Super & Funds
Plan to ease pain of super cuts
The government is likely to slash the amount of money people can stash in super, but the super lobby wants more flexible time limits.
Borrowing to buy property in your SMSF?
Self-managed super fund borrowing may not be a problem for the government, however it's likely to cause financial distress for some investors in coming years.
More to a super fund's returns than its size
The great divide in the performances of super funds is between not-for-profit and retail funds and not so much their size, figures from SuperRatings show.
Super funds look at options amid market turmoil
Most superannuation members are on track for a gain in March after five months of consecutive losses, but many funds are diversifying ahead of further expected turmoil.
Rock-star fund managers mostly yesterday's heroes
It doesn't seem all that long ago that some fund managers had almost rock-star status, at least among investors.
REST wants contributions at 15pc
REST Industry Super chief executive Damian Hill wants compulsory superannuation contributions raised to 15 per cent.
Some accountants to give up on DIY super fund trustees
DIY fund trustees who use the services of accountants need to ask them what licensing arrangements they will have in place from July 1.
QSuper offers cash bonus to take pension over lump sum
QSuper has become the first major superannuation fund to offer its retiring members a cash bonus for moving their accumulated savings into a pension account rather than taking a lump sum.
Aberdeen's Gilbert says China won't repeat market mistakes
Martin Gilbert, founder of Aberdeen Asset Management, met Chinese market regulators and central bankers in the past week - he shares their insights.
Super funds push for more ESG disclosure
One out of three ASX 200 companies have poor disclosure when it comes to reporting their environmental, social and governance practices, research has found.
Early retirement? You're dreamin'
More Australians want to retire early than just about any other nationality, but we are also less likely to afford it.
A super exemption for low earners
The economic idea that most intrigues me is the exempting of low-income workers from the superannuation guarantee.
Fixing the super gender gap will need equal pay
The chairman of a Senate inquiry into the economic security of women in retirement, NSW Labor Senator Jenny McAllister, has hinted the group will push for changes.
QSuper sidesteps recent sharemarket turmoil
Having a limited exposure to the global sharemarket rout, that has erased 3 per cent of the average Australians' retirement savings in 2016, positioned QSuper to be the top-performing super fund in January.
Fear drives surge in gold price
The gold price has risen about 20 per cent since the start of this year.
Super funds down 3pc so far this year
A horror start to 2016 in global sharemarkets has pushed the average superannuation account balance down roughly 3 per cent for the year already.
Challenger interim profit jumps 80pc to $234m
Challenger said its interim profit jumped 80 per cent to $234 million as improved sales and investment gains boosted the bottom line of Australia's biggest annuities provider.
Take the super selfie challenge on Facebook
Australians spend an average of 1.7 hours a day on Facebook but almost no time thinking about their superannuation.
Super tax breaks in firing line
Superannuation tax breaks for the better-off should be tackled.
Save in super or pay off the house?
Even given the tax benefits of super, the returns from reducing the mortgage are higher.
Smart super moves before May budget
The May budget is expected to include changes to superannuation aimed at making savings on the budget's bottom line.
Make plans for transition to retirement before May
Politicians from all sides of politics are gazing wistfully at our superannuation.
Report finds retail funds charge more for less
The non-profit superannuation lobby has accused its bank-owned rivals of opposing new product disclosure "dashboard' rules in a bid to conceal "price-gouging", as new research shows retail funds charge higher fees.
'Transition to retirement' is not a tax dodge
Far from being a tax dodge, the ability to start a superannuation pension while still working encourages people to stay in the workforce for some time.
Diminishing super attractions
Unless you are close to retirement, diverting money into super can and often does result in financial problems before you can access it.
Super strategy a boon for the well-off
The transition to retirement strategy has become a way for the well-off to avoid tax.
The selfie revolution in super
Move over baby boomers, young women are the ones into selfie super funds.
How to optimise super in your 60s
Buying property for a SMSF is questionable when people are close to retirement age.
Super and the self-employed
Small business owners too often fall into the trap of assuming their business is going to fund their retirement. It may not.