LONGEVITY

Age is not the perfect gauge in DIY super

David Williams The dramatic rise of self-managed super funds brings into focus our capacity to make complex decisions as we age.

SUPER

Betting on a will to power retirement

JOHN COLLETT Almost half of working-age Australians say they will be relying on an inheritance to at least partly finance their retirement.

SMSFs

Banks seek slice of the DIY action

Katherine Jimenez The big four banks are engaged in a $500 billion battle for control of the self-managed super funds market.

SUPER

Plenty riding on fortunes of the big four

John Collett The appetite for the big banks is set to increase as more large super funds allow their members to invest directly in shares.

SUPER

Returns revert to the straight and narrow

JOHN COLLETT For super, the post-GFC road to recovery has been a long and winding one. But the improvement in returns has really kicked up over the past 18 months.

YOUR QUESTIONS

Path to retirement

George Cochrane Focus on enjoying your money, rather than leaving it to younger relatives.

SUPER

Don't paint yourself into a corner with DIY

JOHN COLLETT The concern is where self-managed funds are recommended by financial planners and accountants to those in more modest circumstances.

GETTING STARTED

Super stash about as safe as can be

David Potts Super fund rules and their supervision make it well nigh impossible for somebody to run off with your money.

INSIGHT

We'll just have to keep working for longer

JOHN COLLETT As life expectancy increases, hopes for early retirement might need revisiting.

PENSION

No waffle: Belgium's king says $1.3m not enough

Philippe Siuberski Belgium's former king is finding it hard to live in a style befitting an ex-monarch on his $A1.3 million pension, and is seeking a royal pay rise.

SUPER

What's driving the property price spiral?

John Collett Big city property prices are soaring - but is it all the fault of foreign interlopers and cashed up super fund investors?

DIY FUNDS

Super draws a growing DIY band

Rod Myer It pays to do a little homework before deciding to manage your own fund.

SUPER

Property investments can have pitfalls

John Collett Concerns are being raised over property spruikers targeting self-managed super fund trustees.

YOUR QUESTIONS

Get cracking on exit plan

GEORGE COCHRANE I was wondering if it is wise to stay with the MTAA or at least separate our eggs into two baskets?

SUPER

Downsizing may not be the right answer

John Collett Baby boomers looking to fund their retirement by downsizing the family home could be clutching at straws.

A million in the super fund won't be enough for retirement

John Collett While the growth in the projected pool of superannuation savings is impressive, it belies the harsh reality facing those not far off retirement. Increasing life spans, the effect of the GFC on superannuation accounts and the fact that the superannuation guarantee started only in 1992 is leaving older workers underfunded.

SELF-EMPLOYED SUPER TRAPS

Don't let those contributions take you down

Max Newnham There are very strict tests when it comes to deciding whether a person is a true contractor or an employee.

SUPER

Regulation called for to oversee SMSFs

John Collett ASIC and the new government need to consider bringing property spruikers who recommend self-managed super funds inside the licensing net.

Superannuation

Most Australians don't expect a super retirement

Madeleine Heffernan Most Australians don't believe they will have enough retirement savings and say superannuation funds are not transparent enough on fees and charges, a survey has found.

SUPER

Big country makes size count

Penny Pryor The 15 largest Australian superannuation funds have recently moved up the league tables.

INTELLIGANT INVESTOR

Time for Coalition to walk the pro-super talk

Richard Livingston Tony Abbott said the Coalition wouldn't make any "negative unexpected changes" to superannuation. Now they're in government we'll get the chance to see what he meant.

INSIGHT

Asset allocation can be the decider in super funds

Clancy Yeates There's a lot to consider when picking a super fund. Perhaps the most important factor is how your money is spread out.

SAGGING SUPER

Bleak future for funds

Katherine Jimenez Former Future Fund chairman David Murray says super funds will be in the doldrums for the next few years.

SUPER

CSIRO, unis look to create a golden age

John Collett Serious intellectual firepower is being brought to bear on the problem of Australia's ageing population.

Money's weekly Morningstar tables

See how your investments have done with Money's weekly Morningstar tables

SUPER

Kiwis face hurdles in pursuit of lost funds

John Collett New Zealanders are believed to be the owners of perhaps up to a quarter of the Australia's $18 billion in ''lost'' super. And it's very hard for them to get it back.

SUPER

First home enticer is simple and super

David Potts Why can't first home buyers use some of their superannuation as a deposit to buy a home?

SUPER

Insurance is a risk when doing it yourself

John Collett The SMSF industry is pushing the virtues of managing your own super fund. And the message appears to be hitting home.