Advanced search

Top Navigation

Categories | Investments

Index finger pointing at Home symbols on a touch screen menu

Bare trust documents are required where fund trustees are practically unable to hold legal title to fund assets

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]

Modern Way Of Exchange And Bit

Can SMSFs invest in Bitcoin?

Shaun Backhaus, Lawyer and Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers  While there are a large number of cryptocurrencies in existence (currently over 1600), this article will focus on Bitcoin for simplicity. Our comments contained here may apply to other cryptocurrencies with the same characteristics as Bitcoin. What is Bitcoin? As a very basic explanation, the Bitcoin [read more]

feature

Is SMSF property development good or too good to be true?

By Daniel Butler, Director, 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 it. The page, which can be accessed [read more]

featured

Custodian appointment documents are required where fund trustees are practically unable to hold legal title to fund assets

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]

financial penalty

ATO compliance action penalties for SMSFs

By Daniel Butler, Director, 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 to the above, the ATO has the [read more]

easyway

Ways to remove a member from an SMSF

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]

control

Why is it important to have a good company constitution?

Daniel Butler ([email protected]), 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 aspects of a company. [read more]

apple

Not all companies are created equal

Daniel Butler, Director, 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, the [read more]

monitor

SMSFs must tread carefully when dealing with employee share schemes interests

By Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers Acquiring shares via an employee share scheme (‘ESS’) in an self managed superannuation fund (‘SMSF’) can appear attractive but SMSF trustees have to be careful of the in house asset and the related party acquisition rules. Broadly, a company can via an ESS provide employees the opportunity to acquire [read more]

books

Leave SMSF changes of trustee to the lawyers

By Daniel Butler, Director, 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]