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17 September 2026
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Continuing our series on EOFY strategies, there are many things SMSF trustees should check immediately, with updated comments where relevant on the implications of the budget proposals.
Due to the complexity of superannuation law, it can be easy for SMSF trustees to miss out on some opportunities, including the use of reversionary pensions for tax and estate planning benefits.
When is family not family? In the case of SMSF members lending to their relatives, some are more 'related' than others. Even so, you still need to comply with arm's length transaction rules.
While it is possible for an SMSF to invest in overseas real estate, staying on the right side of the superannuation law and regulations in the foreign country may be more trouble than it’s worth.
Not all superannuation is the same. When making contributions after turning 65, it seems the rule for the work test is different for SMSFs and public funds.
The superannuation law allows SMSFs to borrow under a limited recourse borrowing arrangement to acquire an asset, but if multiple assets are involved, like a property on more than one title, things can get complicated.
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.