Not necessarily, as long as a member has the option of removing after tax personal contributions, no one should be able to complain.
Other than that, grandfathering of funds in the pension phase would probably be required, as the pension was commenced with existing rules.
Somewhat like what would happen if a change was made to negative gearing.
That would put super back to just a savings account, see how that works.lol
On the other side of the equation, how many low income Australian workers paying their compulsory 9.25% into Super - costing them 15% PLUS costs - have complaints about the co-contribution scheme being withdrawn ?
Especially when they're told that super is all about saving for their retirement, but oops...they're paying up to 15% more than if they were to take their meagre 9.25% $$ (which will become 12% in 2019 ) home and pay their loans off... while at the same time funds with over $10million has reportedly doubled over the last three years?
And then to be told that whether low income earners receive the co-contribution or not will make no difference in the end because they will get the pension anyway ?
it's all in the transcript
http://www.financeminister.gov.au/transcripts/2014/0613-radio-national.html
Absolutely, if the system requires overhauling then it has to be fair to those that have also placed money in super, in good faith.
Super is made up of taxable and taxfree components, those with large sums in super would have mainly taxfree money in there.
The taxfree component is generally money that has been put in after tax, therefore if it is to be taxed differently the member should be given the optoin of removing it.
Then what is left is the taxable component that was placed in with a tax concession, the government would then be able to do what it likes with it.
The problem is the taxfree component is such a large proportion in the large super balances , the removal of it would probably leave a lot of super funds embarrassingly short of funds.
Isn't the excessive earnings tax still comming in to being, whereby earnings over $100k get taxed at 15%.
If you are going to take money out of peoples take home pay at their marginal tax rates, then give it to fund managers who have no responsibilty to look after it, people won't be happy.
The issue isn't so much the after tax income put into super, though the 15% earning rate is a nice bonus for those on the top marginal rates, but the very generous tax savings on concessional contribitions. As it stands if you're in the top 2 marginal rates and able to have 35K of concessionally taxed super are able to save between 8225 and 11025 in tax. We're talking around half the cost of the aged pension each year as a tax break to the very wealthy, while those < 37K a year are pretty much getting no benefit. It's a massively expensive system that's doing little to actually reduce the need for the aged pension.
This issue mainly came about due to Howard removing the RBLs as they basically stopped excessive savings within super. Bring back RBLs with a higher level of annual concessional super contributions and that way it makes it relatively easy to save within super in your later years without being overly generous.
The issue isn't so much the after tax income put into super, though the 15% earning rate is a nice bonus for those on the top marginal rates, but the very generous tax savings on concessional contribitions. As it stands if you're in the top 2 marginal rates and able to have 35K of concessionally taxed super are able to save between 8225 and 11025 in tax. We're talking around half the cost of the aged pension each year as a tax break to the very wealthy, while those < 37K a year are pretty much getting no benefit. It's a massively expensive system that's doing little to actually reduce the need for the aged pension.
This issue mainly came about due to Howard removing the RBLs as they basically stopped excessive savings within super. Bring back RBLs with a higher level of annual concessional super contributions and that way it makes it relatively easy to save within super in your later years without being overly generous.
Most legal professionals and SMSF advisers that our office has had discussions with had a really cautious attitude towards the "zero interest" rate loans between related parties and their SMSFs. The "non-arms length" and "non-commercial" nature of these loans was a pretty big red flag. It was always a do-this-at-your-own-peril situation and considered to be "too good to be true" by a lot in the industry.If your wealthy its not about how much you can save by putting money into super but about how much you can lend your fund to access the 15% earnings rate.
Lend your fund 10M at an arms length rate (many loans are not even made at arms length rates and I have not heard of that being tested in court by the ATO yet - it actually appears they are accepting of it) and make a 5% return above the lending rate and that's 500K pa. of profit taxed at 15% rather then higher personal or corporate rates.
Most legal professionals and SMSF advisers that our office has had discussions with had a really cautious attitude towards the "zero interest" rate loans between related parties and their SMSFs. The "non-arms length" and "non-commercial" nature of these loans was a pretty big red flag. It was always a do-this-at-your-own-peril situation and considered to be "too good to be true" by a lot in the industry.
The ATO appeared to be accepting of them, but did not come out and say it in certain terms. What they did say seemed to allude to the view that they generally accept that it might be possible.
However recently they have been making some noises. There was a private ruling for a related party non-zero loan to which people doing it should pay attention.
Here is a link to the ATO private ruling.
