Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) Services

An SMSF is a superannuation trust that you control as trustee, rather than handing your money to an industry or retail fund. It can have up to six members, all of whom must be trustees or directors of the corporate trustee. The fund is regulated by the ATO, must pass the sole purpose test of providing retirement benefits, and receives the same concessional tax treatment as other funds: 15% on earnings and tax-free in retirement phase.

There is no legal minimum. Whether an SMSF makes financial sense depends on the fixed costs of administration and audit relative to the balance. In our experience those fixed costs only come into line with large funds once combined member balances reach several hundred thousand dollars. Below that, the percentage cost is usually higher than a retail or industry fund unless you have a specific reason, such as business property.

Keep a written investment strategy and review it regularly, value assets at market value each 30 June, prepare financial statements, have the fund audited every year by an ASIC-registered approved SMSF auditor, lodge the SMSF annual return and pay the supervisory levy, pay minimum pensions where members are in retirement phase, keep records for five to ten years, and comply with the contribution, in-house asset and related-party rules.

Yes. An SMSF can buy residential or commercial property at market value, and can borrow to do so through a limited recourse borrowing arrangement. Members and relatives cannot live in or rent residential property owned by the fund, but business real property can be leased to a member's business at market rent. The purchase must fit the investment strategy and leave enough liquidity for pensions and expenses.

The concessional cap is $30,000 and the non-concessional cap $120,000, with a bring-forward of up to $360,000 over three years if your total super balance allows. The general transfer balance cap, the amount that can move into tax-free retirement phase, is $2.0 million from 1 July 2025. From 1 July 2026, Division 296 adds 15% tax on earnings attributable to total super balances above $3 million, and a further 10% above $10 million, both thresholds indexed.

Choosing individual or corporate trustees, signing a trust deed, obtaining an ABN and TFN and electing to be ATO-regulated within 60 days, signing the trustee declaration within 21 days, opening a fund bank account, obtaining an electronic service address for rollovers, preparing an investment strategy and then rolling over existing super. The ATO's identity checks mean registration typically takes several weeks. We prepare and lodge every document.

We establish the fund, prepare annual financial statements and member statements, arrange the independent audit, lodge the SMSF annual return, monitor contribution caps and pension minimums, prepare trustee minutes and investment strategy documents, and deal with the ATO on your behalf for a fixed annual fee quoted in advance. We are registered tax agents and SMSF administrators; where personal financial advice is needed we work with your licensed adviser.