Check your super When you start to plan for retirement, you’ll need to check your super: You can do this in 5 simple steps with the ATO’s super health check. For most people it only takes a few minutes. It’s important to know your total super balance and contributions caps, especially if you plan to contribute to your super. When…
Maximising super contributions for your spouse is a smart financial move that can benefit both your partner and your family’s long-term financial security. By actively contributing to your spouse’s super account, you not only help them build a more substantial retirement nest egg, but also enjoy potential tax benefits in the process. However, it’s essential…
As the end of financial year gets closer, some investors are thinking about the most effective ways to boost their super balance, particularly with an increase in the caps on contributions from 1 July. The concessional contributions cap, which is the maximum in before-tax contributions you can add to your super each year without paying…
The much-debated tax on superannuation balances over $3 million is inching closer and those who may be affected should ensure they have considered the implications. Although it is not yet law, the Division 296 tax should be taken into account when it comes to investment strategy and planning, particularly in relation to any end-of-financial-year contributions…
Overview If your relationship with your spouse ends, you should be aware of what can happen to the super entitlements of you both. The Family Court and super-splitting laws generally enable super interests (accounts in super funds) or super payments (pensions or annuities) to be split by agreement or court order if a relationship breaks…
The rules around making some types of super contributions have been relaxed in recent years, so it’s worth exploring the different opportunities available to you before making a large contribution.i What are contribution caps? Given the tax-effective environment of Australia’s super system, there are annual limits on how much you can contribute each financial year….
Did you know from age 55, you may be eligible to make a super contribution of up to $300,000 using the proceeds from the sale of your home? Downsizing your home in retirement could have several upsides – some money in your pocket, less maintenance, and depending on your new location, greater convenience. If it’s…
Ensuring you’ve structured your finances tax-effectively is always a concern, but with new tax rules for super on the horizon, many people with large balances are considering alternative vehicles to save for retirement. Unsurprisingly, this has sparked a renewed interest in an old favourite – trusts. Trusts have always been popular in Australia, with the…
If you’re lucky enough to have received a windfall, perhaps an inheritance or a retrenchment payout, your first decision will be what to do with it. Assuming you have decided against a shopping splurge, finding the best place to invest a lump sum is all about the effect on your tax bill and how soon…
Preparing for loss of capacity or death is vital for SMSF members. It’s important to ensure your trust deed is watertight. There are more than 600,000 self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) in Australia, managing close to $900 billion of assets on behalf of over a million Australians. Each SMSF’s trust deed is legally required to set…