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20 May 2026
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Unlike the rest of a person's estate assets, a will has no power over the decisions of trustees of a superannuation fund when it comes to the payment of a death benefit.
Transferring a death benefit pension can be complicated but new legislation from 1 July 2017 simplifies the process.
A point by point final reminder of actions needed before 30 June on large pension balances, plus good news about the timing to claim CGT relief to reset the cost base to market values.
The transfer balance cap affects the amount of a deceased member’s benefits that can be paid to the surviving spouse as a pension or income stream, but there’s a way to retain it in the super system.
Despite the confusing and technical nature of the CGT relief rules, it's important for SMSF trustees and advisers to consider their implications as decisions need to be made prior to 1 July 2017.
Superannuation death benefits paid to adult children can incur a heavy tax impost, but there are strategies available to avoid paying more tax than necessary. It's not always possible to know when you'll die.
A return to indexation of capital gains would be a fairer way to compensate households for the effects of inflation than the current discount. Importantly, it opens the door to future, broader reforms to stop the taxation of inflation.
Australia may not levy formal death duties, but a growing web of tax measures is quietly shaping what wealth passes between generations. Now, the 2026 budget adds another layer.
From oil shocks to fractured alliances, the Iran war carries the hallmarks of a historic policy misstep - one that could tip an already fragile global economy into crisis.
Marketed as a fix for inequality and housing affordability, the latest budget instead delivers a tangle of tax changes that leave everyday Australians worse off.
Copper has had a rough few weeks but investors should not ignore the potential for future price increases as supply increasingly falls behind demand.
The budget’s property tax reforms are being framed as fairness measures, but they risk splitting the housing market, penalising lower‑income investors and introducing distortions that may prove costly.
The vast and opaque world of private assets is a powerful gravitational force - and when trouble hits, it's the more liquid public equities that often the feel it first.