The SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) has called on the federal government to raise the concessional contributions caps from their current levels to help ensure Australians will be able to adequately fund their own retirement.

Many SMSFs and advisers to the sector are ill-prepared for Stronger Super changes that will affect them, according to lawyer Philip Broderick.

Westpac Group will roll out SMSF specialists across its phone-based services as well as its branches as part of its plans to better address the growing number of SMSF enquiries.

Allocations to property within superannuation portfolios, and in particular SMSF portfolios, will decrease in the medium to long term, according to the head of a large financial services institution.

CMC Markets Stockbroking’s most recent data analysis on its SMSF clients has shown diversification remains an issue, with trustees on average holding only four types of securities, mainly blue-chip shares.

Clients could be missing out on significant tax savings because many advisers do not understand the way minimum pension payments can be made.

The way SMSF investors use and understand franking credits associated with Australian equities leaves a lot to be desired, according to a technical expert associated with the industry.

Financial planners need to reassess the way they manage retirement incomes as restrictive, product-focused thinking is creating risks for clients.

Continued SMSF migration represents significant latent demand for professional advice and assistance, though accountants rather than financial advisers may benefit most from the trend, according to the latest Core Data research.