Articles

Filter

Topic

Ethics

Retirement

SMSF/superannuation

Tax

Sort: Date Added (new to old)

Published (new to old) Published (old to new)

No matching articles were found. Please update your search criteria and try again.

Age Pension & Aged Care

What impact does aged care have on your client’s Age Pension

Published 10 Jun 2020

This article looks at the various decisions made by clients who enter or are living in residential aged care which have implications for Centrelink....

Income streams/pensions

Advice considerations for client’s affected by redundancy

Published 9 Jun 2020

The consequence of this for many Australians has been redundancy. Coming to terms with redundancy can be difficult to deal with, emotionally and financially. In such cases, getting the right financial advice is critical. Advice will not only mitigate the impact of future uncertainty, but also help clients financially transition...

ECPI, segregation and actuarial certificates

Reduction in the minimum pension requirements

Published 18 May 2020

Recently we have seen large falls in the market and corresponding decreases in superannuation balances due to Covid-19. In response to this, a temporary reduction in the required minimum pension payments for account-based pensions and market-linked pensions (including allocated pensions) has been introduced for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 income years....

Accumulation & contributions

What should my client consider when making super contributions before EOY?

Published 26 Apr 2020

About this time every financial year, it’s a good time to review any super contribution opportunities for clients. However, since March 2020 there has been high volatility in investment markets, which may have created extra potential for clients to benefit....

Age Pension & Aged Care

Is your client’s principal home really exempt from social security assessment?

Published 24 Apr 2020

Many clients may not be aware that simple changes like moving to another home or renting out part of the home to a paying guest can impact their Age Pension entitlement. Therefore, advice plays an important role to help clients understand the rules and minimise any impact on current or...

Income streams/pensions

Contribution caps and the Total Superannuation Balance

Published 9 Apr 2020

Contribution caps limit the amount a member can contribute to the superannuation system each year without penalty. This article will examine the current contribution rules, and how from 1 July 2017 a member’s total superannuation balance will impact their contribution caps. ...

ECPI, segregation and actuarial certificates

Commuting and recommencing pensions: the requirement to re-calculate the tax free and taxable components

Published 5 Apr 2020

This article will look at the requirement to calculate the tax free and taxable components when commencing an income stream, with a specific focus on when an income stream is commuted and recommenced....

Age Pension & Aged Care

Strategies to maximise cash flow for aged care clients

Published 1 Apr 2020

This article will explore some fundamental strategies that can help maximise the cash flow of clients who are moving into an aged care home. ...

Age Pension & Aged Care

Granny flats deprivation and home ownership

Published 1 Apr 2020

This article explains the Centrelink treatment of granny flat arrangements to help you advise on granny flat strategies. ...

Age Pension & Aged Care

Common FAQs for low means residents

Published 1 Apr 2020

This article answers some common questions from advisers about their ‘low means’ aged care clients’ strategies. ...

ECPI, segregation and actuarial certificates

Pension commencements and exempt income

Published 19 Mar 2020

Any new income stream commenced in a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) after 19 September 2007 will be an account-based type pension. These pensions must meet the minimum pension standards and are required to pay a specified minimum amount at least once a year....

Accumulation & contributions

Making contributions when overseas

Published 12 Mar 2020

Everyone enjoys traveling to different countries, which can include taking short holidays, extended trips or even moving overseas. For members of a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF), taking a regular holiday is not an issue, but those who are overseas for an extended period need to be aware of what this...

Income streams/pensions

How should I structure a lifetime income stream?

Published 3 Mar 2020

In this article we address the question of 'how much' a client may invest in a lifetime income stream to achieve their goals. Catch up on part one where we explored the considerations as to which spouse should own the lifetime income stream. ...

Income streams/pensions

Returning to work after starting a pension

Published 30 Jan 2020

Once eligible, it is common for a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) to commence paying a retirement phase income stream to a member, in order to start drawing down on retirement savings and access the exempt current pension income (ECPI) on fund earnings. This article will consider what happens to an...

Defined benefit & market-linked pensions

Why defined benefit pensions are not 100% tax exempt

Published 20 Dec 2019

Unlike most pensions in a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF), the income earned on assets supporting a defined benefit pension is not necessarily 100% exempt from income tax....

Defined benefit & market-linked pensions

Commuting complying defined benefit pensions in SMSFs

Published 19 Dec 2019

This article discusses the options available to members (and their advisers) who have a complying defined benefit pension in their SMSF and find they are required to change this arrangement. This article in particular considers complying defined benefit pensions in the SMSF that are lifetime complying pensions and life expectancy...