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Monica Rule

Ten things for SMSF trustees to check before EOFY

As 30 June approaches there are many things SMSF trustees must consider to maintain a complying superannuation fund as well as take advantage of tax benefits. Here’s Monica’s top ten things for the ‘to do’ list.

Changes to SMSF contribution methods

If your SMSF receives contributions from an unrelated employer, you need to prepare now for changes to the way contributions are received which come into effect on 1 July. Paper transactions will soon be a thing of the past.

Beware Division 293 tax on superannuation contributions

Division 293 tax has arrived and many high income earners have already received an unexpected tax assessment on their super contributions. Find out the details and whether this new tax will affect you too.

Make sure going overseas does not spoil your SMSF

If your SMSF loses residency status while you are overseas, the tax penalties are significant enough to spoil your retirement. Being aware of the rules and options available allows you to avoid the hurt and enjoy the homecoming.

Six property potholes for SMSFs to avoid

There are stringent rules and regulations to follow when an SMSF borrows to invest in property. And despite what you might hear in the market, your SMSF cannot be used to pay off the home you live in.

SMSF borrowing for land development is not fertile ground

Using a limited recourse loan to buy property within a SMSF sounds great but the restrictions on such arrangements will work against you when it comes to improving or developing the land.

Latest Updates

SMSF strategies

Meg on SMSFs: What do we think about reversionary pensions these days?

Reversionary pensions have long been a staple of SMSF estate planning, but are they still the best option? Meg Heffron revisits a once-clear favourite and asks whether changing super rules have shifted the balance.

The ageing ‘crisis’ has not and will not happen

Rising age dependency is frequently treated as a warning sign for economies. But when actual workforce participation is examined, a strikingly different picture emerges about ageing, productivity and economic sustainability.

Retirement

How does the 4% rule stack up?

The 4% rule has long been retirement's gold standard. But after a difficult period for investors, fresh analysis suggests a more conservative approach may significantly improve the chances of making savings last.

Shares

Four charts that expose market concentration risk

Investors have recently been rewarded for backing market leaders, but history suggests this eventually comes at a cost. Now may be the time to review whether your portfolio is carrying unintended risks beneath the surface.

Investment strategies

The case for gearing beyond property

Most Australians gear into property but ignore shares. That may be a mistake. Used carefully, geared equity strategies can enhance long-term returns, reduce cash tied up in growth assets and support retirement income goals.

Economy

Australia's $1 trillion debt pile

The headlines exclaiming that Australian government debt has hit A$1 trillion and US government debt has hit $40 trillion has turned heads, but how serious are they really? Will Australia's mix of debt create challenges?

Economy

Has 100 years of growth made us any happier?

For decades, GDP has been the benchmark for economic success, but has it made us materially happier? If happiness does not rise in lockstep with prosperity, are we overlooking what constitutes a successful society?

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