The Top 5 Mistakes made on an SMSF: Advice from the Australian Tax Office
The ATO published a list of the most common mistakes made in the accounting process of SMSFs around the country last year. A few of the top five mistakes relate to the SMSF Annual Return (SAR) which is required to be lodged for some SMSFs next month. With recent growth of 15% in SMSF’s for […]
SMSF Auditor Independence Standards – The Tough Decisions for Accounting Firms
In preparation for a tougher clamp down on SMSF Audit Independence Standards as of July 1, many accounting firms face a predicament. Under the updated code, those firms that offer both non assurance and SMSF audit services to their SMSF clients to decide to offer one, or the other. The independence standard also affects those […]
4 Industry Changes Financial Professionals Need to Know
A Market Update: Jan ’21 It’s already looking like 2021 is going to be another year of change and a dynamic time for our Industry. Although the pandemic seems to be relatively under control in Australia, unfortunately this is not the case for much of the World. At this stage, restrictions upon travel and the […]
SMSF Diversification Strategy – are you on top of your obligations?
Are you questioning your obligations and requirements aligning with your SMSF diversification strategy? The Australian Taxation Office has recently mailed around 17,000 SMSF trustees with a ‘please explain’ letter. The target was a batch of funds that have more than 90% of their assets in a single asset class. In many uninformed sectors of the […]
Can my SMSF invest in gold and silver bullion?
Yes – your SMSF can invest in gold and silver bullion and other precious metals as part of your investment strategy however there are a number of rules that you must comply with. Importantly, an SMSF investment in gold or silver bullion valued entirely on the spot price of the precious metal. Gold bullion is […]
How much super do I need in retirement, and how can I boost my super balance?
Knowing how much you need in retirement is more about knowing what kind of lifestyle you desire when you have retired, or, transitioning to retirement. According to the ASFA Retirement Standard, for a single person that magic number is $545,000. But according to the ABS – the average super balances for the entire working population1 […]