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Monica Rule

SMSFs and house and land packages

As property investing becomes more popular with SMSFs, trustees should understand the difference between purchasing a house and land package versus a vacant lot to be built upon later.

Top 10 hints for SMSF trustees before 30 June

As 30th of June approaches, there are many things SMSF trustees should consider to make the most of their superannuation. Better not to leave these items until the last minute.

An SMSF journal entry is not enough

A warning not to take short cuts when settling a death benefit from a deceased SMSF member. Even if the payment is being transferred within the same fund, you still need to follow the law.

Collectable and personal use assets in SMSFs

If your SMSF has invested in personal assets like vintage cars or valuable artworks, new restrictions come into effect on 1 July 2016. You may need to find another way to pay for your passion.

Can an SMSF run a business?

It's tempting for an SMSF trustee to try to offset capital losses from share sales against other income by becoming a share trading business. It’s not easy to satisfy the provisions of superannuation law.

Tax paid by your SMSF can be returned to your dependants

How would you like the tax paid by your SMSF to be returned to your dependants upon your death? In some cases, an anti-detriment payment can make it possible.

Latest Updates

Superannuation

Here's what should replace the $3 million super tax

With Div. 296 looming, is there a smarter way to tax superannuation? This proposes a fairer, income-linked alternative that respects compounding, ensures predictability, and avoids taxing unrealised capital gains. 

Superannuation

Less than 1% of wealthy families will struggle to pay super tax: study

An ANU study has found that families with at least one super balance over $3 million have average wealth exceeding $19 million - suggesting most are well placed to absorb taxes on unrealised capital gains.   

Superannuation

Are SMSFs getting too much of a free ride?

SMSFs have managed to match, or even outperform, larger super funds despite adopting more conservative investment strategies. This looks at how they've done it - and the potential policy implications.  

Property

A developer's take on Australia's housing issues

Stockland’s development chief discusses supply constraints, government initiatives and the impact of Japanese-owned homebuilders on the industry. He also talks of green shoots in a troubled property market.

Economy

Lessons from 100 years of growing US debt

As the US debt ceiling looms, the usual warnings about a potential crash in bond and equity markets have started to appear. Investors can take confidence from history but should keep an eye on two main indicators.

Investment strategies

Investors might be paying too much for familiarity

US mega-cap tech stocks have dominated recent returns - but is familiarity distorting judgement? Like the Monty Hall problem, investing success often comes from switching when it feels hardest to do so.

Latest from Morningstar

A winning investment strategy sitting right under your nose

How does a strategy built around systematically buying-and-holding a basket of the market's biggest losers perform? It turns out pretty well, so why don't more investors do it?

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