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21 July 2025
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Too much choice, a guide to QE, Adele Horin on retirement, SMSF borrowing strategies, member engagement, bank hybrids and income funds.
We read about Quantitative Easing and tapering every day, but what are they and do they work? Should we worry about them? One thing is for sure - both subjects will be with us for many years to come.
Retirement often receives bad press, but whether or not you enjoy this life phase usually depends on the choices created. It's a nuanced and diverse experience and many welcome the sudden freedom.
It's too simple to assume that more choice is better for consumers and investors. It can lead to indecision and inaction, and yet some platforms persist in adding dozens of funds each year to an already vast range.
It's one thing to know the super and SMSF legislation and devise an appropriate strategy, but it's quite another if it can't be implemented in practice. Especially when bank lending policies are involved.
The top priority for all superannuation funds is improving member engagement, but most need to improve their techniques. It's one way to reduce the leakage of members, especially to SMSFs.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers aims to tackle tax reform but faces challenges. Previous reviews struggled due to political sensitivities, highlighting the need for comprehensive and politically feasible change.
You've no doubt heard about Division 296. These case studies show what people at various levels above the $3 million threshold might need to pay the ATO, with examples ranging from under $500 to more than $35,000.
The $3m super tax could be put down to the Government needing money and the wealthy being easy targets. It’s deeper than that though and this looks at the factors behind the policy and why more taxes on the wealthy are coming.
Business investment and per capita GDP have languished over the past decade and the Labor Government is conducting inquiries to find out why. Franking credits should be part of the debate about our stalling economy.
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.
In selling the super tax, Labor has repeated Treasury claims of there being $50 billion in super tax concessions annually, mostly flowing to high-income earners. This figure is vastly overstated.