SMSFundamentals

Super investors and their client advisers are becoming increasingly drawn towards the benefits of investment in Separately Managed Accounts, offering portfolios tailored by investment professionals.

Investment advisor Crowe Horwath lists its ten primary themes for investing for the future from 2014.

Traditional near-retirement investors are falling as a proportion of SMSF trustees as a younger demographic seeks to control its own investment destiny, CoreData has found.

A Legg Mason survey has found a “reality” gap between the level of return Australian retirement investors expect and what they are achieving, with property investment suggesting the greatest delusion.

Conservative investors have stepped up their share market investments while risk-tolerant investors have backed off into 2014. ETF sponsors have launched more products to suit the conservative approach for ease of portfolio management.

Very few Australians in general believe they will have enough money at retirement. Retired SMSFs by contrast are quite happy with the level of their retirement income. Advice is important.

Australian-listed ETFs grew at a record rate in 2013 to mark a record value of investment, with offshore funds proving the most popular.

As Charter Hall closes its second direct industrial property fund more than a year ahead of schedule, AMP surveys fresh global fund manager investment preferences.

ABS stats show super fund managers are moving away from cash and into risk assets while surveys from MLC and NAB on wealth sentiment and wellbeing find Australians concerned they do not have enough money saved for retirement.

The latest ASX-Russell Investments Long-Term Investing Report demonstrates that equities have still performed better than other asset classes over ten and twenty years but suggests that from here on, diversification will be key.