Most people try to avoid dealing with their own mortality, but death is a critical issue requiring detailed planning for SMSF trustees, writes Olivia Long. Read any research report about why people set up an SMSF and having control of their retirement savings is near or at the top of the list. People opt for […]

The corporate governance practices of the underlying companies in which a real estate investment trust (REIT) chooses to purchase shares is the most important factor to acknowledge when assessing the merits of these investment vehicles, according to a specialist fund manager. “If you could only look at one thing, corporate governance would be the thing […]

You may be mistaken for thinking the hot topic for SMSFs involves leveraging property investments or even strategic asset allocation. In fact, the humble trust deed is one of the most topical of all SMSF-related issues I have come across.

SMSF trustees need to have planned some tax minimisation strategies well in advance of the commencement of a pension, and also should allow for any future change in member circumstances, a superannuation technical specialist has warned. Addressing the situation of trustees wanting to separate the taxable component of their benefits from the tax-free component, BT […]

Research into the superannuation industry has shown financial planners’ expectations of how much SMSF client revenue would contribute to their practices over the past three years have not been met.

The fourth annual SMSF Service Provider Awards have named the most innovative and top performing businesses in the sector as voted by trustees. Industry research specialist CoreData, in conjunction with , recently hosted the awards ceremony in Sydney, recognising the leading market participants across the SMSF value chain. The best of the best were acknowledged across […]

SMSF trustees must place greater importance on their estate planning arrangements and engage with a professional adviser, otherwise they could experience pitfalls and expensive court cases due to incorrect documentation. “One of the biggest issues is the actual need for estate planning with super because most trustees are mistaken in the fact that they think […]

Putting in place a binding death benefit nomination (BDBN) that does not lapse after three years should be the preferred estate planning strategy for SMSF trustees, according to a specialist superannuation educator. Speaking at the Australian Investors Association 2016 National Conference, SuperConcepts executive manager of SMSF education David Busoli said: “With binding death benefit nominations […]