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24 December 2024
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SMSF trustees are required to value all fund assets, including property, at market value when preparing the fund's financial statements each year. Here are some key tips to ensure that you get it right.
Draft regulations released this week finally provide the framework for unwinding legacy pensions cleanly and simply for members who choose to do so. There are some caveats though, including a time limit.
While separation of assets remains one of the most reported contraventions by SMSF auditors, the question is: does a declaration of trust satisfy the requirements of SMSF regulations? There isn't a simple answer.
It’s common to assume that once a member decides to wind up their SMSF, it should happen as quickly as possible. But sometimes slowing down can be important, particularly if there are pensions involved.
Claiming a tax deduction for personal super contributions can end in disappointment if it isn't done correctly. Julie Steed looks at common pitfalls and what is required for a successful claim.
SMSF trustees need to ensure they value their assets at least annually and that those valuations are fair and reasonable, based on objective and supportable data. The ATO is particularly concerned with unlisted assets such as real estate.
We're nearing the end of the financial year and it's time for SMSFs and other super funds to make the most of the strategies available to them. Here's a 24-point checklist of the most important issues to address.
The surviving spouse has a lot to think about when a member of an SMSF dies. While it pays to understand the options quickly, often they’re best served by moving a little more slowly before making final decisions.
New data shows the number of advised SMSFs is increasing at the expense of self-directed SMSFs. It also suggests more SMSFs are turning to international markets and ETFs to diversify their investment portfolios.
A binding death benefit nomination makes sense if you belong to an APRA super fund, yet how about if all of your super is in an SMSF? Here are the pros and cons of having such a nomination in your SMSF.
There’s no good news in the draft legislation for 'Division 296 tax', the new name for the tax on super over $3 million. These worked examples show the flaw in taxing unrealised gains. And stop calling it a 30% tax.
SMSFs offer unlimited investment flexibility and most trustees make their own decisions but the majority of investments fall into five categories. There remains a strong home bias despite global opportunities.
It’s with heavy hearts that we announce Firstlinks’ co-founder and former Managing Editor, Graham Hand, has died aged 66. Graham was a legendary figure in the finance industry and here are three tributes to him.
Last year, I wrote an article suggesting returns from ASX stocks would trample those from housing over the next decade. One year later, this is an update on how that forecast is going and what's changed since.
Australia is in the early throes of an intergenerational wealth transfer worth an estimated $3.5 trillion. Here's a case study highlighting some of the challenges with transferring wealth between generations.
The Future Fund's original purpose was to meet the unfunded liabilities of Commonwealth defined benefit schemes. These liabilities have ballooned to an estimated $290 billion and taxpayers continue to be treated like fools.
ASFA provides a key guide for how much you will need to live on in retirement. Unfortunately it has many deficiencies, and the averages don't tell the full story of the growing gender superannuation gap.
The Big Four banks have had an extraordinary run and it’s left income investors with a conundrum: to stick with them even though they now offer relatively low dividend yields and limited growth prospects or to look elsewhere.