Superannuation: Is it time to review your investments?

You may be missing out or taking unnecessary risks if you have a set-and-forget strategy for your super.

A lot can happen between the time you start your first job and the time you retire. From building a career, buying a home and raising a family to dealing with setbacks such as redundancy or divorce, life doesn’t stand still and neither should your investments.

In all likelihood, the investment choice you made at age 25 may no longer be appropriate at age 55 or 60. Or you may not have made an active choice at all, automatically being allocated to your fund’s default investment option.

In most cases, the default option is a ‘Balanced’ or ‘Growth’ investment option which is typically heavily allocated to growth assets. The mix of investments is chosen by the fund manager to suit the average fund member who might be anywhere from 18 to 65 years of age.

The problem with this approach is that we all have a different appetite for risk and different financial circumstances. What’s more, our circumstances and risk appetites usually change as you progress through life.

Check the menu

To make sure your super suits your current needs, start by checking how your money is invested and then compare this with what else is on the fund’s menu.

All super funds have a range of investment options for you to choose from. These vary according to the kinds of assets they hold. Your choice will depend on the amount of risk you are willing to take and the return you’re expecting to make in the long-term.

Most funds offer an a la carte menu of single asset options such as Australian shares, international shares, sustainable shares, property and fixed interest, which you can mix and match to suit if you wish.

Alternatively, you can choose from a selection of ready-mixed options to suit different risk profiles. Different funds use different labels, but according to ASIC’s MoneySmart website there are four broad categories:

• Growth options typically hold around 85% of their funds in shares and property with the remaining balance in cash and fixed-interest investments. High growth options can have up to 100% in shares and property. This aims for higher average returns over the long term, but the ride will likely be bumpier along the way. Losses tend to be higher in bad years when compared with lower risk options.

• Balanced or Moderate options may hold anywhere between 50% and 75% of the investments in shares and property with the rest in cash and fixed interest. Average returns over the long term will be less than the growth option but higher than conservative and cash options.

• Conservative options have around 70% in cash and fixed interest with the remaining balance in shares and property. Average returns are typically lower than growth options over time, however it aims to reduce the risk of loss.

• Cash invests in deposits with Australian deposit-taking institutions or ‘capital guaranteed’ life insurance policies which offer relatively low, stable returns and significantly reduces the risk of loss. A consideration is that returns may not keep pace with inflation.

A matter of time

The thing to remember about risk in investment, as in life, is that time often heals wounds. If you have 20 or 30 years left to work and save, you may consider taking a little more risk than someone with less than 10 years till retirement. That’s because you have more time to recover from the swings and roundabouts of global investment markets.

Time can also eat away at your savings if you invest too conservatively. That’s because inflation reduces the buying power of money over time. So, those with at least 10 years to retirement may consider keeping a substantial portion of their retirement savings in a growth or balanced option.

The argument for reducing your investment risk grows stronger as you near retirement and have less time to recover from a market downturn. Even so, people entering retirement nowadays may still have up to 30 years to plan for. Depending on your circumstances and appetite for risk, it may be appropriate to keep some money in growth assets to avoid depleting your capital too quickly.

Just because super is a long-term investment doesn’t mean it should be filed away in a drawer until you retire. Given that many of tomorrow’s retirees can look forward to living well into their 90s, the reward for taking an active interest in your super is that your savings are more likely to last the distance.

Want to know more?

Speaking to a financial adviser can help you identify what mix of investments are appropriate for you. An adviser can work with you to assess your circumstances and invest accordingly to your needs. If you would like to speak to a financial adviser about your superannuation strategy please contact us today on (08) 8372 7826 for a free financial health check.

Want a SMSF without ongoing compliance? A Super Wrap Platform may be for you!

A common theme that has emerged in recent years is the popularity of the Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF).

Some investors choose this option for the control it brings over their investments, others for the ability to invest in direct property; or simply because it can prove to be a cost-effective option (usually for balances over $250,000).

However, many people are unaware of the responsibilities and ongoing compliance burdens related to maintaining a SMSF - or that alternative options are available - which also allow high levels of control over your super investments.

An alternative option to an SMSF is a ‘Super Wrap Platform’

The option is called a ‘Super Wrap Platform’ because it does exactly that, it gives you the ability to invest your super into managed funds, term deposits and direct equities such as listed shares, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Listed Investment Companies (LICs) in one easy and accessible portal.

Super Wrap Platforms have been very popular with clients who wish to invest directly into the market, which can help keep costs down, while still providing strong levels of diversification and growth opportunity.

