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28 April 2026
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Super reviews aggregate retirees into an impersonal number on a chart, but the 2,700 Australians who retire each week are undergoing a major change in their lives. Why and when do they retire and then what?
Australians don't need dodgy schemes in Caribbean islands to hide their wealth. There are plenty of legal ways to avoid paying tax but they will leave personal income tax carrying a heavy burden for future generations.
An actuary warns of the frustrations he experienced as executor of his brother's will, a role he expected to be straightforward. He knew super does not automatically form part of an estate but there are traps for all to learn.
With the best will in the world, family disputes often occur on the death of a family member. SMSFs often hold substantial assets, and the role of trustees and death benefit nominations is tricky.
The $1.6 million Transfer Balance Cap (TBC) on pension accounts affects only capital balances. It’s not affected by income earned and pensions paid, and there are ways to maximise the remaining tax-free status.
It’s crucial for super fund or SMSF members to understand the law as it relates to death benefit nominations to ensure desired outcomes are achieved. Don't leave a mess for others to fix.
If proposed super changes are enacted, the lifetime cap on non-concessional contributions will confine the re-contribution strategy and significantly increase the tax payable on death benefits. Was that intended?
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.
The benefits received from super if premature death, terminal illness or permanent injury prevent you or your spouse from working to retirement age vary in their conditions and taxation, so it's good to be informed early.
Technical but important - recent amendments allow the income on investments supporting a non-reversionary pension to continue as exempt current pension income after the death of the member.
Protecting your wealth and standard of living is just as important as building it in the first place. You are gambling with your financial future if you do not have adequate insurance.
Stay on top of the latest changes to superannuation rates and thresholds for 2026, including increases to transfer balance cap, concessional contributions cap, and non-concessional contributions cap.
The Strait of Hormuz closure due to US-Iran conflict severely disrupted global energy supply chains. While various emergency measures mitigated the crude impact, the refined product market faces unprecedented stress.
With the upcoming budget increasingly likely to include bold proposals to alter the tax code I’ve outlined three incremental steps with fewer unintended consequences.
The perceived underperformance of LICs compared to ETFs is due to existing comparison data excluding crucial information, highlighting the need for proper assessment and transparent reporting.
The Home Equity Access Scheme in Australia allows older homeowners to tap into their home equity for retirement income, yet remains underused due to lack of awareness and its perceived complexity.
Debate over the CGT discount is intensifying amid concerns about intergenerational equity and housing affordability. This analysis shows that the 'discount' does not necessarily favor property investors.