Investable mega-trends were poised to profoundly impact on investment strategies within the next five years, but identifying their turning point was key to capitalising on the emerging opportunities, according to a Zurich Financial Services Australia white paper.

Execution-only SMSF establishment was dangerous territory for accountants choosing not to be licensed for SMSF advice, as clients could assume the set-up was a recommendation, according to an industry executive.

The ATO will soon clarify its compliance stance on the segregated method for SMSF assets being used to fund a pension after it recently received a significant number of queries on the subject.

Superannuation veteran and SMSF technical specialist David Shirlow will be leaving Macquarie Bank at the end of this week. Shirlow has been involved in the superannuation industry since 1985 and was head of Macquarie Adviser Services that provided technical support to financial advisers. More recently he was an executive director with Macquarie Bank. Shirlow be […]

SMSF advisers recommending reserving strategies for their clients need to be aware the reserves in question must be set out for a specific purpose, according to an industry expert.

The SMSF Association has launched an accreditation program to provide independent validation of fundamental sector knowledge and practical skills.

The old maxim that “knowledge is king” has never been truer than when it comes to SMSFs. Ask any accountant or financial planner who has worked in the SMSF industry and they’ll know from first-hand experience the laws are tough, complex and can easily turn into a disaster for the unerring SMSF trustee in breach of those laws.

Trustees categorised as coach seekers and outsourcers wanted help with their SMSFs and were open to an advice relationship, according to the latest report from nabtrade and the SMSF Association.

A leading SMSF law firm has criticised the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) recommendation that an SMSF should in most circumstances not be established unless superannuation benefits of $200,000 are in existence.