James Hurwood

James has been writing for Canstar since early 2014, and is passionate about the subjects of personal wealth, fintech and housing affordability. His primary goal as a journalist is to create content that informs Australians, and helps them manage and improve their financial situation.

Superannuation - August 15th

5-Star Super Funds For Australians Aged 30-39

Your thirties is a good time to take a step back and routinely assess your overall financial situation, and part of that is taking a look at how your super’s doing. One of the most important …

Superannuation - August 15th

What are the Marginal Tax Rates?

As the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) points out, the tax rates paid by individuals aren't generally set as a flat percentage of your income. Australia has a progressive tax rate system, meaning that the more …

Self Managed Super Funds - August 15th

An Overview of Capital Gains Tax for SMSFs

SMSF trustees can generate returns by buying and selling investment assets. However, as the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) notes, any earnings made from the disposal of an asset may attract capital gains tax (CGT). The ATO …

Home Loans - August 13th

How Do Offset Accounts Really Work? (Video)

A large number of mortgage holders, particularly those who opt for a home loan package, have an offset account. In fact, a total of 38% of investment and owner occupier home loans have an offset facility, as at …

Canstar News - August 7th

Royal Commission 101 – What You Need to Know (Video)

The Royal Commission (or, to give it its full name - the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry) was first established on 14 December 2017, with its findings that followed regularly gaining …

Types of home loans for the first home buyers

First Home Buyers - August 6th

What type of home loan is right for first home buyers?

There is no doubt that for many people, owning a home is part of their Great Australian Dream and home ownership may provide a great sense of personal satisfaction. For others, a well-selected property is …

Health Insurance - July 25th

Government Reforms: ‘Gold, Silver and Bronze’ Health Insurance

Ever found yourself confused or overwhelmed by a health insurance policy? You’re not alone. There are currently more than 40,000 policy variations available to the average Australian, a level of complexity which the Australian Competition and …

Travel Insurance - July 23rd

10 Things That Could Void Your Travel Insurance

Many people don't realise what aspects are and aren’t covered on their policy (33% of Australians admitted to choosing the cheapest cover without looking into other considerations), and on top of that, are unaware of the …

Credit Score - July 22nd

Five Facts You Might Not Know About Your Credit Score

1. Checking your own credit score won't affect it One of the more common misconceptions about credit scores is that checking yours will lower it - this is not true. You can 'soft check' your own credit …

Superannuation - July 18th

5-Star Super Funds For Balances From $55-$100k

Super balances of over $55k have the potential to truly start working for you when it comes to investment returns and compound interest. However, the returns a balance can generate in a poor-performing fund may pale in comparison to the …

Important Information

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you. Consider the product disclosure statement (PDS) before making any financial decision. For more information, read Canstar’s Financial Services Guide (FSG).
Please note that all information about performance returns is historical. Past performance should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance; unit prices and the value of your investment may fall as well as rise. The results are general advice only and not personal product advice. If you look at any specific product, consider the product disclosure statement (PDS) and seek advice from a licensed financial adviser before making an investment decision. See our detailed disclosure. Click here for additional important notes and liability disclaimer.

Canstar is an information provider and in giving you product information Canstar is not making any suggestion or recommendation about a particular product. The information has been prepared without taking into account your individual investment objectives, financial circumstances or needs. Before you decide whether or not to acquire a particular financial product you should assess whether it is appropriate for you in the light of your own personal circumstances, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. You may wish to obtain financial advice from a suitably qualified adviser before making any decision to acquire a financial product. Please refer to the product disclosure statement (PDS), Canstar’s Financial Services and Credit Guide (FSCG) for more information, and read our detailed disclosure, important notes and liability disclaimer.
The Star Ratings in this table were awarded in March 2018. The search results do not include all providers and may not compare all features relevant to you. View the CANSTAR Superannuation Star Ratings Methodology and Report. These results are general advice only and not personal financial advice. Ratings are only one factor to take into account when deciding whether to make an investment. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement before making a purchase decision.
Products displayed above that are not 'Sponsored' are sorted as referenced in the introductory text to the table. Canstar may receive a fee for referral of leads from these products. See How We Get Paid for further information. Products displayed above do not include all products/providers and may not include all features relevant to you. Please note that all information about performance returns is historical. Past performance should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance; unit prices and the value of your investment may fall as well as rise. Performance information shown is for historical periods up to 30/6/2018 and investment options noted in the product information. This is indicated in the tables by a note referring the user to the product provider, or by no performance information being shown. Performance figures shown reflect net investment performance, i.e net of investment tax, investment management fees and the maximum applicable ongoing management fees and membership fees. Performance information is provided by Rainmaker Information Pty Ltd ABN 86 095 610 996 AFSL 461816 (www.rainmaker.com.au) which provides general information on superannuation. Performance data may not be available for some products. Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and is not a recommendation for your particular circumstances. Consider whether this advice is right for you. Consider the product disclosure statement before making a purchase decision. You may need financial advice from a qualified adviser.

Performance, fee and other information displayed in the table has been updated from time to time since the rating date and may not reflect the products as rated. The performance and fee information shown in the table is for the investment option used by Canstar in rating of the superannuation product.

Investment returns of superannuation products: Canstar considers the annual investment returns of a product’s default investment option, including the default life-stage option where applicable. Where a product does not have a default investment option, annual returns for the investment option with the highest funds under management (FUM) and a 60-80% growth asset allocation are used.

Annual cost includes administration fees and indirect costs (including the investment fee, performance fee where applicable, and any other indirect management costs). This cost is calculated based on the super balance specified and the investment option considered in the 2018 Superannuation Star Ratings, which is the default investment option (including default life-stage options). Where a product does not have a default investment option, annual fees for the investment option with the highest FUM and a 60-80% growth asset allocation are used.

James Hurwood

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