SUPERANNUATION

The recent NAB Super Evolution conference considered the implications of low interest rates on investments and asset allocations, and how that could affect superannuation returns.

Amid an expensive market and an uncertain global economy, fund managers are cautioning discipline, though there are opportunities for investors to look outside traditional markets and work on assets.

The super sector will undergo changes in the next five years that will bring fewer and larger funds, more intrusive regulators and a sharp focus on returns and fees, says Martin Fahy, chief executive officer of the Association of Superannuation Funds Australia.

In a rapidly consolidating sector, trustees must consider many factors as they eye potential tie-ups.

Our 9th biennial survey – the only survey of its kind to examine hedging techniques of Australian super funds – captures their shifting priorities in this rapidly changing landscape.

Technology has already revolutionised back offices at superannuation funds and wealth management businesses, and is soon to transform customer service as well.

Personal income tax cuts were the headline of the 2019 Federal Budget – along with a change to super contributions and a new work test age.

Tapping into a giant retirement savings pool.

Australia’s superannuation funds are turning to venture capital for the outsized returns the sector can generate and to diversify their portfolios, the 2018 ASFA Conference heard.