An Imputation Bond can be set to generate a tax-effective and regular “annuity-like” payment stream. Unlike ordinary annuities, there is total flexibility to vary at any time the stream’s payment amounts and/or their frequency of drawing them against the insurance bond’s value. “But it is important to understand that an Imputation Bond regular payment stream […]
Austock Life
2016 private school placements now allocated
Great news for parents, but have allowances been made for how to fund 6-12 years of school fees?
Advisers are revisiting Commonwealth Seniors Health Card strategies as senior clients start losing ‘their health card’
Seniors with Account Based Pension are losing the health card because of the extended deeming revisions now applied to superannuation account-based pensions. These changes to the deeming are causing a rethink of how assets are held for people who are close to receiving the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC). Money held in an insurance bond […]
Imputation bonds add up for paying off student loans
An investment-linked insurance bond could be the salvation for students or their families that want to avoid the potentially crippling impact of student debt. Annually, Australia’s Higher Education Loan Payment (HELP) program makes student loans totalling more than $6 billion. [1] Eligible students under the 2015 FEE-HELP limits can borrow from the Federal Government up […]
Superannuation vs Imputation Bonds
The access and tax-free timing of superannuation does not suit every investor Both superannuation and imputation bonds are long-term investment structures that provide tax-paid outcomes. Both structures can also deliver tax-free distributions in hands of investors but at different time intervals superannuation timing/rules for access may not suit every investor Contact Ross Higgins Austock Life […]
Charitable bequests will have a higher survival rate if made outside of the Will and beyond challenge
Sadly, charitable bequests often give rise to family squabbles and contested Will claims by disgruntled family members and sometimes estranged or distant relatives. “Recent Australian trends show that charitable bequests are frequently overturned by the courts, or the charity ends up with only a fraction of the intended bequest.[i] In general, charities are reluctant to […]
How can advisers discuss trust structures to manage CentreLink assessable income without incurring large legal fees for their client?
Richard Atkinson demystifies the mechanics and costs of using trusts to quarantine assets for retired/retiring clients who want to better manage their Centrelink Income Test outcomes. 1. Task CentreLink deeming of financial assets tests becomes tougher for retirees seeking access to Government benefits from 1 January 2015… this will affect more people seeking lower costs […]
Dear Client: Is your Seniors Health Card at risk from 1 January 2015?
How can advisers help clients get or retain a Seniors Health Card in 2015? … by quarantining assets and thus income produced from pool of assessable assets.