SRS Advice | 2018 May

The rise of sustainable and impact investing

Posted at 16 May 2018 in General Interest by Strategic Retirement Solutions

There is no doubt that interest in responsible investments is growing. Not only in Australia but globally, investors are increasingly interested in how a company makes its money not simply how much it makes. Whilst some investors may focus on the longer-term viability of a company...

Understanding different types of retirement pensions

Posted at 16 May 2018 in Centrelink, Technical Updates by Strategic Retirement Solutions

If you’ve heard the term ‘pension’ being thrown around, you may have picked up that there are many types of pensions available in Australia. We explain the difference between three commonly used pensions, including the government’s Age Pension, a transition to retirement pension, and an account-based...

Maximising your retirement benefits

Posted at 16 May 2018 in General Interest by Strategic Retirement Solutions

After working hard for so many years, naturally you want your retirement to be as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. That’s why it’s worth knowing which types of government support you may be entitled to when you’re transitioning into this new phase of life. If you’ve...

How to stay focussed in volatile markets

Posted at 16 May 2018 in Economic Updates by Strategic Retirement Solutions

Investing in markets means volatility. When done well, you are getting paid for taking on risk. So why is it that sharp drops in the market have such a visceral impact on us? We only have to go back to early February, when markets dropped...

MARKET AND ECONOMIC OVERVIEW – May 2018

Posted at 16 May 2018 in Economic Updates by Strategic Retirement Solutions

Australia As anticipated, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left domestic interest rates on hold a 1.50%. Official borrowing costs have been at this level since August 2016 – the longest period that Australian interest rates have remained unchanged. CPI data confirmed that inflation ran...

How to help ensure your superannuation contributions don’t exceed the caps

Posted at 16 May 2018 in Superannuation by Strategic Retirement Solutions

Changes in the superannuation contribution caps, which kicked-in last year, give an added reason to keep a close eye on your contributions. From 1 July 2017, the concessional (before tax) contributions cap was reset to $25,000 for everyone (irrespective of age). For those earning a salary in...

SMSFs and your retirement horizon

Posted at 16 May 2018 in General Interest by Strategic Retirement Solutions

Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) trustees often ask themselves, “What is the right mix of investments for my SMSF?” It’s a very common question, and one that will need to consider individual preference and the time until retirement. The answer will not be the same for everyone,...

2018 Federal Budget: how will you be affected?

Posted at 09 May 2018 in Federal Budget Updates by Strategic Retirement Solutions

Introduction The Federal Treasurer, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, delivered his third Federal Budget on 8 May 2018. Income tax cuts will be delivered over a six-year period, through a combination of tax rate threshold changes and tax offsets. With regard to superannuation, the maximum number of members...