Most super funds offer insurance as part of their super plan. It is important to be aware of what types of insurance you are covered by through your super fund to help you determine if you need extra cover outside your super and if you have adequate support in the event that you cannot work.…
One of the most effective ways to add to your super balance is through salary sacrifice. Salary sacrifice involves the employee agreeing to exchange a portion of their salary (before tax) for an increase in superannuation contribution by their employer. Contributions made through salary sacrifice are classified as employer contributions, not employee contributions. These are…
An amnesty scheme which ended earlier this month has caused around 24,000 businesses to admit to underpayment of their worker’s super. A total of 588 million dollars will be distributed to almost 400,00 individuals. The scheme, which covered payments from the introduction of super in 1992, gave employers the opportunity to come clean without any…
Running an SMSF under regular circumstances comes with enough compliance obligations as it is. Adding divorce or separation into the equation can raise even more legal and tax issues that need to be addressed. The breakdown of your relationship does not absolve you from your responsibilities as an SMSF trustee; you are still expected to…
One of the benefits of SMSFs is the amount of control you have from managing it yourself. However, self-management can leave room for disputes among related parties, especially when family members are involved. SMSF disputes can be caused by a number of factors, such as relationship breakdowns, (common in funds where parents and siblings are…
A great way to grow your retirement savings is by making regular contributions to your super fund. However, there are limits to extra contributions which when exceeded, may be subject to additional tax liabilities. Concessional contributions There are two kinds of contributions, concessional and non-concessional, which have different contribution caps. Concessional contributions are payments made…
The ATO reported that 45% of working Australians were not aware that they had multiple super accounts in 2016. Having multiple super accounts is particularly common for individuals who have had more than one job. If this is you, it is important to identify and manage your super accounts because having more than one can…
Self-managed super fund (SMSF) trustees are required to appoint an ATO-approved SMSF auditor no later than 45 days before lodging their SMSF annual return. An SMSF auditor is a professional who assesses your fund’s compliance with superannuation law and examines your fund’s financial statements. SMSF auditor eligible requirementsYour SMSF auditor must be: Independent. SMSF auditors…
Using SMSFs to buy property has become increasingly popular among Australians in recent years, particularly since it became possible for SMSFs to borrow money to fund a direct property purchase. Residential property A residential property owned by an SMSF has some limitations as to who it can be leased to. To buy property through your…