Financial Planning

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Spotlight on super performance Superannuation has provided most fund members with stellar returns since last year’s COVID lows. As always though, some funds performed better than others and recent government reforms make it easier to find out how your fund compares. Read more
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GST and the sale of your business property Selling your business property is a big decision and it’s easy to focus on the sale price, but this can be a costly error.

Many owners forget to factor GST into their thinking. But if you do, you could find yourself left with a big tax bill to pay.

There are also valuable opportunities to claim GST credits on your transaction costs, so it’s important to retain all your paperwork in order to satisfy the ATO when tax time rolls around. Read more
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Your SMSF: Wind it up or pass it on? Now that new legislation allows a maximum of six members in an SMSF, some fund trustees may be wondering if this could be an easy way to ensure a smooth transfer of their super to the next generation.

The simple answer is yes, but before you start adding your children and their spouses to your fund, it’s essential to develop a detailed SMSF succession plan to head off any potential problems. Read more
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Aged care payment options When it comes time to investigate residential aged care for yourself, your partner, parent or relative, the search for a facility and how to pay for it can seem daunting. The system is complex, and decisions are often made in the midst of a health crisis. Read more
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Frankly Speaking: Tax benefits of shares Australian shares are popular investments with self-funded retirees and anyone who depends on income from their investments, due in part to the favourable tax treatment of franked dividends.

After falling off in the early days of the COVID pandemic, share prices and dividends bounced back strongly in the year to June 2021.

Investors who depend on income from their shares also have more certainty now that the Labor Party has dropped its opposition to cash refunds of excess franking credits, a policy that attracted fierce resistance from retirees at the last federal election. Read more