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SMSF Succession Diagnostic Service

Click here to provide your instructions For many Australians, SMSF investments are a key component of their retirement savings and wealth creation strategies. For example, the ATO confirmed there were more than 600,000 SMSFs with an average value of more than $1.27 million for the quarter ended 30 September 2019. Unfortunately, many do not plan [read more]

DBA Lawyers –– the best BDBN is now even better

DBA Lawyers –– the best BDBN is now even better –– COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised various practical issues for SMSF trustees and members. Members may wish to make a binding death benefit nomination (‘BDBN’) but may be frustrated by the requirement to have two independent witnesses available as this can prove challenging, if not impossible or illegal, during these difficult and dangerous (COVID-19) times. To [read more]

SMSF Lease Review Service

SMSF Lease Review Service –– COVID-19

Click here to provide your instructions Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an immense amount of financial stress on tenants, especially commercial tenants who have suffered a severe downturn in their businesses. As a result, many commercial tenants are approaching their landlords demanding a rent reduction and variation to their lease. Landlords may be willing, [read more]

Temporary Early Access to superannuation –– COVID-19

Temporary Early Access to superannuation –– COVID-19

Background The Australian Government’s coronavirus economic stimulus package includes several options for individuals to obtain access to money in the short-term if they are financially impacted by coronavirus. One option is to allow a member to access up to $20,000 of their superannuation benefits before ‘retirement’ or attaining age 65. In these uncertain times that [read more]

Minimum pension payments @ 50%?

Minimum pension payments @ 50%? –– COVID-19

Minimum pension payments for the current financial year (ie, FY2020) and next financial year (FY2021) have been halved. This measure addresses concerns of the current market volatility and aims to provide SMSF trustees with discretion and flexibility to better manage their cash flows and retain assets that may have substantially decreased in value in recent [read more]

SMSFs and rent relief due to COVID-19

SMSFs and rent relief due to COVID-19

SMSFs that own property are facing the prospect of tenants falling behind in their rent payments and their other obligations under the lease due to the economic stress arising from COVID-19. Australian states and territories will put a six-month moratorium on evictions for both residential and commercial tenants during the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Scott [read more]

SMSF succession –– minimising risk given COVID-19

SMSF succession –– minimising risk given COVID-19

In recent months, we have seen a significant increase in succession planning queries and assignments where we have been asked to provide advice and/or documents, including binding death benefit nominations (‘BDBNs’), reversionary pensions, planning for control of an SMSF and implementing timely member exit strategies for those who may be left with a limited time [read more]

DBA Lawyers - Ensure an SMSF meets the residency tests

Ensure an SMSF meets the residency tests

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, 2015-16 and 2016-17). The result of this is [read more]

Should an SMSF have a tenants in common agreement?

Should an SMSF have a tenants in common agreement?

Introduction Real estate is a common and popular investment for SMSFs. Indeed, the ATO’s SMSF statistical report for the quarter ended 30 September 2019 shows that SMSFs held around $35 billion in residential real property and around $64.6 billion in non-residential property, ie, around $99.6 billion worth of real property. It is also reasonably popular [read more]