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1 April 2026
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In the lead up to the 2019 Budget, there were hundreds of submissions sent to the Treasury on how our taxes should be collected and how government income should be spent.
We take a look at what the superannuation industry suggested, in particular focussing on any changes proposed to the current super regime. None of the significant changes were adopted.
Contributions
Super balances
Benefit withdrawals
Fund administration
Graeme Colley is the Executive Manager, SMSF Technical and Private Wealth at SuperConcepts, a sponsor of Cuffelinks. This article is for general information purposes only and does not consider any individual’s investment objectives.
For more articles and papers from SuperConcepts, please click here.
So the super industry wants people to put more money into super,what a surprise. I suppose the MER on $4 trillion is much greater than the MER on $3 trillion
No mention of a Universal Pension. What would be the cost / benefit of same the budget, taking into account the huge reduction in Centerlink Staff levels?
Under the rules proposed by the labour party If I include a person on a pension or part pension into my SMSF which currently has 2 members not entitled to a part or full pension does that mean I could retain the unused imputation credits earned by the current two members.
Hi Ken, on my understanding, the 'pensioner' needed to be a member of the SMSF on 28 March 2018. They cannot be added now to gain access to a refund. (I'm not licensed to give personal advice).
From 1 July 2020, Australians aged 65 and 66 will be able to make voluntary superannuation contributions, both concessional and non-concessional, without meeting the Work Test.
Mark Carney has spoken of a rupture in the rules based system that has governed the world since 1945. That rupture means nations like Australia will need to boost defence spending and find savings elsewhere.
Lately, there's been a push by Government for lifetime income streams as a solution to retirement income challenges. We run the numbers on these products to see whether they deliver on what they promise.
One in five Australians die before retirement and most have not set up their super properly so their loved ones can benefit from all their hard work and savings.
An ageing Australia is shifting the superannuation system’s focus from accumulation to the lifecycle of retirement. While these pressures have been anticipated for decades, they are now converging at scale and driving widespread industry change.
The 20 years after Peter Costello left Treasury have been deemed wasted...by Peter Costello. The missed opportunities for Australia began long before.
An ‘affordability’ scheme making the county more vulnerable to economic shocks and contributing to the deteriorating financial situation of everyday Australians.
With the upcoming budget increasingly likely to include bold proposals to alter the tax code I’ve outlined three incremental steps with fewer unintended consequences.
Retirement planning is more than just saving enough money. Long-term care needs, housing choices, and social networks are just as critical for a happy and enjoyable life.
Stay on top of the latest changes to superannuation rates and thresholds for 2026, including increases to transfer balance cap, concessional contributions cap, and non-concessional contributions cap.
In a shift away from solely targeting low inflation, central banks are considering raising inflation targets to combat economic challenges, but face potential drawbacks and conflicts in policy implementation.
The perceived underperformance of LICs compared to ETFs is due to existing comparison data excluding crucial information, highlighting the need for proper assessment and transparent reporting.
New research shows smarter portfolio construction—not new factors—is the real edge in the hunt for alpha. However, finding it requires a fundamentally different mindset.
Many 'diversified' portfolios are increasingly driven by the same narrow set of forces. As concentration builds beneath the surface, understanding how portfolios behave - not just how they’re constructed - is critical for investors.
Current market volatility is likened to Lenin's quote on rapid change. Rising oil prices and interest rates impact bond and corporate yields, with a potential economic downturn ahead. Maintaining interest rate duration is advised.
Investors often focus on front-of-mind risks, reacting to each headline event without considering long-term impacts. Cass Sunstein and Timur Kuran define this as an "availability cascade," affecting financial decision-making.