Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]) and Shaun Backhaus, Lawyer ([email protected]) The next Federal election, according to our current Prime Minister Mr Scott Morrison, will be held in May 2019 and, if the Labor Government is elected, significant change is likely. Thus, a brief ‘stock take’ of what the superannuation landscape will look like under a Labor Government [read more]
Joseph Cheung ([email protected]), Lawyer and Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director, DBA Lawyers Many in the industry are aware of the potential trap caused by the transfer balance cap (‘TBC’) for SMSF members who receive payments above the account-based pension (‘ABP’) minimum annual amount. Naturally, unless appropriate documentation is in place prior to the payment being made, [read more]
Joseph Cheung, Lawyer and Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers Significant time has passed since the introduction of the transfer balance cap (‘TBC’). During this period, many have become aware of the potential trap caused by the TBC for SMSF members who receive payments above the account-based pension (‘ABP’) minimum annual amount, and have responded by [read more]
Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]) We have recently experienced substantial superannuation changes during the period of 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. I therefore provide a brief ‘stocktake’ of the changes introduced by the current Coalition Government. A number of these policies were adverse to many members. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that the [read more]
By Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers In Australia, death duties (broadly inheritance taxes) were abolished in 1979. In the realm of superannuation, however, when a member dies, recipients of superannuation death benefits are sometimes liable to pay tax. Who doesn’t have to pay the super death tax? Superannuation death benefits are received tax free by [read more]
Joseph Cheung, Lawyer and William Fettes, Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers An individual’s total superannuation balance (‘TSB’) determines many of their superannuation rights and entitlements, such as eligibility to contribute after-tax amounts into superannuation without an excess arising. Accordingly, there is a strong incentive for individuals to carefully monitor their TSB over time, particularly towards the [read more]
By Christian Pakpahan, Lawyer and Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers We outline below the key superannuation changes announced in the Federal Budget 2018 on 8 May 2018. Some of the proposed changes will have a substantial impact on SMSFs if they are finalised as law. Nomination of superannuation guarantee (‘SG’) for certain employees with multiple [read more]
By: Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers An issue that advisers may not be aware of as we head towards the end of financial year ending 30 June 2018 is the tax treatment of certain pension payments made in relation to capped defined benefit income streams (‘CDBISs’). Tax agents and fund administrators need to be [read more]
William Fettes ([email protected]), Senior Associate and Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director, DBA Lawyers This article summarises the transfer balance account report (‘TBAR’) reporting regime for SMSFs and offers some traps and tips. Overview Under TBAR, any transaction involving a retirement phase pension (ie, tax free pension interest such as an account-based pension or a transition to [read more]
By: Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers The mid-2017 superannuation reforms have had a profound impact on market linked pensions (‘MLPs’). While most of the planning should have already been implemented, there is still some opportunity to review and potentially restructure clients with MLPs. We briefly examine below the treatment of an MLP depending on whether [read more]
