1. Direct control of your super. You decide what to invest in, when to buy, when to hold and when to sell. 2. A wider choice of investments. By investing through an SMSF, you can access a wider range of investment options than a traditional super fund, including direct shares and property.
3. More flexibility. Because you make the decisions, you have the flexibility to design an SMSF strategy that complements your other investments, changing your strategy when new opportunities arise or when your situation changes.
4. Potential tax benefits. Super can offer significant tax benefits compared to non-super investments, allowing you to potentially take advantage of more tax-efficient investment strategies.
5. Potential cost savings. Provided you have a larger amount of super to invest (typically $200,000 or more), an SMSF could help you save on fees, leaving you with more money to invest.
(APRA, Quarterly Superannuation Performance, March 2013)