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.
Superannuation
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.
Boomers’ inheritance dries up
THE property squeeze is leading more baby-boomers to be overlooked in wills, with their parents passing on wealth directly to the younger generation.
Merger puts super on steroids
BANKING and super have joined forces to combine super and bank accounts, in a move that’s set to transform the way Australians save for retirement.
Australia’s wealth divide
AUSTRALIA appears to be dividing into rich and poor, with many struggling with debt, as others build wealth at a record pace.
Super fund returns soar to records
SUPER fund returns have accelerated away again after August’s equity market blip to roar on into unprecedented territory with some nudging 20 per cent.
Retirement that pays
CHOOSING an optimum mix of guaranteed and market linked income streams is the way forward for smart retirees.
Aussie shares can be tax-friendly
SINKING all your super into Australian shares offering fully franked dividends sounds like a seriously risky strategy, but might offer tax benefits.
Super assets surge
SUPERANNUATION assets soared 25 per cent during the past financial year, as a one-off deposit window saw a huge surge in personal contributions.
Running for cover
SUPER funds have steps in place to protect your investments against the rising Australian dollar.
Public offer broadens base
OPENING up industry funds to all-comers has attracted different members to what used to be occupation-specific funds.
Cruise the alternatives
THE next time you complain about paying that toll or outrageous airport parking fee, remember you might be paying yourself.
Stashing away enough
IT can be confusing working out how much you need to put away for a comfortable retirement.
Hands-on super takes off
DIY super is tipped to become the fastest growing kind of super account, outstripping even industry funds.
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/finance/superannuation/page/37