Category: SMSF
Is NALE the key to NALI? The ATO’s compliance approach, Bonus Article May
SMSFs must transact on an arm’s-length basis. The purchase and sale price of fund assets should always reflect the true market value of the asset, and the income from assets held by a fund should always reflect the true market rate of return. Any non-arm’s length income (NALI) is taxed at the highest marginal rate....
Individual or corporate trustee for your SMSF? – April 2020
When establishing a self managed superannuation fund (SMSF), one central decision to be made early on is if the trustee structure is to consist of individual trustees or a corporate trustee. Between these choices, you can have up to four individual trustees, or one company that acts as trustee (with that incorporated body having up...
SMSF statistics continue to wow – March 2020
The ATO recently released the latest statistics regarding SMSFs (to the end of September 2019). Highlights include: There are 598,582 SMSFs. There are 1,124,699 members of SMSFs. The total estimated assets of SMSFs are just over $746 billion. The top asset types held by SMSFs (by value) are listed shares (31% of total estimated SMSF...
Limited options to access your super early – March 2020
There are very limited circumstances when you can access your superannuation savings earlier than when you meet what the ATO calls a “condition of release” — which for most people generally means achieving a certain age and retiring. The other limited circumstances mainly relate to specific medical conditions, severe financial hardship or on compassionate grounds....
SMSFs to have new LRBA-related label in annual return
Trustees of SMSFs can expect a new label in their annual return forms, which the ATO says should be available from the end of May. After the Treasury Laws Amendment (2918 Superannuation Measures No 1) Bill 2019 became law in October 2019, the ATO reminded trustees that additional reporting requirements would be coming there way...
Superannuation tax offsets you may be able to use
Tax offsets (sometimes referred to as rebates) directly reduce the amount of tax payable on your taxable income. In general, offsets can reduce your tax payable to zero, but on their own they can’t get you a refund. There are two superannuation-related tax offsets for which you may be eligible. The Australian super income stream...
An SMSF trustee duty not to be forgotten: The investment strategy
The majority of people who set up their own SMSF say that “control” is a big reason for doing it. There is flexibility and benefits in running your own superannuation fund, but it is also a big responsibility to make sure your fund grows and provides for your retirement. Preparing an “investment strategy” is one...
Super downsizer scheme common errors
The super downsizer scheme started on 1 July 2018 and has allowed older Australians to sell their homes and contribute up to $300,000 of the proceeds from the sale into super. Recent figures from the ATO show that more than 5,000 people Australia-wide have made this type of contribution, with 55% being made by females. You...
The SMSF sector is growing by $23,200 every minute
The latest statistical report from APRA has been released (here’s a link to download it — https://bit.ly/2kIH9Oz), which of course mainly focuses on the APRA-regulated superannuation funds in the retail and industry sectors. But the APRA statistics also make passing mention of ATO-regulated funds, the SMSF sector, which from June 2018 to June 2019 grew...
SMSF trustees: Operating expenses you can deduct
Operating expenses that are incurred by an SMSF are mostly deductible, however there can be exceptions to the extent that these relate to the gaining of non-assessable income (such as exempt current pension income) or are capital in nature. The following are examples of the types of operating expenses that are typically deductible for SMSFs...