Here is an article from Aaron Dunn's blog that explains the ramifications of this.
(Aaron Dunn's blog is a good source of information by the way)
In short: If the non-arms length income provisions are applied to the assets linked to these loans, then any income derived from these assets would be taxed at 45%. Non-arms length income does not qualify for any pension exemptions, either.
Syd the tax savings on contributions are chicken feed to the large funds. If you have a 10M fund and make 10% return the tax savings between marginal rate and super earnings rate is $340K.
If your wealthy its not about how much you can save by putting money into super but about how much you can lend your fund to access the 15% earnings rate.
Lend your fund 10M at an arms length rate (many loans are not even made at arms length rates and I have not heard of that being tested in court by the ATO yet - it actually appears they are accepting of it) and make a 5% return above the lending rate and that's 500K pa. of profit taxed at 15% rather then higher personal or corporate rates.
Concession caps - pffftt, the're just for the poor workers.
The earnings rate in conjunction with the easing of borrowing restrictions is the honeypot.
That's why RBLs were so effective. Before Howard got rid of them there was no incentive to go over the RBL because after that the tax effectiveness was minimal. For the financial year ending 30 June 2005, the lump sum RBL was $619,223 and the pension RBL was $1,238,440. I think around 600K for a single person and 1M for a couple is a reasonable amount in super. It should provide a higher income than the pension without costing a fortune in tax expenditures.
If $600k/single or $1m/couple was all that was allowed in super. I would upgrade the house and car, then aim for the max allowable, that gives full aged pension. Also I would start taking the o/s holidays I was putting off untill retirement.
Syd the tax savings on contributions are chicken feed to the large funds. If you have a 10M fund and make 10% return the tax savings between marginal rate and super earnings rate is $340K.
If your wealthy its not about how much you can save by putting money into super but about how much you can lend your fund to access the 15% earnings rate.
Lend your fund 10M at an arms length rate (many loans are not even made at arms length rates and I have not heard of that being tested in court by the ATO yet - it actually appears they are accepting of it) and make a 5% return above the lending rate and that's 500K pa. of profit taxed at 15% rather then higher personal or corporate rates.
Concession caps - pffftt, the're just for the poor workers.
The earnings rate in conjunction with the easing of borrowing restrictions is the honeypot.
That's why RBLs were so effective. Before Howard got rid of them there was no incentive to go over the RBL because after that the tax effectiveness was minimal. For the financial year ending 30 June 2005, the lump sum RBL was $619,223 and the pension RBL was $1,238,440. I think around 600K for a single person and 1M for a couple is a reasonable amount in super. It should provide a higher income than the pension without costing a fortune in tax expenditures.
If $600k/single or $1m/couple was all that was allowed in super. I would upgrade the house and car, then aim for the max allowable, that gives full aged pension. Also I would start taking the o/s holidays I was putting off untill retirement.
Go for it. At least with RBLs there's a chance income taxes can be reduced because the super tax expenditures aren't growing at 12% a year. I doubt there's any other part of the budget growing at that rate.
600K at 5% interest is 30K. The single aged pension is 19916 - 50% increase over the aged pension ain't a bad deal. 5% on 1M is 50K. The couple aged pension is 30K - 66% increase.
Under the current expensive system people are already blowing their super on renovations, cars and holidays. It's all about getting things so they can get the maximum pension. What's the point of providing all these tax benefits if people can blow their super and still get the full pension?
Are they? Can you provide stats to that effect?Under the current expensive system people are already blowing their super on renovations, cars and holidays.
Says whom?It's all about getting things so they can get the maximum pension.
Seems to me you're making a lot of assumptions about the way people plan their retirement. I've not ever heard any expert in the field attest to your assertion that people just blow what they have saved in a tax advantaged situation in order to access a government pension.What's the point of providing all these tax benefits if people can blow their super and still get the full pension?
Would you really go on a big cruise and come home to stare at the new wallpaper just to qualify for a pension?
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True in my experience as well, yet many elderly property millionaires expect to be paid an age pension as an entitlement and live a subsistence lifestyle in their multi-million dollar homes. Watching 92yo Zara Grayspence on SBS Insight last night telling a national audience why she deserves to receive a government pension while living in a 2 million dollar home in Mossman was revealing. Zara could live quite comfortably on a reverse mortgage yet chooses to live below the povery line on an age pension out of ignorance of other options or in spite of them. Incredibly many people on Facebook, ignorant of Zara's options, believe she is entitled. This notion of universal entitlement to a government pension for property millionaires by many should be a real concern for an aging society.Most people I've ever known who have worked and saved diligently to be independent in retirement would have absolutely no intention of wasting it just to access the meagre age pension.
