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Grotesquely unreasonable and SMSF trustees paying death benefits: Re Marsella

Grotesquely unreasonable and SMSF trustees paying death benefits: Re Marsella

The decision in Re Marsella [2019] VSC 65 highlights the importance of trustees of SMSFs exercising their discretion to pay death benefits in good faith, with real and genuine consideration and in accordance with the purpose for which their power was conferred. [read more]

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Superannuation Complaints Tribunal orders fund trustee to refund fees to member for services ‘provided’ by financial adviser

By: Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers The decision of D18-19\002 is what we understand to be the first decision of a court or tribunal requiring a trustee of a superannuation fund to refund fees debited to a member and paid to financial advisers who did not provide any services to the member. Background The [read more]

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Important Supreme Court decision provides further guidance on binding death benefit nominations

By: Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]) and Bryce Figot, Special Counsel ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers The recent decision by the Supreme Court of Queensland in the case of Re Narumon Pty Ltd [2018] QSC 185 (‘Narumon’) again confirms the importance of having a quality SMSF document supplier. More specifically, it shows how poorly drafted binding death benefit nomination [read more]

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The sole purpose test substantially clarified by the Full Federal Court in Aussiegolfa Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation.

Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director, and William Fettes ([email protected]) Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers A recent unanimous decision of the Full Federal Court represents a major win for SMSFs and taxpayers on the topic of the sole purpose test. This decision overturns the primary judge’s decision at first instance in Aussiegolfa Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [read more]

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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]

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2017 Supreme Court challenge to BDBN fails due to valid service on corporate trustee

William Fettes, Senior Associate, Bryce Figot, Special Counsel, DBA Lawyers Disclaimer: DBA Lawyers provided advice to one of the parties in Cantor Management Services Pty Ltd v Booth. We only mention facts made publicly available in the judgement. The recent decision of Cantor Management Services Pty Ltd v Booth [2017] SASCFC 122 provides important guidance [read more]

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Recent court decisions clarify protection of death benefit payments to bankrupts

Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director and Bryce Figot, Special Counsel, DBA Lawyers Broadly, a member’s interest in a superannuation fund is fully protected upon bankruptcy. This protection even extends to lump sums being paid to the bankrupt. A question that may arise is whether this would be true if the benefit being received by the bankrupt [read more]

SMSF succession planning

Perry v Nicholson [2017] QSC 163: important lessons on SMSF succession planning

By Bryce Figot, Special Counsel and Daniel Butler, Director, DBA Lawyers The recent decision of Perry v Nicholson [2017] QSC 163 contains various important lessons for SMSF succession planning. Facts The Colin Maurice Superannuation Fund was established on 17 September 2009. The original trustees were Colin Maurice (‘Deceased’) and his adult daughter Sonia Perry, with [read more]