By David Oon ([email protected]), Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers The consequences of an SMSF failing the residency rules can be automatic non-complying status. This will broadly mean the entire amount of the SMSF’s assets, less non-concessional contributions, are taxed at 45% in the year of non-compliance (47% during temporary budget repair levy financial years of 2014-15, [read more]
By Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers and David Oon ([email protected]), Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers The ATO has released material saying that SMSF property developments can be considered tax avoidance schemes that are ‘too good to be true’. Within the program called ‘Super Scheme Smart’, the ATO aims to educate the public about SMSF strategies that concern [read more]
By William Fettes ([email protected]), Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers The starting point at general law is that legal title to fund assets must generally be held in name of the current trustees of the fund. However, this is not always possible, eg, where an SMSF trustee is unable to hold legal title, and title is instead [read more]
By Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers and David Oon, Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers This article looks at the actions and penalties the ATO can impose on trustees of self managed superannuation funds (‘SMSF’). In 2014, a new regime added the following compliance powers to the ATO’s arsenal: Education directions Rectification directions Administrative penalties In addition [read more]
By Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers Removing a member from a self managed superannuation fund (‘SMSF’) is not a simple process, particularly where there is a dispute or some animosity among members. Here are some situations that DBA Lawyers has come across: family members have a falling out with a particular family member that they [read more]
By Christian Pakpahan, Lawyer and Daniel Butler, Director DBA Lawyers Company constitutions are often treated as a commodity even though they are a very critical document to the overall effective operation of a company. A constitution, for instance, governs the company’s decision making, powers including the appointment and removal of officers, shareholders and many other [read more]
David Oon, Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers Small private companies frequently act as trustees for SMSFs or trusts, and sometimes in their own right. These companies are governed by their constitution (a set of internal rules). Standard constitutions for a private company are often outdated and contain many pitfalls for the unwary. On the other hand, [read more]
By Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers The idea of acquiring shares from employee share schemes (‘ESS’) in an self managed superannuation fund (‘SMSF’) can be attractive for many reasons, but SMSF trustees have to be mindful of the in‑house asset and the related party acquisition rules. Broadly, a company can via an ESS provide employees [read more]
David Oon, Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers SMSF changes of trustee are a ticking time bomb if not properly drafted by a lawyer with proper experience. While it is easy to put together a document that simply states that one trustee resigns and one trustee is appointed, several real examples exist where SMSF changes of trustee [read more]
Christian Pakpahan, Lawyer and Daniel Butler, Director DBA Lawyers. For those who are interested in purchasing their first residential premises, the First Home Super Saver (‘FHSS’) Scheme may be an option worth exploring. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Reducing Pressure On Housing Affordability Measures No. 1) Bill 2017 (Cth) passed both houses on 7 December 2017, meaning [read more]
