Superannuation

When Quintin Bowen died suddenly in his early 30s without a will, it left a complicated legal mess for his grieving mother that took more than five years to sort out.

Happy financial new year! Look back at the year that was in financial markets; which stocks performed best, what tanked and where analysts are focusing their attention over the coming 12 months. 

An ABC investigation into superannuation funds offering members "ethical" or "socially aware" options unearths millions of dollars of retirement savings invested in companies that make some of the most controversial and devastating weapons of war.

The new financial year will bring a suite of changes for Australians. Here's a breakdown of what's taking effect. 

Lee fought the financial ombudsman all the way to the federal court when scammers stole his super. Despite winning he only got some money back and after legal fees he's worse off.

The average superannuation balance at retirement for people from non-English speaking backgrounds is about 30 per cent lower than the general population. 

It wasn't until Marc Ypinazar fell in love with his now wife Elle Roberts, and the couple began combining their finances, that he realised his super accounts were in disarray and he was losing money. The ATO says there is $16 billion in unclaimed superannuation.

A study by The Australia Institute finds superannuation tax concessions will only widen the wealth divide for women and low-income earners like Debra.

Kim Heptinstall died after surgery in 2019, and in the hours afterwards Travis Paul Barnard changed the beneficiary of her superannuation to himself, gaining access to more than $300,000. 

Australia's largest superannuation funds have doubled their investments in high-emitting companies over the past two years, according to environmental finance group Market Forces.

Australia is good at producing things, but it has excelled at producing vested interest groups that control key sectors of the economy.

There's been an explosion in withdrawals from superannuation to pay for dental treatment. Controversial rules allow a person to drain their entire super balance for 'compassionate reasons' so long as a doctor certifies that they are in pain or suffering mental distress.

Tully Denahy's diseased teeth were ruining his life. So, like thousands of Australians, he emptied his super account to pay for new ones. 

The federal budget measure — slated to begin in July next year — is a $1.1 billion promise over four years to help improve the retirement outcomes for working mothers.  

Some of UniSuper's 630,000 members are losing sleep over whether they have lost their money put away for retirement as the superannuation company's outage enters its 7th day.

There is mounting evidence that basic forms of insurance are becoming unaffordable for many Australians as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.

Having an idea about the average super balance in Australia for your age can help you take the necessary steps to boost any shortfall. 

Rising temperatures and extreme weather events will heap even more stress on sectors already under severe strain unless effective mitigation strategies are developed, according to the government's climate risk assessment report.

The West Australian government says the pay difference between male and female retirement incomes has been too wide for too long, with a new initiative announced in a bid to bridge the gap.

Superannuation funds warn that tens of thousands of Australian women are being left tens of thousands of dollars worse off in retirement due to career breaks triggered by severe menopausal symptoms. 

Women generally retire with 25 per cent less than men. The promise to include superannuation in paid parental leave aims to narrow the gap.

The government has announced plans to pay superannuation to those on paid parental leave. Here's how it would work, and how it would affect parents.

New analysis from industry super funds shows the Morrison government's early release of superannuation scheme could hit future taxpayers with as much as $85 billion in additional costs, as people who dipped into their super savings are forced to rely on the aged pension. 

The Reserve Bank of Australia did no independent modelling of the inflationary impact of the stage 3 tax cuts, the ABC has confirmed.

Generation Z has the most debt, least savings and highest costs. But experts say there are ways to help them get more financially savvy.