It’s been a turbulent year for superannuation. Both the Productivity Com-mission and the financial services royal commission shone a light on how the $2.9 trillion system failed to identify and address the shoddy deals dished out to too many consumers.
It’s estimated there are more than a million dud default funds draining fees out of members’ accounts. But those days are numbered.
Apart from the avalanche of class actions that have followed, and will act as a deterrent, the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) has been given stronger enforcement powers to do something about it.
It will act against super funds that breach their obligations to members, including the duty to act in their members’ best interests. It will also enable APRA to intervene early “before members suffer significant harm”.
Around $150 billion in annual super contributions flow into the industry and for many members super will become their largest or second-largest asset. This has led the Productivity Commission and the royal commission to call on regulators to do more.
Wayne Byres, APRA’s chairman, has described its new powers as “a game-changer providing regulatory muscle that has previously been lacking”. It will enable the regulator to be proactive and weed out underperforming funds with high fees that reduce members’ retirement incomes by hundreds of thousands of dollars over their working life.
Bu hikaye Money Magazine Australia dergisinin December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Money Magazine Australia dergisinin December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
An outrageous, beautiful monopoly
Telstra's mobile business is a cash machine with few competitors, giving it the highest returns in the world.
Drop the anchor to judge value
Buying and selling decisions should be based on where a stock price is going, not where it has been.
Powering the AI boom
Beyond the software and chipmakers, where will the energy come from?
Get into life
Tucked inside super are products that can protect you from life's inevitable uncertainties.
Paths to home ownership
Taking the road less travelled can sometimes deliver unexpected benefits.
Sold! Quick ways to add value
Small, strategic changes can have a big impact on the look and feel of your home. And get you a better price on auction day.
Money lessons the kids need to know
Your children can learn a lot from your past money mishaps. Here are eight financial conversations I have had with mine.
Property-investing rules: are they likely to change?
The pressure for the government to curb the tax benefits of tax concessions, such as negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, is unrelenting. Most recently, independent senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie proposed five options for paring back investment property tax concessions, with savings to the Federal budget of up to $60 billion over the next decade.
What's love got to do with it?
A rollercoaster of emotions could be driving poor crypto behaviour.
Are we ready to be cash-free?
Saying goodbye to our piggy banks too soon could leave small businesses in the dark when problems arise.