Getting ready for the end of financial year

Fri 05 June 2026

Investor Update

ASX

For investors, preparation and portfolio planning top end of financial year considerations.

Key points

ASX Investor Update asked investment experts about key things investors might consider in the lead-up to 30 June.
Issues ranged from getting financial advice, ensuring paperwork is up-to-date, rebalancing portfolio asset allocations if needed, and tax and superannuation planning. There is a special focus at the end of this article for Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) trustees.
This article does not provide financial or taxation advice. Seek advice from a licensed financial adviser or accountant, or do further research of your own before acting on themes in this article. The 30 June considerations below might not suit your needs.

Wooden cubes with the letters EOFY are arranged in a row on top of a printed bar chart.

The end of the financial year (EOFY) is usually a busy time for financial advisers and investors who review their portfolio strategies before 30 June.

For some, EOFY planning is little more than housekeeping: checking portfolio performance and ensuring their paperwork is up-to-date.

For others, EOFY planning involves portfolio rebalancing: selling some assets and buying others to ensure asset allocations are aligned with their financial goals.

Then there’s tax. Before 30 June, investors sometimes sell loss-making stocks to help offset capital-gains tax from profitable positions they sold (see ASX Federal Budget article for more).

Tax is complex, so consider getting advice from an accountant or financial adviser. Also, understand the rules for using capital losses to reduce capital gains, available on the Australian Taxation Office website.

Superannuation is another consideration. Some investors might, for example, make additional contributions into their super fund before 30 June.

Every investor, of course, is different. Many do nothing in the lead-up to 30 June, knowing they have made changes throughout the year. Others use June (or start earlier) to make significant portfolio changes.

Here are five expert views on EOFY considerations:

1. Molly Benjamin

Founder, Ladies Finance Club
Key takeaway: Start early. Don’t leave changes to the last minute.

One of the biggest mistakes I see women make at Ladies Finance Club is waiting until tax time to ask questions. By July, the financial year is already done, and a lot of strategies that could have helped are no longer available.

Even a quick 20-minute chat with your accountant or adviser before 30 June could help uncover opportunities around super contributions, deductions, timing of asset sales or other tax strategies you can still action before the deadline.

One strategy, for example, is checking your super contribution caps and topping up your super. 30June is the hard deadline for super contributions, so if you've been thinking about topping up your super, now’s the time to look at it.

Molly Benjamin, Ladies Finance Club

Concessional contributions (before-tax contributions) are generally taxed at 15% inside a super, which for a lot of people is lower than their normal tax rate.

You may also be able to use unused concessional contribution caps from previous years if your super balance is under $500,000, something a lot of people don’t realise they can do.

This may be worth checking with your accountant or financial adviser to see what you’re eligible for before the financial year wraps up.

2. Chris Brycki

CEO, Stockspot
Key takeaway: Avoid quick decisions or over-reacting to proposed tax changes in the Federal Budget.

As we approach the end of the financial year, one of the most important things investors can do is avoid making emotional decisions driven by short-term market movements or tax panic.

This year, in particular, many investors may be understandably nervous given the proposed changes in the 2026-27 Federal Budget to capital gains tax. More information on what the Federal Budget means for investors is available here.

But EOFY shouldn’t become an excuse for reactive investing. Portfolio diversification, long-term discipline and staying aligned to your goals remain far more important than trying to optimise every short-term tax outcome.

Chris Brycki, Stockspot

EOFY is, however, a good time to review whether your portfolio still matches your risk tolerance and investment timeframe. After strong market movements over the past year, especially in areas like precious metals and technology shares, some investors may now be carrying more risk than they originally intended.

EOFY may also be a good opportunity for self-directed investors to simplify their portfolios. Over time, many investors accumulate overlapping ETFs, duplicate exposures and have multiple brokerage accounts which can potentially create unnecessary complexity, paperwork and tax administration without materially improving diversification or returns.

