Australian taxpayers should be aware that some promoters claim to offer early access to super savings by transferring a person’s super into a self-managed super fund. These schemes are illegal and heavy penalties will apply to those who participate in such schemes. Generally, individuals cannot access their super until they retire or meet a condition…
Many small business owners who run a family business and are nearing retirement face the significant decision of whether to include their adult children in their self-managed super fund (SMSF) as part of their personal and business succession planning. Including children in a family SMSF can have a critical impact on family relationships and finances,…
A responsibility that does not immediately spring to mind when managing a self-managed super fund is working out what will happen if a member becomes incapacitated and unable to perform their trustee duties. Succession planning for an SMSF can become quite complicated if not managed on an ongoing basis. It not only requires having a…
Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) are an attractive option for those who want more control over their retirement savings. However, trustees who have run a fund for as long as SMSFs have been in existence (around 20 years) are likely to have accumulated a lot of paperwork, especially if they engaged in various super strategies throughout…
Australians can make two types of contributions each year; concessional contributions, which are taxed at 15 per cent, and non-concessional contributions, which are not taxed. There is a limit of $35,000 for concessional contributions and $180,000 for non-concessional contributions. However, individuals do have the option of using the three-year bring forward rule that allows taxpayers…
There are a lot of advantages to having a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF). Increased flexibility and control over your savings are the most obvious benefits, with many SMSF trustees and members appreciating the ability to make their own investment decisions. Other advantages include the possibility of investing in a property, the ability to manage administrative…
A transition to retirement allows older workers who are moving towards retirement to continue working, while at the same time, draw down on some of their superannuation benefits. Since its introduction in 2005 by the Australian Government, the policy has been used by many Australians as a strategy to save tax and boost super before…
It can often be quite confusing working out what will happen to your super when you die since the terminology surrounding superannuation and death can appear quite technical. A binding death benefit nomination (BDBN) is an instruction by a fund member regarding who can receive the fund member’s super benefits when they die. Having a…
Having a basic understanding the different phases that your superannuation goes through during your life can help when it comes to working out the tax treatment of an individual’s fund and any pension they take. While not directly related, the overall investment strategy of a fund will also tend to change as the super transitions…
Individuals who plan to transfer their existing super from an industry fund into an SMSF needn’t worry about going over their superannuation contribution limit. Transferring these funds, also known as ‘rolling over’, is not considered to be a super contribution since the money is already somewhere in Australia’s superannuation system. It also does not count…
