Navigate with confidence the complex maze of superannuation with the Australian Superannuation Handbook 2016-17, an essential companion for financial advisers, accountants, auditors, lawyers, superannuation trustees, fund administrators, students and other participants in the superannuation and financial services industry. With the July 2016 Federal Election delivering a closely-divided Parliament, uncertainty looms over the ongoing status of some previously-announced reforms. For example, the Coalition s 2016-17 Federal Budget proposals for a $500,000 lifetime limit on non-concessional contributions from 3 May 2016 (backdated to 1 July 2007), a $1.6 million transfer balance cap for retirement accounts, and a reduction in the concessional contributions cap to $25,000 from 1 July 2017. Details on these measures, and their implications for clients, are set out in the Pending Developments chapter. If these proposals are ultimately enacted into law, clients may need to carefully reposition their retirement plans. Regardless of any future changes, superannuation is expected to remain a tax-effective investment structure for many people in the years ahead. Therefore, accountants and professional advisers of all descriptions must have a working knowledge of superannuation law. To this end, the Handbook s chapters track the superannuation life-cycle in a modern context, enabling the easy location of relevant issues. For self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs), the Tax Office compliance focus will continue to target the incorrect claiming of exempt pension income and limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBAs). The focus on superannuation from the Tax Office, APRA and ASIC, also means that practitioners must ensure that their knowledge of superannuation is complete and up-to-date. FEATURES Current to 1 July 2016 Latest superannuation rates and thresholds 2016-17 Federal Budget proposals Excess contribution rules SMSF borrowings Pensions and annuities MySuper, SuperStream & FoFA obligations The Australian Superannuation Handbook is available on Thomson Reuters' Checkpoint online platform, and is updated in March and September each year. It is also available as an eBook on the Thomson Reuters' Proview eReader.