Wait until you see the news reports this week talking about how great it is for mortgage holders and first home buyers rejoicing at the drop in interest rates by the RBA on Tuesday. In reality only 1/3 of the population has a mortgage but they get the headlines.

However the self-funded retiree or those in pre-retirement looking to save for a decent income in retirement will not be rejoicing as they have to get used to a 4 in front of their Term Deposit rates and worry about the possibility of a 3 within 12 months. These are the people who often don’t have the ability to work a little extra overtime or take on part-time job to supplement their income as older workers aren’t exactly swamped with employment offers.

It may be time to bite the bullet and lock some of your funds in for 2-5 years for the best rate you can get as anything around the 5% mark is looking very attractive and not a big risk in terms of exposure to rising rates as the USA has guaranteed they will keep their rates at or near 0% until 2015. I can’t see Australia getting to far out of step with them in the coming years and it is more likely we will have to lower rates further to weaken our dollar for the economy’s sake.

Other governments are buying our Dollar to invest in what they consider stable Australian Government Bonds and Companies. A blog by my friends at Macro Business lists new countries targeting Aussie assets as reported by various media including the AFR is scary including:

Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Brazil, Poland, Hong Kong Vietnam, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait,  Qatar , South Korea and of course China with possibly Peru, Malaysia and Singapore as well. All their interest means demand for our currency rises and the exchange rate goes up which the RBA has to try to manage through Interest rate strategies. All that does not bode well for your average Aussie SMSF investor seeking yield or in more simple terms income.

So time to either load up with the best long-term interest rate you can get risk free or prepare to re-enter or increase your exposure to the share market and other sources of income. Be careful chasing yield and understand the risk of any investment paying more than 1-2% above the RBA’s 3.25%.

The second possible hit is harder for me to discuss as I tend to be apolitical in my views under normal circumstances but I feel I have to say something as the leaks to the media in the last few weeks seem to be softening up the SMSF sector for some hard hits.

So on top of the interest rate cuts to your income  we have a Treasurer likely to just compound the problem because in his desperation not to give the Liberals ammunition to throw at him over budget deficits appears willing to destroy the confidence in the Australian Superannuation system by dipping his hands in to the “honey pot” that is the retirement savings of everyday Australians. He is being goaded on by the unions and industry fund sector who control a massive position of the retirement pot but mostly those with insufficient savings to fund their retirement. They seem hell-bent on making sure NO ONE can afford a comfortable retirement and all will depend on an Age Pension to some degree. They have Self Managed Super Funds (SMSF) in their sights! It may be more layers of compliance fees or reduction in tax concessions or some similar theft of your savings by stealth but we know something is coming so better to be prepared.

I urge all SMSF investors and self funded retirees in general to get on the front foot before the Half Year Budget update and be prepared to speak up to your local member of parliament and write tot he press now rather than later to try to stop this government pillaging your savings to fund a  meaningless surplus. If the opposition took the pressure off the need to bring in a surplus that would help too but I know I am dreaming with that idea. The short-term gain of accessing funding from our Superannuation will lead to a huge drop in confidence in a system that has already been hammered in the last few years by Government changes and the CFC.

For further information on the issues raised in this blog please contact our Castle Hill SMSF Centre or Windsor Financial Planning Office.

Are you looking for an advisor that will keep you up to date and provide guidance and tips like in this blog? Then why now contact me at our Castle Hill or Windsor office in Northwest Sydney to arrange a one on one consultation. Just click the Schedule Now button up on the left to find the appointment options.

Liam Shorte B.Bus SSA™ AFP

Financial Planner & SMSF Specialist Advisor™

Tel: 02　98941844, Mobile: 0413 936 299

PO Box 6002 BHBC, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153

5/15 Terminus St. Castle Hill NSW 2154

Corporate Authorised Representative of Viridian Select Pty Ltd ABN 41 621 447 345, AFSL 51572

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