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18 October 2026
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An ANU study has found that families with at least one super balance over $3 million have average wealth exceeding $19 million - suggesting most are well placed to absorb taxes on unrealised capital gains.
The new super tax is a heavy surcharge on long-term investments because most of the gains from growth assets such as shares and property come from value gains which are mainly due to inflation.
The equity or inequity of super tax breaks for retirees has provoked intense debate among Firstlinks' readers. Some view them as a travesty while others believe they're fair and what the system was designed to do.
Superannuation has become a bit of a political football and there's noise around further changes to the system. While super isn't perfect, more changes could add further complexity to a system that's served us well.
Rather than compare results against APRA's benchmark, large super funds which failed the YFYS performance test are using another measure such as a CPI+ target, with more favourable results to show their members.
The solutions to retirement problems are obvious. All we need are 'efficiency' and 'flexibility'. Learn what these two words mean and the future of superannuation policy is clear. Just don't tell Paul Keating.
Senator Jane Hume is the new Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology. Her first public statements included no new policies but a commitment to delivering greater efficiencies.
An SMSF can buy business real property and lease it to a member and the laws and processes are clear. The rent paid is classed as income from the investment rather than a contribution from the member.
The added complexity of the new superannuation rules increases the compliance burden for investors and their advisers, and the requirements around the $1.6 million threshold are especially complex.
The ATO has announced a relaxed approach to the treatment of death benefit income streams by a spouse provided action is taken before 1 July 2017.
The transfer balance cap affects the amount of a deceased member’s benefits that can be paid to the surviving spouse as a pension or income stream, but there’s a way to retain it in the super system.
Government-sponsored reviews often focus on costs and efficiencies because they are easier to measure, but far greater gains can be made if the super system is encouraged to innovate, even if it comes with costs.
A high-profile dividend cut and a prominent fund manager’s apology have reignited a long-running debate. If investors can access similar exposures more cheaply and efficiently elsewhere, what exactly is keeping LICs alive?
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.
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.
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.
The value of a testamentary trust is not determined by wealth alone. Depending on circumstances, it can reduce the tax burden on inherited income, create efficiencies and help build intergenerational wealth.
House prices are sliding across Australia, yet the most dangerous ingredient for a housing crash is still missing. If job losses surge amid growing economic risks, today's correction could become a historic property downturn.