Articles by
Barbara Drury
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Super funds with the lowest income protection insurance premiums
Income protection premiums continued to increase at a significantly higher rate than death and TPD premiums in 2023, but the cost of cover varies widely.
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Super funds with the lowest life and TPD insurance premiums
As the cost of living rises, life and TPD insurance premiums inside super have bucked the trend with little or no movement in 2023.
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SMSF property tax deduction mistakes to avoid
Property investment is popular with SMSFs, so it’s important to know what your fund can and can’t claim as investment property tax deductions if you want to stay on the right side of the ATO.
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What is the Age Pension age?
The age at which eligible retirees can start receiving the Age Pension has risen to 67. Bad news if you were born from 1957 on, but the good news is there are no plans to lift the age further.
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Early release of super on compassionate grounds
While compassion is a general term, the ATO applies strict rules when deciding whether you can withdraw some of your super early on compassionate grounds.
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Early release of super due to severe financial hardship
You may be able to withdraw a small lump sum from your retirement savings if you are in severe financial hardship and not otherwise eligible to access your super, but strict rules apply.
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Accessing super: Reaching age 65
Once you turn 65 the last barriers to dipping into you super come down, even if you’re not ready to retire.
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How to read a super fund PDS
Are you and your super fund a perfect match? All will be revealed in your fund’s product disclosure statement.
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How much super do you need to set up an SMSF?
It’s a debate that never entirely goes away, but there’s a growing body of research that indicates you may not need as much to start your own super fund as previously thought.
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What are unrestricted and restricted non-preserved super benefits?
Your pot of retirement savings in super may actually be divided into several smaller pots, some of which can be withdrawn sooner than others.
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How to find your lost super
If you are wondering why you have so little super to show for all your hard work, it may be time to search for super accounts you forgot you had.
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Dixon Advisory’s fall from grace: 4 lessons for all investors
When Dixon Advisory collapsed, it left a trail of aggrieved SMSFs and investment losses. It’s a saga we can all learn from.
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Alternative investments for SMSFs
SMSF trustees are often accused of being unadventurous in their asset allocation, but some are bucking the trend with ‘exotic’ investments in everything from horse semen to vending machines and dividend-paying cows.
