SMSF

Division 296 tax is an additional layer on top of the existing 15% rate on accumulation-phase earnings, designed to reduce the concessional tax benefit for those with very large super balances.

The pathway is through a self-managed super fund. Unlike retail or industry funds, an SMSF gives members direct control over where their retirement savings are placed — including in real estate.

Log in to your super fund's online portal or the ATO's myGov service to check your current balance, investment option, fees, and the contact details your fund holds for you. Many Australians discover multiple accounts from previous employers, forgotten insurance premiums eroding balances, or …

The foundation of Australian superannuation is the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) — a legal requirement on employers to contribute a set percentage of their eligible employees' ordinary time earnings into a superannuation fund. The SG rate reached 12% on 1 July 2025. There are currently …

The Australian government has been gradually tightening the superannuation system, aiming to preserve its purpose as a retirement income vehicle rather than an estate planning tool for the very wealthy. At the same time, policymakers have expanded opportunities for ordinary workers to top up …

The central reason youth matters in superannuation is compound growth. When your super fund earns investment returns, those returns are added to your balance and then themselves earn returns in subsequent years. Over long periods, this generates outsized results.

This passive approach has a cost. The ASFA Retirement Standard puts a comfortable retirement for a single homeowner at around $54,240 per year, backed by a lump sum of approximately $595,000. For a significant proportion of Australians, employer contributions alone will not reach that …