The Pension Loans Scheme (PLS) is a voluntary arrangement that can be entered for either a short defined term or an indefinite period.  It is available to individuals of pension age who own property and do not currently receive the maximum benefit for a Centrelink qualifying payment.  The PLS allows eligible pensioners to increase their pension income stream to the maximum Age Pension rate of payment through a loan from the government.  The PLS is paid in regular fortnightly non-taxable instalments, and has recently gained traction as a means to unlock potential equity in Australian real estate.  

We have recently received numerous enquiries regarding the pre-registration process for the upcoming Medibank Private Share Offer.  Consequently, we have decided to dedicate this month’s Wealth Pipeline to answering a few frequently asked questions.

Superannuation death benefits (inclusive of any life insurance held by a superannuation fund on behalf of a member) generally do not form part of the deceased’s estate.  It is paramount that members of superannuation funds put mechanisms in place to ensure their superannuation interests are distributed efficiently and according to their wishes in the event of their death.

There are numerous year-end tax strategies. This year we will be concentrating on Capital Gains for individual investors. If you are interested in discussing this or any of the other year-end strategies don’t hesitate to contact us.

Specifically, we cover the proposed changes to excess non-concessional contributions, Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rates, paid parental leave, and the temporary budget repair levy.  It’s worth noting that these policy changes are proposals only and require the passage of legislation to become effective