Nest eggs can be guilt free
RETIRING in comfort may be something most of us aim for, but retiring with a clear conscience may not be an obvious priority.
Superannuation
Warning on dodgy super asset valuations
INVESTORS and super fund members beware. The Australian Tax Office is on the lookout for dodgy asset valuations.
Give the kids a super boost
PARENTS and grandparents are being urged to give young workers a kick-start in super using the $1500 co-contribution scheme.
Market falls wipe $50bn off super savings
FALLS in the share market have wiped an estimated $50 billion off the value of workers’ superannuation funds.
Don’t let your super top-up attract a hit
AS the end of the tax year looms make sure you know your super contribution limits so you’re not stung with penalty tax rates.
Super strategies that still work
DESPITE some rule changes last month, superannuation remains the best place for boomers to place their retirement savings.
Reap super rewards with some tweaking
A SUPER strategy to implement before June 30 is to take advantage of the Government’s co-contribution if you earn less than $58,000.
Super funds will shun home savers
MOST not-for-profit super funds are unlikely to offer First Home Saver Accounts because they will be too hard and expensive to run.
Closing the superannuation gap
RETAIL superannuation funds look like closing the performance gap on their not-for-profit rivals, an industry expert says.
Super funds are back in the black
THE average superannuation fund has finally turned in a profit for the first month since October last year.
Pensioners struggling near poverty line
PENSIONERS on as little as $270 a fortnight are struggling to get by, and even forgoing family visits because of soaring petrol costs.
Advice at a price – the cost of commissions
NOT paying fees up-front doesn’t mean you’re getting free financial advice. Commissions cost Australians hundreds of millions a year.
Superannuation joins divorce spoils
WHEN a relationship fails, who gets the super? What happens when one person has worked full-time and the other hasn’t?
Stressed homeowners raiding super
HOMEOWNERS making a final desperate grab to save their homes from repossession are raiding their superannuation at an alarming rate.
$2.6bn government raid on super
THE Federal Government could grab more than $2bn with plans to seize the super of thousands of foreigners who have left the country.
Which super funds are holding up the best?
WHICH super funds are riding the global investment storm the best? Which funds are sinking? And, which are fudging their performance?
How women can restore super balance
THREE Cs summarise the key barriers to wealth creation for women: children, capacity to earn, and confidence.
Inflation could push tax cuts into super
THE jump in inflation is increasing pressure on the Government to channel some of its promised budget tax cuts into superannuation.
Don’t put all your eggs in super basket
PEOPLE now aged between 30 and 50 could end up worse off than their parents and grandparents if they rely solely on superannuation.
Alert on lending super stock
SUPERANNUATION funds could soon have to seek the approval of members to lend their stock to other institutions.
High hopes make retiring unaffordable
BABY Boomers are taking an active role to boost their retirement savings but fewer expect to be able to afford the lifestyle they want.
Savings deserve more care and attention
THE global economic downnturn has left a large crack in nest eggs, writes David Campbell
Tomorrow never comes for super top-ups
MOST Australians acknowledge the advantages of extra superannuation contributions but are reluctant to make them, ING Research finds.
Director admits duping retirees
THE director of a get-rich-quick scheme has admitted dishonest dealings after more than 100 retirees and pensioners lost title to their homes
Families ripping off elderly
FINANCIAL exploitation and abuse of older Australians is becoming a big concern, as we live longer and build up more wealth in super.
Lenders ‘fooling’ homeowners on super
ROGUE mortgage lenders are wrongly advising families to eat into their superannuation to catch up on home repayments. Financial planners and credit…
Fears for super as hedge funds play
THE Federal Government is worried hedge funds’ activity in the current market conditions could damage national superannuation savings.
Easier super access for dying
PEOPLE suffering a terminal illness can now withdraw money from their superannuation fund, tax-free.
Super losses not all bad
AFTER four consecutive years of spectacular double-digit returns, super fund balances are down 6 per cent on last financial year.
How much you really need to retire
STANDARD estimates of taking 65-75 per cent of your final salary as an indication of what you need for retirement are probably too low.
Most want rise in super rate
THREE out of four people want the compulsory superannuation contribution rate increased to 12 per cent, a new survey shows.
Senator urges restraint over super panic
SUPERANNUATION Minister Nick Sherry has urged super fund members not to panic about their poorly performing funds, saying they should look at the long-term returns, and not focus on short-term losses.
Cash crisis could hit super funds
FEARS of a run on super funds has prompted the Federal Government to check if the funds have enough cash to meet fund members’ demands.
Super to become environmentally friendly
SUPER choice will soon become a bit more green, with the launch of a system that will measure funds’ environmental credentials.
How to hold on tight in tumultuous times
IT’S as well the BBQ season is almost over since some of the chat MLC investment strategist Brian Parker hears make him frustrated.
Paying off mortgage preferred over super
BRICKS and mortar is still the preferred retirement savings plan for many Australians, according to new research.
