Have You Checked Your Nominated Superannuation Fund Beneficiary Recently?

by Dominique Schuh

The ASX 200 index ignored the stronger overnight lead from Wall Street as it dropped 0.3% in early trade, due to weak wage and construction data. On the US market, investors are looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's minutes of its most recent meeting for clues on the timing of the next interest rate hike. The Australian dollar is up against the US, finishing at 76.79 US cents on Tuesday.

What this means for you:
Have you checked your nominated superannuation fund beneficiary recently? Your super fund assets don't automatically pass into your estate on death, as the beneficiary nomination will direct where those assets go. For industry funds, this nomination can sometimes lapse after 3 years, so it pays to revisit this. You also need to consider whether you'd like to leave the super fund assets to your children, as they may be forced to pay tax on the benefit amount. Nominating a spouse as your beneficiary will mean they receive the assets tax-free.

Overall the market has had a very strong 12 month period, which is great news for investors. For those who have been long-term investors, you're being rewarded for staying the course during both good and bad years.