By Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers Overview This articles examine what advice SMSF advisers can and cannot provide without ‘stepping over the line’ especially in providing taxation, financial product or legal advice which they may not be permitted to provide. For example, an adviser providing legal advice or services (eg, preparing an SMSF deed [read more]
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]
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]
By Bryce Figot, Special Counsel, DBA Lawyers and Daniel Butler, Director There is a misconception that reversionary pension documentation will always apply before a binding death benefit nomination. If the SMSF deed is silent on the question, it can be entirely possible at times that the binding death benefit nomination (‘BDBN’) will apply before any [read more]
Shaun Backhaus, Lawyer ([email protected]) and Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers Many advisers are aware of the potential duty exemption available under s 41A of the Duties Act 2000 (Vic) where dutiable property such as real estate is transferred to a member of an SMSF in respect of their interest in the fund. This potential exemption may also apply [read more]
Shaun Backhaus, Lawyer ([email protected]) and Daniel Butler, Director ([email protected]), DBA Lawyers With the imposition of foreign purchaser duty continuing to be implemented around the country there is a need to determine how this additional tax will apply to SMSFs. Background Most jurisdictions imposing some form of ‘foreign purchaser duty’ include a ‘foreign trust’ or ‘trustee [read more]
Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director and Bryce Figot ([email protected]), Special Counsel, DBA Lawyers Imagine a conflict between pension documentation and a binding death benefit nomination (‘BDBN’) in a self managed superannuation fund (‘SMSF’) context. For example, the pension documentation states that the pension is reversionary to the surviving spouse; however, the BDBN states that the death benefits [read more]
Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director, DBA Lawyers Not only does DBA Lawyers have the best SMSF governing rules and related SMSF documents available, we offer many value added benefits that are not available elsewhere. Recent changes to DBA Lawyers’ SMSF governing rules The new and improved version of the DBA Lawyers’ SMSF governing rules come with [read more]
By Kimberley Noah ([email protected]), Lawyer,and William Fettes ([email protected]), Senior Associate, DBA Lawyers The trustee–member rules set out in s 17A of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth)(‘SISA’) must be satisfied on an ongoing basis by each self managed superannuation fund (‘SMSF’). Indeed, it is critical that advisers and SMSF trustees are mindful of these [read more]
By William Fettes ([email protected]), Senior Associate and Daniel Butler ([email protected]), Director, DBA Lawyers Under the ATO view set out in TR 2013/5, a member’s pension ceases for tax law purposes on their death unless an eligible dependant is automatically entitled to receive the pension as a reversionary beneficiary. A nomination will broadly fail to satisfy [read more]