$84b of super savings wiped out
ABOUT $84 billion has been wiped off superannuation accounts since January as the financial market turmoil hits our retirement funds.
Many fear super not enough to retire on
NEARLY three-quarters of Australians are not confident they will have enough super to live on in retirement.
Super fees double in five years
FEES for superannuation and pension funds have doubled in the past five years, says consulting firm Watson Wyatt.
Same-sex super changes on the way
THE Federal Government will soon move to change superannuation laws which discriminate against public sector employees in same-sex relationships, a Labor frontbencher says.
Uninformed risk losing super savings
UP TO two out of three people in self-managed super funds risk prosecution and even jail because they do not know the basics of how to run their super fund properly.
DIY super funds earning big returns
SOME 370,000 Australians have chosen to set up a self-managed super fund, controlling an average of about $800,000 each.
Put tax cuts into super – union
ALMOST one in two Australians would prefer planned tax cuts to be divided between cash and their retirement funds, a new union poll has found.
Riding out the share market rollercoaster
THE majority of Australian retirees and baby boomers are likely to have less retirement savings than their children will.
Taxman looks into dodgy super funds
THE tax office is investigating dodgy loans and possible tax avoidance by people who operate their own superannuation funds.
Managers grab bigger super fees
WHILE superannuation returns plummet, fees and charges continue to rise with the average person now slugged an extra $60 a year.
Industry funds sets super pace
LOWER charges have led to industry super funds providing much greater returns than retail trusts over one, three and five years.
We’re richer than ever despite super fall
A ROUGH January has put super funds on track for their first losing year since 2002, costing Australians thousands of dollars in lost savings.
Rolling over super just got harder
NEW laws designed to combat terrorism and money laundering are making it tougher to withdraw or transfer your super.
Super funds get social conscience
SUPER funds are set to make sure companies they invest in take notice of social, environmental and corporate governance issues.
Time’s up for sly trailing commissions
SALES commissions paid to financial planners could be on the way out as the big retail superannuation providers switch to fee-based services.
Plundering super to pay the mortgage
DESPERATE Australians are draining their super nest eggs to fend off mortgage foreclosures in record numbers.
ASIC to review stock `loaning’ racket
THERE’S evidence that hedge funds are “borrowing” shares from super funds to force down price – and mauling retirement savings.
Protection if the boss sinks
AS share markets tumble, hitting your superannuation balances, spare a thought for those who face a double whammy as their employer goes to the wall.
Share slide not so super
BABY boomers planning to cash in their super should sit tight and remain calm as they brace for some gloomy news.
Don’t panic about super losses
THE chief of Australia’s peak superannuation body says people should not panic about the dive in global sharemarkets.
Can you afford to get old?
MOST Australians can’t afford to live to 100 despite the rapid growth in superannuation savings in the past 15 years.
Super bloodletting will continue
SUPER funds are set to add to the $65bn losses they have already lost this year, with most looking at negative returns by June.
Super funds lose $55bn as shares crash
SUPERANNUATION funds have taken a $55 billion hit on the back of the worst share market streak Australia has seen since the mid 1990s.
Banks target pre-retirees
SUPERANNUATION has become the new honeypot for banks, with Westpac the latest to offer low-cost financial advice for pre-retirees.
Employee super better protected
EMPLOYEES of companies that go bust stand a better chance of holding on to their super entitlements following changes to the law.
Meltdown to hurt super funds
SUPER fund members are facing two consecutive monthly losses thanks to sharemarket volatility and listed property troubles.
Commissions cut into super
SALES commissions are eating up $765 million of compulsory superannuation savings every year.
Huge super changes on the way
THE amount invested in superannuation will triple within a decade, but the industry will be vastly different from today, latest reports say.
The sums on gearing versus super
TAX changes and the steady rate rises, place a question mark over whether the golden-oldie super strategies are as good as they once were.
Women in serious super shortfall
MANY women have no idea how much they have in their super account nor how much they will need to live comfortably in retirement, a survey has found.
Super funds invest in film
JUST Superannuation, is working with Melbourne Industry Funds Management to establish a $50 million fund to bankroll Australian film and television production.
Super funds should prepare for dip
AFTER four years of double-digit returns, super fund members have been told to prepare for less spectacular gains in the face of market volatility.
Flexible debt back on book
A HOST of new packaged debt products are hitting the market to take advantage of the tax law changes for superannuation.
Nest egg versus the nest
MOST people’s first financial priority is to get the mortgage millstone from around their neck and worry about retirement later. But is that the right thing to do?
Women catching on to super benefits
WOMEN have been the biggest beneficiaries of the Government’s superannuation co-contribution scheme, research by industry body ASFA reveals.
Super funds set to downsize
HEAVY fees will drastically change the superannuation landscape, with the number of funds available set to reduce, a super fund warns.
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/finance/superannuation/page/36