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3 October 2026
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It sounds appealing to acquire a property now through your SMSF with the hope of residing in the property once you retire, but there are issues and costs to check that may vary by state.
From 1 July 2018, new provisions affect SMSF members putting business real property into their SMSF, including making future contributions. But it's not the end of this popular strategy.
There are some potential solutions for those who jump the gun with SMSF property investing, but it would be much better to curb your enthusiasm and set up the SMSF well in advance.
This submission to the FSI shows the effect of gearing on returns, the ways agents target SMSFs and the modest income returns from residential property. And on cue, the latest spruiking leaflet arrived in the mail.
There are clear signs the Murray Inquiry plans to reintroduce a prohibition on borrowing by superannuation funds including SMSFs, and there is a strong case to protect the retirement savings of the unwary.
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.
We hear about what's wrong with our superannuation and retirement income systems and over time, exaggeration has crept in. We need to dispel myths and have a clear fact base as the foundation for discussion and policy.
SMSFs are being targeted by property marketers, but is a single, illiquid investment a good super strategy, with its associated leverage? ASIC is worried SMSF trustees are not seeing the full picture, so we went looking.
Conventional wisdom encourages retirees to preserve superannuation. But if those likely to qualify for the Age Pension later in life spend a little more today, it may deliver higher lifetime income and a more stable retirement.
For generations, Australian investors have backed banks, miners and dividends. But has that loyalty come at a cost? A look at the numbers raises an uncomfortable question about where future returns will come from.
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 fight over testamentary trusts looked settled. Then the draft legislation arrived. Hidden in a technical detail is a question that could force many families to rethink wills they thought were already future-proof.
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.
Investors have long accepted one portfolio rule without much question. A major tax shift could change that calculation entirely, forcing difficult trade-offs between risk, discipline and an overlooked cost lurking beneath.