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Home / Author: Julie Steed

Julie Steed

Ensure death benefit nominations are upheld

It’s crucial for super fund or SMSF members to understand the law as it relates to death benefit nominations to ensure desired outcomes are achieved. Don't leave a mess for others to fix.

The impact of super changes on estate plans

The July 1 super changes will encourage many people to reconsider their estate planning, and the role of testamentary trusts should be part of the process. The range of choices has moved far beyond a will.

How super changes impact insurance and estate planning

Super fund members should review their estate plans and insurance arrangements in light of the new transfer balance cap rules.

SAFs can provide powerful estate planning solutions

The last article in our series on small APRA funds explains how SAFs can provide estate planning solutions in unique circumstances, including blended families, second marriages and adult children with special needs.

When SMSF members head for the exit

We hear a lot about establishing an SMSF, but not much about exiting one. What are the options for SMSF members when the structure is no longer appropriate as a superannuation vehicle?

The other self managed super funds

For SMSF members concerned about losing mental capacity or who no longer have the desire for trustee responsibilities, it might be worth considering a small APRA fund.

Latest Updates

Planning

Testamentary trusts have secured the CGT exemption

Treasury’s latest CGT reform draft delivers a win for testamentary trusts and deceased estates, exempting estate-derived gains from the 30% floor. However, questions on death and divorce rollovers remain unresolved.

Superannuation

How much super should you have?

Average super balances are one of the most misleading benchmarks. They ignore your goals, spending and future needs, creating a false sense of security. Here is how I calculate exactly where I need to be at every decade.

Retirement

Retiring from work is easy, retiring into life is harder

Most people spend decades planning how to retire. Far fewer plan for what comes next. The biggest retirement challenge isn't always financial, and it often catches even the most prepared retirees completely off guard.

Shares

Right asset class, wrong index: the trap in Australian small caps

Most Australian portfolios are concentrated in large caps, with relatively little exposure to smaller companies. But what if the biggest risk isn't the economy, interest rates or valuations? For many, the risk is hidden in plain sight.

Property

Are these assets the missing piece in Australian portfolios?

Many investors remain concentrated in shares, cash and property. Despite their popularity among institutional investors, real assets remain underrepresented in many SMSF portfolios. Could they be the missing piece?

Investment strategies

The biggest risk that buy-and-hold investors ignore

Investors spend decades learning how to stay invested, yet few have a plan for getting out. When a financial goal has a hard deadline, a worked example shows why a fixed derisking schedule should outrank buy-and-hold discipline.

Investment strategies

How passive investing is driving the decline of active fund alpha

Why have active managers struggled as passive investing has surged? Research suggests that flows into index funds and ETFs are creating structural headwinds, penalising the stock-picking strategies that once generated alpha.

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