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Where Aussie Mates come together to get the most from superannuation and learn how to manage retirement savings

We’re not your typical finance website (we’ve found they’re usually generic, hard to understand or not very helpful). We know that the financial decisions we make now will impact our quality of life in retirement in a big way. Because these decisions are so important, we reckon everybody should have clear and easily accessible information that empowers them to make financial decisions confidently and with understanding.

As accountants, financial advisors, fund managers and business owners, we have spent many years learning how to get ahead through managing our finances and those of our clients. On SMSF Mate, we aim to synthesize our experiences to provide you with information, insight, tips, tricks, and tools to help you successfully navigate the pitfalls and obstacles that can affect your retirement decisions.

Find the info you need without the jargon about superannuation, investments and self-managed super funds. Gain insights about finance you won’t find anywhere else, and get back to living life without the stress of knowing whether or not you’ve made the right financial decisions for your retirement.

Self Managed Super Funds

Pros and Cons of a Self-Managed Super Fund: Is It Right for You?

An SMSF, or Self-Managed Super Fund, is a type of private superannuation fund that members themselves specifically oversee. Unique in its structure, an SMSF ... Read More

Pros and Cons of a Self-Managed Super Fund: Is It Right for You?

An SMSF, or Self-Managed Super Fund, is a type of private superannuation fund that members themselves specifically oversee. Unique in its structure, ...

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Can I Sell Property from My SMSF to Myself? Exploring the Risks and Benefits

Have you considered selling property from your Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) to yourself? The short answer is indeed, yes, you can, but it must meet specific conditions and align with the stringent guidelines set by the Australian Taxation Office.

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SMSF Trustee Declaration: Why It’s Important and How to Complete It Properly

The SMSF Trustee Declaration is a legal obligation, distinct from the trust deed, which outlines the setup and operational structure of an SMSF. Upon becoming an SMSF trustee or director of a corporate trustee, it's crucial to understand the declaration's content, as it explains your duties and ensures the SMSF operates in compliance with the superannuation law.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Using Super to Buy Investment Property

In recent years, SMSFs have become increasingly popular due to the enticing benefits they offer for property investment. As a favoured choice ...

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Superannuation

Superannuation Advice Australia: Maximise Your Retirement Savings

Superannuation is a cornerstone of Australia's financial framework, underpinning numerous retirement plans. For many Australians, effectively managing their superannuation is pivotal to ensuring a financially secure retirement. Expert superannuation advice can be invaluable, particularly when deciphering individual financial situations. Options like Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) exemplify the evolving superannuation landscape, presenting personalised ...

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A Beginner’s Guide to Unused Carry Forward Concessional Contributions Rules

Superannuation stands as one of the most crucial pillars of financial planning, a cornerstone for a secure future. Yet, many are unaware of the potent tools and strategies available to them. Enter the Unused Carry Forward Concessional Contributions Rules – a pivotal mechanism that can significantly amplify one's retirement savings if leveraged ...

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The Importance of Family Estate Planning: What You Need to Know

Estate planning, often perceived as a mere administrative task, holds a pivotal role in ensuring the orderly distribution of assets after one's departure or during times of incapacity. It goes beyond just drafting a will, offering a thorough evaluation of one's present situation and anticipated future. In ensuring that our hard-earned assets ...

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Investments

Best ASX Commodity ETFs 2023: Guide to Top Performers

What are the best Commodity (ETF) to invest in Australia? The top-performing ETF in Australia for 1 year based on 1 Year return is outlined in the table below. How Australian commodity ETFs work Australia’s commodities industry is a large part of its economy and presents an excellent opportunity to invest in ...

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Re-financing debt to get the best deal is more important than you might think

We did some Googling and according to Canstar, the typical Aussie owes $3,925 on their credit card, has a personal debt of $21,200 (excluding credit cards and property loans) and has a mortgage of $540,166. Let's look at how that plays out in monthly repayments and let's see what happens if we ...

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Opinion: Interactive Brokers Trading Platform for Self Managed Super Fund (SMSF) Investing

Interactive Brokers is considered the industry standard when it comes to a trading platform that is accessible to the everyday SMSF investor. It caters for retail level traders all the way up to hedge fund managers which is why Interactive Brokers is considered the most advanced and accessible trading platform available today. It is a popular platform because:

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Calculators & Tools

Re-financing debt to get the best deal is more important than you might think

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Should I buy a new car? Or should I invest the difference? New Car Real Cost Calculator

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Self Funding your Retirement – Free Planning Tool & Calculations

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SMSF Calculator: How much will I have in my super when I retire? Free Tool

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Kind words from Aussies managing
their own self funded futures

  • SMSF Mate is a unique website because it has ideas about how to approach SMSFs, insurance and other financial topics that come straight from first hand experience. It's much more useful than what you find on all the other financial websites that just offer generic info that you could easily get on the ATO's website. It's also nice to know there's no financial incentive behind the information, it's legitimately there to help people understand self-managed super funds and how to get the most out of them, not to get an affiliate commission from a broker or other financial services provider. The investment product information is also incredibly useful, I've never seen this kind of functionality on any other website that let's you look at such a wide range of products, sort by what info is most interesting or important to you, and subscribe to updates for different funds and financial products all in one place. Definitely worth checking out if you own or are considering an SMSF!

    David G, Self-Employed, SMSF Owner
  • SMSF Mate provides a unique insight into superannuation and financial topics in a way that is easier to understand than conventional websites. The colloquial nature of the site makes it easy to understand and they often speak about complicated topics in lamens terms so I can wrap my head around them. The investment product information is a great way to research funds that I am interested in investing in with my SMSF and there is a lot of helpful information on the site for better structuring my investment portfolio. In comparison to other websites which offer similar information, SMSF Mate excels as the information is free to access whereas many other sites charge a subscription fee for the same thing. Overall, I think SMSF Mate is a great resource for SMSF trustees and is worth looking at for a variety of super-related topics. Thanks.

    Tim B, Business Owner, SMSF Trustee