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29 October 2026
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Many people believe it is not possible to hold more than $1.6 million in assets supporting pension accounts, but there's good news for the reader asking this question.
A more detailed response to comments on the previous article requesting clarification on the ability to segregate assets in superannuation, especially for SMSFs and members with over $1.6 million.
The added complexity of the new superannuation rules increases the compliance burden for investors and their advisers, and the requirements around the $1.6 million threshold are especially complex.
The accounting profession has been sold a pup by the ASIC licensing rules which allow accountants to advise on SMSFs. It's a different business model requiring full financial risk and due diligence analysis.
The SMSF market is facing two important changes: AFSL requirements for accountants who advise SMSF clients and the ATO closing a loophole on interest-free loans provided to SMSFs by its members.
In 1999, the ATO assumed regulatory control of SMSFs as they were seen as tax vehicles, not serious retirement funds. In 2015, does the ATO have any role in ensuring that SMSF members have a comfortable retirement?
What if the best superannuation strategy isn't about earning more, but acting before your options disappear? Several overlooked planning windows are narrowing, with consequences that can last for decades.
A simple estate plan can create a ticking time bomb. One overlooked clause can pit spouses against children, delay inheritances, and potentially leave a family facing an unexpected tax bill worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Some investment trade-offs are immediately visible. Others are embedded in the way a portfolio is constructed. Understanding the difference may explain why similar-looking investments can produce surprisingly different results.
What happens when a generation reaches retirement carrying obligations previous generations largely avoided? New research suggests we may need to rethink both how much we need in retirement and what life could look like.
Most people spend decades planning for retirement. Far fewer plan for what happens when they get there. The difference may explain why so many find the transition harder and less fulfilling than expected, despite careful preparation.
Some investors spend years chasing the perfect strategy. Others choose a path that’s simply good enough and move on. Which approach is more likely to deliver both better outcomes and a happier financial life over the long run?
Many investing ideas survive for decades. But that does not make them right. A famous valuation measure implies that US shares are dangerously expensive, but the evidence may point to a very different conclusion.