True in my experience as well, yet many elderly property millionaires expect to be paid an age pension as an entitlement and live a subsistence lifestyle in their multi-million dollar homes. Watching 92yo Zara Grayspence on SBS Insight last night telling a national audience why she deserves to receive a government pension while living in a 2 million dollar home in Mossman was revealing. Zara could live quite comfortably on a reverse mortgage yet chooses to live below the povery line on an age pension out of ignorance of other options or in spite of them. Incredibly many people on Facebook, ignorant of Zara's options, believe she is entitled. This notion of universal entitlement to a government pension for property millionaires by many should be a real concern for an aging society.
Those whose primary purpose is to maximise intergenerational wealth transfer whilst living off the pension will be thwarted. (from my observations this is a large and sometimes sad driver of why many people stay in large and inappropriate housing in their old age – Its probably more about being selfless for their kids benefit then gaming the pension for their own sake but if it wasn’t possible a lot of older people may make different decisions for themselves)
I was speaking to someone a few weeks ago who was bemoaning how unfair including the family home in pension eligibility was. His grandparents had already had to transfer their holiday home out of their name so that they could claim the pension. When I pointed out it wasn't really fair to expect taxpayers to fund those who can support themselves I was told of the sentimental value of the holiday home and that they had worked hard all their life.
Are they? Can you provide stats to that effect?
Why use the pejorative "blowing their super"? Perhaps people have during the last decade or so of their working lives saved more than ever in order to replace their car, do necessary upgrades for mobility or other reasons to the house etc, when they retire. How is that not their right?
Says whom?
Seems to me you're making a lot of assumptions about the way people plan their retirement. I've not ever heard any expert in the field attest to your assertion that people just blow what they have saved in a tax advantaged situation in order to access a government pension.
Most people I've ever known who have worked and saved diligently to be independent in retirement would have absolutely no intention of wasting it just to access the meagre age pension.
You seem to be somewhat judgmental about how other people manage their money. Perhaps just look after your own situation and be a little less accusatory about others.
Indeed, lump sum withdraw should be limited to deter such behaviour. The other contributing factor is the primary residence exemption from the age pension assets test as discussed here already. Structuring of finances to draw the maximum age pension possible is becoming a significant source of business for advisors assisting those about to retire. This is hardly surprizing and quite prudent for those with small super balances.Of those who had made contributions, 55% had received all or part of their superannuation funds as a lump sum payment (54% of men and 57% of women). Many of those who received a lump sum payment used it to pay off or improve their existing home or purchase a new home (32% of men and 31% of women) or to buy or pay off a motor vehicle (14% of men and 11% of women).
Use of the pejorative phrase "milk the super system" is quite unnecessary. Retirement planning is important to everyone and more so for those approaching retirement. It's those who don't plan or save for retirement you should be more concerned about.Pretty much the MSM is full of tips on how to milk the super system. Whether it's re-contribution schemes to use transition to retirement pensions to increase concessional contributions via receiving tax free super income, or how to spend a bit of money tarting up the house so as to get more pension.
The current super system needs adjustments to deter high income/wealth individuals from unfairly exploiting its tax advantages no doubt. However, without it the age pension will certainly be unsustainable.I am only questioning a system that has the stated goal of reducing the cost of the aged pension so the tax system is able to cope with a doubling of the over 65s by 2030. With the current system nearly costing the same as the aged pension, more if we add the $20+B cost of running it, and quite likely from 2016-17 to cost more, what is the logic of it? How is that sustainable over the long term? Why are we encouraging super balances in the millions? I'd say before Howard removed RBLs the number of individuals with super balances over $1.2M would have been close to 0 because there was notax incentives to accumulate over the RBL.
Taxation reform is required but any such reform should contain tax incentives to save for one's retirement via superannuation contribution. The foregone tax revenue should be quantified but not in the context of cost comparisons with the age pension as the lowest common denominator. The age pension should be a safety net for the poor and not used as a lifestyle benchmark for all retirees.With the reduction in the participation rate, less tax payers per pensioner, combined with tax free super meaning a growing share of the population not contributing much in the way of revenue to keep the country running, it's not sustainable. Income taxes are higher than they need to be to pay for this. Every dollar in super tax expenditures equates to a $ extra of other taxation.
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