Mike King writes an article for The Motley Fool where he notices how the SMSF sector has laid the big industry funds dead on their tracks. King says that the industry funds have access to expert opinions of research analysts, investment banking analysts, and easy access to various investments. So, it is only natural that they should do better than the SMSFs, given their advantageous placement.

James Mitchell and Miranda Brownlee write an article for the website Mortgage Business wherein they say that the stiffer APRA lending guidelines have resulted in a decrease in SMSF lenders, thus hitting the trustees hard. Banks are still willing to lend but lending limits imposed by the prudential regulator has changed the scene.

Michael Roddan has written an article for the Australian Business Review wherein he talks about a Credit Suisse research that puts a loss of $40bn on the shoulders of SMSF in the 6 months leading to September 30. In what might be the biggest loss for the SMSFs yet since 2011, they have lost $19 billion in the three months leading to June 30 and a further $21 billion in the next 3 months.

Kate Cowling writes a piece for the website www.afr.com wherein she says that portfolio picks for different SMSF investors remain more or less the same. Nearly all of them show a disposition towards keeping half of their portfolio in equities; with the baby-boomers showing just a little lesser appetite for stocks.

Rolf Howard writes an article for the website SMSF Adviser where he talks about the duty of practitioners when it comes to finding out whether the SMSF is the right vehicle for their clients. SMSF is definitely a lucrative proposition but its success is not only determined by your level of independence and your business acumen. A lot also depends upon the kind of professional advice you get. Let us probe further.

Miranda Brownlee writes an article for the website Mortgage Business wherein she reflects expert market sentiment, suggesting that residential investments through SMSF can turn out to be a lucky guess. Moreover, those investors with less than $4 million in their kitty should refrain from making investments in this asset class.

Miranda Brownless writes a piece for the website SMSF Adviser wherein she warns investors seeking low volatility of the SMSF property sector about the poor yield that they might come to expect in markets of Sydney and Melbourne. Yield environment must be factored in before SMSF trustees make their investment strategy.

Sally Rose writes a piece for the website AFR Weekend wherein she states that the Abbott government has shown clear signal that it has decided against implementing recommendations of the Financial System Inquiry (FSI). The FSI had asked for a complete ban on the SMSF-enabled borrowing for real estate investments.