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20 September 2024

Home / Sponsors / Heffron

Heffron

We are an independent SMSF specialist firm that helps trustees, financial advisers and accountants use SMSFs effectively as a retirement saving structure.

For 20 years we have been at the forefront of providing SMSF solutions and today we are one of Australia’s largest independent SMSF service providers.

Our team of market leading experts provide education and training, technical support for advisers and accountants, and implementation services such as administration, actuarial certificates and document creation. With our many years of practical experience we can help you get the most out of your SMSF.

Heffron SMSF

To find out more, visit www.heffron.com.au.

Latest sponsor articles

Meg on SMSFs: At last, movement on legacy pensions

Draft regulations released this week finally provide the framework for unwinding legacy pensions cleanly and simply for members who choose to do so. There are some caveats though, including a time limit.

Meg on SMSFs: Winding up SMSFs paying a pension requires care

It’s common to assume that once a member decides to wind up their SMSF, it should happen as quickly as possible. But sometimes slowing down can be important, particularly if there are pensions involved.

Meg on SMSFs: Clearing up confusion on the $3 million super tax

There seems to be more confusion than clarity about the mechanics of how the new $3 million super tax is supposed to work. Here is an attempt to answer some of the questions from my previous work on the issue. 

Meg on SMSFs: $3 million super tax coming whether we’re ready or not

A Senate Committee reported back last week with a majority recommendation to pass the $3 million super tax unaltered. It seems that the tax is coming, and this is what those affected should be doing now to prepare for it.

Meg on SMSFs: When the first member of a couple dies

The surviving spouse has a lot to think about when a member of an SMSF dies. While it pays to understand the options quickly, often they’re best served by moving a little more slowly before making final decisions.

Meg on SMSFs: Super concepts to explain to your kids (or grandchildren)

For those in their 20s and 30s, it’s tempting to give super the bare minimum of attention. If you have family members in this stage, there are two quirky super benefits worth telling them about which could be surprisingly valuable.

Meg on SMSFs: Is contribution splitting a forgotten strategy?

It's a surprise how rarely we see ‘spouse contribution splitting’ in SMSFs. This type of splitting is a special rule that effectively allows someone to ‘give’ some of their super contributions to their spouse.

Meg on SMSFs: Why a trust deed is still important

Even though SMSF trust deeds are often generic nowadays and almost always easy to change, they’re still vital. They’re definitely not all the same so it’s important that SMSF trustees know what they’ve got.

Meg on SMSFs: Facts and figures 2023/24

This is your Quick Reference Guide for the year’s important facts and figures. It includes what you need to know on personal tax rates and offsets, as well as super contributions, caps, benefits, and thresholds.

Meg on SMSFs: Is a binding death benefit nomination worth it?

A binding death benefit nomination makes sense if you belong to an APRA super fund, yet how about if all of your super is in an SMSF? Here are the pros and cons of having such a nomination in your SMSF.

Meg on SMSFs: negative earnings and the $3 million tax

There’s no good news in the draft legislation for 'Division 296 tax', the new name for the tax on super over $3 million. These worked examples show the flaw in taxing unrealised gains. And stop calling it a 30% tax.

Meg on SMSFs: Timing and the new super tax

Many people spooked by the proposed new tax on super balances over $3 million are contemplating withdrawing large amounts in the next few years before the tax takes effect. This isn't a good idea for most people.

Meg on SMSFs: should I start my pension before selling assets?

Tax breaks are one reason to have long term investments in super because it can mean a complete tax exemption on capital gains that have built up over years. But is it essential to start the pension before selling assets?

Meg on SMSFs: why my kids don’t belong to my SMSF… yet

Should you bring your children into your SMSF? It's a complex issue that's likely to be different for everyone, though here are some considerations before making a decision - one that hopefully satisfies all parties.

Meg on SMSFs: watch traps in EOFY contributions

Claiming tax deductions for personal super contributions can be an excellent EOFY step, but there are traps to avoid and paperwork which cannot be overlooked. The ATO watches that super is administered correctly.

Meg on SMSFs: Adjusting to the new tax on super over $3 million

It started out as a simple idea, but the closer the implications of the new $3 million super tax are examined, the more complex it becomes. It may require thinking differently about investments after 30 June 2025.

Meg on SMSFs: Total Super Balance quirks unpacked

The Total Superannuation Balance (TSB) may sound self explanatory but many people with large super balances are about to care far more about exactly what goes into a TSB. And there are some quirks to understand.  

Meg on SMSFs: Four ways super pensions are better in SMSFs

In many ways, super pensions in an SMSF and a large public fund are the same, but flexibility differences give the SMSF features such as drawing money out as needed, managing as a couple and no need to move assets.

Meg on SMSFs: Is it better to wait until July to start your pension?

The 'transfer balance cap' will increase to $1.9 million from 1st July, but only those who don't start pensions until then will get the full increase. Many retirees are wondering if they should wait to start pensions in their SMSFs.

Sponsor White Papers

The ins and outs of SMSF pensions

Superannuation is ultimately about saving for retirement. But even once you retire, you don’t have to take all your money out of super. Often the best way to manage it in the long term, is to start a 'superannuation income stream' or 'pension' within your SMSF.

Everything you need to know about super contributions in FY23

Superannuation comes with some great tax breaks and like anything with great tax concessions, there are rules to follow. In this guide, we run through some of the key contribution rules and some handy tips about how to make the most of them.

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An important Foxtel announcement...

News Corp's plans to sell Foxtel are surprising in that streaming assets Kayo, Binge and Hubbl look likely to go with it. This and recent events in the US show the bind that legacy TV businesses find themselves in.

Warren Buffett changes his mind at age 93

This month, Buffett made waves by revealing he’d sold almost 50% of his shares in Apple in the second quarter. The sale not only shows that Buffett has changed his mind on the stock but remains at the peak of his powers.

Wealth transfer isn't just about 'saving it up and passing it on'

We’ve seen how the transfer of wealth can work well, with inherited wealth helping families grow and thrive for generations, as well as how things can go horribly wrong. Here are tips on how to get it right.

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 575 with weekend update

A new study has found Australians far outlive people in other English-speaking countries. We live four years longer than the average American and two years more than the average Briton, and some of the reasons why may surprise you.

  • 29 August 2024

The challenges of building a portfolio from scratch

It surprises me how often individual investors and even seasoned financial professionals don’t know the basics of building an investment portfolio. Here is a guide to do just that, as well as the challenges involved.

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 573 with weekend update

Steve Eisman, best known for his ‘Big Short’ bet against US subprime mortgages before the 2008 financial crisis, is now long and betting on what he thinks are the two biggest stories of our time: AI and infrastructure.

  • 15 August 2024

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