philip Lowe effectively ruled out an interest rate rise in the foreseeable future, retirees around Australia were not exactly thrilled. The RBA has already kept official interest rates on hold at 1.5% since August 2016 and this ultra-low rate has made retirement planning ... Read more
Super pensions: choosing an investment option in retirement
Most people think all the hard work of creating a retirement income is over once they collect their final pay cheque, but decisions still need to be made about how to invest your hard-earned super savings. Although people often choose to take their super account balance and invest it themselves during their ... Read more
SMSF advice: Is your accountant still allowed to help your fund?
Being the trustee of a self-managed super fund can be a challenging task at times, and most people need a bit of help at certain stages when running an SMSF, particularly when a decision, or strategy, requires financial advice. Traditionally, many Australians have turned to their accountant for assistance, but under ... Read more
Seeking financial advice? A 5-step guide to obtaining expert help
After the major shake-up of the super system in July 2017, Australians saving for their retirement, or now in retirement, face a revised set of rules when it comes to their super contributions and super pensions. Unfortunately, the new rules have not made things easier to understand and many of us still need financial ... Read more
New body to handle super complaints from November 2018
Disputes about your superannuation and other finances are never fun, but the complexity of the current system makes the process even tougher. Just working out which of the multiple external dispute resolution bodies is the right one to approach has long been a source of frustration for super fund members and consumers ... Read more
Women and carers ignored by super industry and law-makers
I first wrote about the unfairness of Australia’s super system for most women in the Melbourne Age in July 2007. Incredibly, nothing much has changed in the past decade or so, and the recent draft report on super by the Productivity Commission largely ignores the issue of so many women facing retirement with very ... Read more
Age Pension calculator: How much could you be eligible for?
Welcome to the SuperGuide Age Pension calculator. Using the calculator is easy. Enter your details in the calculator below (in the yellow blocks) and you will see an estimate of amount of Age Pension you may be eligible for. Note: The Age Pension rates used in the calculator are those that apply from 20 March 2018 ... Read more
Super contributions: Turning 65 part-way through the year
Q: I turn 65 in March 2019, which means I will be 64 years of age for a large part of the 2018/2019 financial year, but of course I turn 65 during the 2018/2019 financial year. My understanding is that because I will be under 65 for part of the 2018/2019 financial year then I can exercise the bring-forward provisions ... Read more
Pension Loans Scheme: 10 facts you need to know
Retirees are always looking for new ways to boost their retirement income or to pay for expenses, like home care. Although downsizing to a small home can be one option, the Pension Loans Scheme (PLS) offered by the federal government is a rarely considered alternative. Although the PLS has been around for about 30 ... Read more