The beauty of customising your portfolio is that it allows you to ‘sell’ or ‘increase’ selected holdings, without affecting the rest of your investments (unlike the traditional managed fund options used by many super funds). This can be particularly beneficial for people drawing a pension from their super fund and looking for more income, or for those looking to take advantage of currency fluctuations or changes in international interest rates.

We can help you create a customised portfolio that meets your individual needs, and provide ongoing assistance in managing your investments, to ensure you meet you goals and objectives. We will help you identify value opportunities and provide insight to financial markets, which is based on access to comprehensive filtered research and proven results.

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about Super Wrap Platform options, or feel this is suitable for your individual circumstances, please contact us today for an obligation-free consultation.

Related links: Exchange Traded Funds, Superannuation & SMSF

Financial Advice: Costs vs Benefits

Most people delay or don’t seek advice about their finances until much later in life. Many people feel like you need to have a large lump sum of money to invest or be ready to retire to benefit from financial advice. This could not be further from the truth, and in some cases people wait too long or wish they had sought advice years before they actually had, especially after seeing the benefits it can bring.

When you first meet with a financial adviser, they will look at your current situation and help you identify what you hope to achieve from the advice. This may include reducing your personal tax, growing your savings faster, reducing your debts more quickly, buying a property, or preparing for retirement. Benefits can be seen in all stages of life by seeking advice and the sooner you start, the smaller the sacrifices are to meet the same objective.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a young professional looking to maximise savings to buy your first home, a young family looking to provide for your children’s education, or a couple wanting to make their money last throughout retirement; there are benefits for everyone who seek financial advice.

Costs

Our fee structure is set on a fee-for-service basis which means after the free initial consultation, we agree on a price for the advice based on the amount of time it will take to research and prepare a strategy that is tailored to your needs. If you decide to proceed, we construct the advice into a report called a Statement of Advice detailing proposed strategies and options of products from different providers, along with complete disclosure of costs for each option. The cost to prepare this document starts from $2,200 and can increase depending on the complexity and time it takes to prepare.

In the next meeting we will go through the report and answer any questions you may have in regards to the advice proposed so you can make informed decisions on the strategies and products presented for your particular circumstances.

Benefits

In some cases the cost of the advice is less than the benefits people see within the first year. Our clients often tell us they wish they’d sought advice years before because they would be in a much better position now. These benefits include maximising savings, reducing the amount of tax you are required to pay through tax-effective strategies, paying off your mortgage sooner, growing your investment portfolio, reducing personal insurance premiums, or just having a sense of confidence knowing you're on track to realising your financial goals.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you, contact us to arrange a free consultation.

Women live 4 years longer with half the superannuation of men

Did you know that recent studies have shown women have significantly less super than men and are living 4 years longer in retirement on average?

The reasons behind this shortfall are often pointed towards raising children, returning to the workforce part-time after having kids, looking after elderly family members, resulting in a gender pay gap of approximately 17.3% in Australia.

The Facts

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency compiled evidence that showed women to have an average of 46.6% of the amount of superannuation men have when they retire.

The average life expectancy in Australia is 80 years old for men and 84 years old for women. The interesting thing is life expectancy actually increases as a person gets older. For example, when a person reaches the age of 60 years old, there is a life expectancy increase to 83 for men and 86 for women. These figures do not include further medical advancements and it is believed that many people retiring today will live to they’re 90 years old.

These alarming figures call for everyone (especially women) to be more mindful of long-term savings goals and to have a strategy in place which will balance affordability and lifestyle, both now and in retirement.

Actions

For some, the idea of retirement is a lifetime away and something that you can worry about in the future because now you’re concentrating on owning a home, buying an investment property or going overseas on holidays. However, a recurring conversation we have is that it’s always better to start sooner rather than later, as the sacrifices are much smaller in working to achieve the same outcome. It is possible to create a strategy that allows you to do the things you want now, while also contributing towards your future and ensure you continue to do the things you will want to do later in life. Imagine the feeling of confidence knowing your future goals and finances are on track to be where you want to be.

We can identify your current situation and work with you to determine what you will require to live the life you want now and have the retirement you had planned on when the time comes. A combination of super contributions, investment, debt management, tax strategy and low operating costs will all contribute to you meeting your needs in the later stages of life without having to rely on a partner or work much longer than you had anticipated.

Want to Know More?

Contact us for a free consultation that will help you meet your financial goals both short-term and long-term.