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Superannuation in Estate Planning: Getting it right, beyond the Will

Recorded 19 November 2025. We will explore how superannuation interacts with an individual’s estate plan and the importance of understanding who controls the destiny of their superannuation.

This is more than theory, it’s practical guidance to help you protect your clients’ legacy and avoid messy disputes.

Recorded 19 November 2025

Superannuation isn’t automatically covered by a Will and assuming it is can lead to costly mistakes for your clients and their beneficiaries.

In this session, SMSF specialist Anthony Cullen lifts the lid on one of the biggest blind spots in estate planning: what happens to superannuation after death - and who really controls it. Spoiler: It’s not always who your clients think.

We will look at the levers a member may have to influence these decisions, from withdrawing benefits before death to reversionary pensions and death benefit nominations, as well as ensuring the right people are in position to make the critical decision when needed.

This is more than theory, it’s practical guidance to help you protect your clients’ legacy and avoid messy disputes.

Total 1.25 CPD Hours

On completion, participants will be able to:

Distinguish between a Will and superannuation death benefits as part of an estate plan
Understand the importance of control, and who has it, after a member has passed away
Appreciate the nuances between binding and non-binding nominations
Understand impact of reversionary and non-reversionary pensions upon the death of a pension member
Determine when superannuation estate plans may need to be reviewed

Anthony Cullen

Senior SMSF Educator, Accurium

Anthony is a new member of the Accurium education team and comes to us with nearly 25 years of experience in the accounting and SMSF industry.

He has previously held senior roles managing the SMSF division of a small accounting practice and providing SMSF technical support within a large SMSF administration business.

Over the years, Anthony’s roles have evolved from the accounting function of SMSFs to keeping on top of the ever changing technical and compliance nature of this specialised area.