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Author Archive | Daniel Butler

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Reversionary pensions v. BBDNs: advisers’ risks

Reversionary pensions v. BBDNs: advisers’ risks

By Bryce Figot, Special Counsel ([email protected]), and Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers Introduction There has been a number of commentators suggesting that if a pension reversion nomination conflicts with a binding death benefit nomination (‘BDBN’), the pension reversion nomination prevails. While we acknowledge the answer is not necessarily black and white; as it depends [read more]

SMSF investment strategies –– are they a financial product?

SMSF investment strategies –– are they a financial product?

Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), and Bryce Figot, Special Counsel ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers Many advisers do not foresee the potential flow-on legal consequences from merely providing an investment strategy template to an SMSF client. Indeed, many believe they are merely assisting their client particularly to ensure the SMSF will have the necessary paperwork to survive an [read more]

LRBA Wind Up Documentation

LRBA Wind Up Documentation

By Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers When winding up a limited recourse borrowing arrangement (‘LRBA’), appropriate documentation is required. Broadly, an SMSF trustee has the right to acquire legal ownership of an LRBA asset (ie, from the relevant custodian/bare trustee) after the loan is fully repaid. Refer to s 67A(1)(c) of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act [read more]

Investment strategies –– what SMSF trustees must do

Investment strategies –– what SMSF trustees must do

Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), and Bryce Figot, Special Counsel ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers This article provides some background and some key points to SMSF investment strategies. What is an investment strategy? An investment strategy is a plan for making, holding and realising assets consistent with the investment objectives adopted by an SMSF trustee. An investment strategy [read more]

The $1.6 million transfer balance cap revisited

The $1.6 million transfer balance cap revisited

By William Fettes ([email protected]), Senior Associate Introduction The $1.6 million transfer balance cap (‘TBC’) imposes a limit on the total amount that a fund member can transfer into an exempt (retirement phase) pension. The TBC was introduced with effect from 1 July 2017 with the intention of making the tax concessions in superannuation more sustainable [read more]

Downsizer contributions –– basics, tips and traps

Downsizer contributions –– basics, tips and traps

As one of a number of ‘housing affordability’ measures where superannuation is seeking to encourage housing affordability, downsizer contributions were introduced from 1 July 2018 to allow those aged 65 or over to sell their main residence and make up to a $300,000 contribution to superannuation or $600,000 for a couple provided the relevant legislative [read more]

Is the superannuation guarantee system in need of an urgent overhaul

Is the superannuation guarantee system in need of an urgent overhaul?

By Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers Employers are required to make the minimum superannuation guarantee (‘SG’) contribution for each employee to avoid a shortfall under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth) (‘SGAA’). This appears to be a simplistic rule. If an employer does not provide the minimum SG contribution, significant penalties apply. The real issue [read more]

Penalty-interest-and-TR-20192-in-the-context-of-SMSFs-with-LRBAs

Penalty interest and TR 2019/2 in the context of SMSFs with LRBAs

Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director, DBA Lawyers Taxation Ruling TR 2019/2 Income tax: whether penalty interest is deductible provides the Australian Taxation Office’s (‘ATO’s’) view on the deductibility of penalty interest. It replaces Taxation Ruling TR 93/7W Income tax: whether penalty interest payments are deductible, which has been withdrawn. This article highlights the relevance of TR 2019/2 for self managed superannuation [read more]

Who-can-provide-taxation-advice

Who can provide taxation advice?

Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director, DBA Lawyers This article examines who is authorised to provide taxation advice in view of the limitations in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (‘CA’) on advisers relating to who can provide financial product advice. Broadly, there are a number of exemptions in the CA and Corporations Regulations 2001 (Cth) (‘CA Regs’) [read more]