hi jermaynewmy 2cyou mention that you are not getting bang for...

hi jermaynew

my 2c

you mention that you are not getting bang for your buck at the moment - but are considering buying the same shares in your wife's name (i assume you therefore like your shares)

here's my thoughts (subject to your age, kids, spouse income and actual stock you hold - the following works best with blue chip stocks):

- consider a shareholder application of the shares - eg if you hold say 1,000 cba shares you can convert to 1,000 cba warrants for about 50% of the market value and the issuer will give you the balance in cash - ie you hold the same risk exposure to the current stock (that you like), there's no capital gain realised and you've freed up about 50% in cash that you can invest how you like; then

- with the cash, toss it into a family trust - you can split the earnings at year end to the muppets (kids) and spouse at your discretion including streaming franking credits, thereby utilising multiple tax thresholds; or

- keep the cash to replace what you could salary sacrifice (if you don't mind locking it up until 55) - net benefit would be 25% of sacrificed amount - ie 40% personal rate you mentioned less 15% on cont'n to super (don't worry about not being able to gear in super - you can gear pretty much anything you like in super if done properly)

- you mentioned 'if the fund does well' if you salary sacrifice - go the smsf route and you have unfettered control over the investments as opposed to a retail provider; and or

- depending on your age you could get your parents involved - kind of a living will - eg (and i'm making some huge assumptions here) - if you have parents currently over 60 and now drawing a tax free income, you could contribute at least 50k into the same smsf as your parents (25% saved as noted above) - they in turn go about drawing their pension completely tax free and draw a bit extra and 'gift' to you the after tax equivalent of what you've sacrificed - the only downside of course is depending on your age, your member balance is locked up to age 55 and your folks need to have a decent surplus so you don't bleed their account dry

clark kent will be happy because you effectively haven't sold anything

you'll be happy because you have not incurred any cgt but freed up cash and ended up in front

sorry - that's about $2.00 worth and not 2c

cheers

mk