Many self managed super fund (SMSF) trustees recognise the benefits of having an online trading platform and integrated cash management account to manage their SMSF investments.
Worked example
After setting up a SMSF, John, a 42-year-old engineer, created an investment strategy based on how much money he needed at retirement. He also created a target for the fund to outperform inflation by 4% per annum over the long term. He then outlined how he planned to achieve his goals by assigning asset weightings and other rules. This became the roadmap for each of his future investment decisions. When selecting a platform for his SMSF, John looked for:
Cash management account integration
The cash management account made the operation of his SMSF easier and he was able to consolidate the income received from his dividends and his own super contributions.
Ability to trade on the go
John wanted a platform that he could access from his mobile phone or tablet. This meant that when he was away from home or work he could feel secure knowing that he had the ability to trade at any time.
Access for his accountant
To streamline his tax reporting, John wanted a platform that would enable him to give his accountant complete visibility of his trading history and provide data feeds into his accountant's SMSF administration software.
Company information and research
John wanted to do his own investment research and analysis. He looked for platform providers that offered live market data and analysis from Dow Jones Newswires, BRR Media, Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) announcements and Morningstar company information, all through one single login.
Concise reporting
John wanted to be able to have simple, clear and concise reporting he could download so he could review his portfolio position and performance over time against his SMSF investment strategy and to assist him in making future investment decisions.
In conclusion, John chose an online trading platform and an integrated cash management account that had all of these characteristics to simplify the management of his SMSF and provide even greater control and visibility over his investments aligned with his SMSF investment strategy.
