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Monica Rule

Top 10 hints for SMSF trustees before 30 June

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.

The merits of reversionary versus non-reversionary pensions

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.

SMSFs can lend to some relatives

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.

SMSFs investing in overseas real estate

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.

Meeting the work test for contributions

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.

Watch SMSF borrowing rules for separate assets

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.

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SMSF strategies

Division 296: the initial moves to make before the windows close

What if the best superannuation strategy isn't about earning more, but acting before your options disappear? Several overlooked planning windows are narrowing, with consequences that can last for decades.

Planning

Avoid unnecessary CGT with this estate planning clause

A simple estate plan can create a ticking time bomb. One overlooked clause can pit spouses against children, delay inheritances, and potentially leave a family facing an unexpected tax bill worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Exchange traded products

The hidden trade-off in fixed income ETFs

Some investment trade-offs are immediately visible. Others are embedded in the way a portfolio is constructed. Understanding the difference may explain why similar-looking investments can produce surprisingly different results.

Retirement

The mortgage free retirement is fading

What happens when a generation reaches retirement carrying obligations previous generations largely avoided? New research suggests we may need to rethink both how much we need in retirement and what life could look like.

Retirement

The key question to inspire a confident and purposeful retirement

Most people spend decades planning for retirement. Far fewer plan for what happens when they get there. The difference may explain why so many find the transition harder and less fulfilling than expected, despite careful preparation.

Latest from Morningstar

Making the case for a 'good enough' portfolio

Some investors spend years chasing the perfect strategy. Others choose a path that’s simply good enough and move on. Which approach is more likely to deliver both better outcomes and a happier financial life over the long run?

Investment strategies

Is the US market as expensive as CAPE says?

Many investing ideas survive for decades. But that does not make them right. A famous valuation measure implies that US shares are dangerously expensive, but the evidence may point to a very different conclusion.

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