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17 September 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.
The fight over testamentary trusts looked settled. Then the draft legislation arrived. Hidden in a technical detail is a question that could force many families to rethink wills they thought were already future-proof.
Investors have long accepted one portfolio rule without much question. A major tax shift could change that calculation entirely, forcing difficult trade-offs between risk, discipline and an overlooked cost lurking beneath.
For years, investors have benefited from a seemingly reliable growth story. But recent national accounts raise uncomfortable questions about what has really been driving Australia’s economy and whether that can continue unchecked.
The stocks that built retirement balances over the past decade now dominate many portfolios. The new challenge is whether these companies can continue meeting the increasingly high expectations embedded in today's share prices.
Sometimes the most important information in an earnings result isn't the number itself. It's the possibility that the market's assumptions have been fundamentally wrong and future earnings may look very different.
A rarely discussed detail buried in SMSF structures could dramatically change who wears the cost when something goes wrong. With penalties rising, a decision many dismissed as administrative may deserve a second look.
Buying global shares means making two bets: on the companies and on the Australian dollar. Most investors consciously choose only the first. Last financial year, the second bet cost 8.5% in returns for many investors.