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Home / Author: Gordon Mackenzie

Gordon Mackenzie

How pension accounts can exceed $1.6 million

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.

Pension income and segregation in an SMSF

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.

And we’re off: super tax risks post 1 July

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.

SMSF accountants and the unexploded grenade

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.

Ructions in the SMSF market

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.

What exactly is the ATO’s role in SMSFs?

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?

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Will you run out of money in retirement?

Fear of running out has become a defining retirement anxiety. Why do some retirees die with substantial wealth while others deplete their nest egg? Evidence suggests the answer is more complicated than we think. 

Investing

The investment that sidesteps the new tax traps

Tax rules have changed, but many investors are still using yesterday’s strategies. Insurance bonds may offer advantages for those seeking greater control, tax efficiency and certainty about their wealth.

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The role of shareholder yield in a portfolio

Investors may be overlooking a timeless source of returns in a volatile market. The companies that consistently generate and return cash to shareholders have often proved remarkably resilient through uncertainty.

Shares

Australian inflation still well above the RBA's target

The RBA has spent more than three decades pursuing its 2%-3% inflation target. But the numbers tell a far more complicated story than the headlines. The results may surprise both its strongest critics and most loyal defenders.

Retirement

Retirement in reality - 5 months in

Retirement planning doesn't end when work does. Five months in, Joanne reflects on retiring at a different time to your spouse, coping with setbacks and the importance of rest. Some lessons only become clear after the fact.

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Are markets still expensive? There are the seven key indicators every investor needs to know. From gold and equities to bonds, oil, bitcoin and the US dollar. The data reveals where opportunities and risks may lie for investors today.

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Can you ride the AI bubble without overpaying?

AI may prove as transformative as the internet, but markets are behaving as if success is guaranteed. As capital races towards unprecedented levels, investors should ask whether enthusiasm is getting ahead of reality.

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