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4 October 2026

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Edition 11

  •   19 April 2013
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Welcome from Chris Cuffe

Anyone involved in the management of an SMSF should spend 10 minutes reading ASIC Commissioner Peter Kell’s recent speech to CPA Australia. We have a link in our ‘Off the Cuffe’ section, as well as highlights. It carries many warnings from the regulator, especially the desire not to see SMSFs become the “vehicle of choice for property spruikers”. I share ASIC’s concern at the leverage and single asset exposure of such investments, and Graham Hand examines the veracity of some of the claims made by property promoters targeting SMSFs.

It’s amazing that more than half of the new money flowing into US defined-contribution pension plans is invested in lifecycle funds, which change asset allocation depending on the member’s age, yet such funds are tiny in Australia. Our ‘default’ options are balanced funds which retain the same asset mix irrespective of age. David Bell explores the pros and cons of each, especially important since the two alternatives are the choices for the coming MySuper options.

Our demographer, Bruce Gregor, suggests that using dynamic retirement age principles will give us a different and brighter perspective on old age dependency, while John Stroud advocates a healthy dose of realism and honesty when setting an investment strategy. And Rick Cosier reflects on the dozens of fund manager and platform presentations he watches each year, and how they fail to excite and to present genuinely innovative products.

Chris

Latest posts from Cuffelinks, 19 April 2013, Edition 11

  • A brighter view of dependency ratios Bruce Gregor
  • Are lifecycle funds appropriate for MySuper products? David Bell
  • Wealth managers need a new car not a faster horse Rick Cosier
  • SMSF property spruikers on borrowed time Graham Hand
  • Investment strategies need healthy dose of realism John Stroud

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  •   19 April 2013
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