3. Hugh Lam

Investment Strategist, Betashares
Key takeaway: Get your investment paperwork in order before 30 June.

From an exchange-traded fund (ETF) perspective, June is a good time to make sure your details are up to date by ensuring your Tax File Number (TFN) and bank account details are on file with your share registry. If your TFN is not recorded, the ATO can withhold tax at the highest marginal tax rate - a bad outcome for many investors.

All ETF distributions, whether as cash, or reinvested through a Distribution Reinvestment Program (DRP) are taxable. Investors should ensure they are familiar with their Attribution Managed Investment Trust Member Annual statement (AMMA), which shows the amount and type of income attributed to your investment, any tax credits such as franking credits, and any withholding tax deducted. The ATO has information on the AMMA statement and its purpose.

Hugh Lam, Betashares

The lead-up to June 30 may also be a good time to consider whether you want to participate in a DRP, which allows you to reinvest your distribution to received additional units in the fund rather than as cash payments.

At Betashares, we typically see an increases in the use of DRPs at this time of the year as investors plan how they’d like to manage their distributions for the next financial year.

4. Ron Hodge

CEO, InvestSmart
Key takeaway: Consider portfolio rebalancing to restore asset allocations to their target.

EOFY doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s really a chance to tidy up your portfolio and make sure it still matches what you’re trying to achieve. One of the first things I’d consider looking at is portfolio rebalancing.

If Australian shares, global equities or a sector ETF have had a strong run, they may now make up more of your portfolio than you intended, leaving you more exposed to one market or theme. EOFY can be a good time to review portfolio weightings to understand how market movements have affected their allocation and if they still fit your long-term investment strategy.

It can be also a good time to review any underperforming shares or ETFs. Realising a loss may help offset gains elsewhere, but tax should not be the only reason to sell. The better question is whether that investment still deserves a place in your portfolio and is doing the job you want it to do, whether that is providing growth, income, diversification or stability. If not, it may be time to move on.

Ron Hodge, InvestSmart

EOFY can tempt people into making rushed decisions for short-term reasons. Usually, good investing still comes back to the basics: diversification, sensible costs and staying focused on your long-term goals. Sometimes the best decision is simply to make a few thoughtful adjustments and keep going.

5. Mary Simmons

Head of Technical, SMSF Association
Key takeaway: SMSF trustees should think beyond 30 June

For SMSF trustees, EOFY planning is no longer just about maximising contributions before 30June. Decisions around balances, investments, asset valuations and the timing of retirement income streams can shape tax outcomes and flexibility within the superannuation system well beyond EOFY.

EOFY 2026 is particularly important with the Division 296 regime taxing earnings attributable to balances over A$3 million, commencing from 1 July 2026. However, trustees should avoid reacting impulsively before this financial year-end. Instead, EOFY 2026 is an opportunity to review investment holdings and the fund’s broader capital gains tax position.

Image of Mary Simmons from SMSF Association

Mary Simmons, SMSF Association

While the first Division 296 liability will be calculated using balances at 30 June 2027, decisions made before 30 June 2026 may still influence outcomes. This includes reviewing assets with significant unrealised gains, the use of capital losses and understanding how the proposed transitional capital gains tax relief operates.

Asset valuations at 30 June remain important not only for annual reporting but also because they influence total superannuation balance calculations and future planning opportunities. With ongoing ATO focus on market values, trustees should ensure EOFY valuations are appropriate, supported and applied consistently.

Contributions remain central to building wealth in superannuation, but EOFY 2026 is a reminder they should not be considered in isolation. Trustees should review concessional caps and any expiring carry-forward amounts, noting that small balance movements at 30 June can affect future contribution eligibility. With contribution limits increasing from 1 July 2026, timing decisions around when contributions are made are just as important as how much.

For members in retirement phase, ensuring minimum pension payments are made by 30 June is essential. Those approaching retirement should consider when to commence pensions, especially with the transfer balance cap increasing to A$2.1 million from 1 July 2026.

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