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Part-1-Should-an-SMSF-have-a-unitholders-agreement

Many unit trust deeds need varying especially if an SMSF is involved

Introduction Unit trusts are a common investment structure and can provide a simple way for parties to co-invest in property or business together. In particular, investing via a unit trust is a popular way for SMSFs to invest in real estate including to develop property. While the terms of a unit trust deed typically cover [read more]

DBA Lawyers –– the best BDBN is now even better

BDBNs – what to look out for and what to avoid

A binding death benefit nomination (BDBN) is a direction made by a member to the superannuation fund trustee requiring the trustee to pay the member’s superannuation death benefits in a certain way, eg, to the member’s dependant(s) and/or to their legal personal representative(s) (ie, the executor(s) of the member’s will). BDBNs are usually set out [read more]

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SMSFs and contractual tips and traps

SMSF trustees undertake a wide range of investments and activities across many different sectors in many different countries around the world. In so doing, SMSF trustees enter into various contracts, some standard form contracts and others with negotiated or tailor-made provisions. SMSF trustees must act prudently and act in beneficiaries’ best financial interests. To this [read more]

Street Sign the Direction Way to Pleasant versus Nasty

NALE & NALI = NASTY as a 120% tax rate can apply to contributions

Overview Many believe super is tax effective. However, Australia has the highest tax rate in the world on retirement savings in certain situations. This article focuses on the potential impact of the non-arm’s length income (NALI) and non-arm’s length expenditure (NALE) provisions found in s 295-550 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) (ITAA 1997) [read more]

SMSFs doing property development

SMSFs doing property development may be hit with GST

The recent case of Ian Mark Collins & Mieneke Mianno Collins ATF The Collins Retirement Fund and Commissioner of Taxation [2022] AATA 628 is an important reminder for advisers about the application of the goods and services tax (GST) laws to self managed superannuation funds. This case also raises previously untested issues concerning the extent [read more]

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How long can an SMSF BDBN last for? The High Court answers in Hill v Zuda

The High Court of Australia has settled the debate on how long an SMSF BDBN can last for. Implicitly this judgement also provides support in answering other critical SMSF succession planning questions, such as: Can a BDBN make a pension reversion mid-stream? Can a BDBN override pension documentation? Do you actually want a BDBN to [read more]

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Advantages of the DBA Lawyers SMSF deed (2022-23)

DBA Lawyers latest SMSF governing rules and related documents include many value-added features. This article briefly explains why our SMSF documents are the best available. Recent changes to DBA Lawyers’ SMSF governing rules Our latest DBA Lawyers’ SMSF governing rules (version 2022-23) comes with the following upgrades: express exclusion of reg 6.17A given the High [read more]

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Employee or contractor –– High Court focus on contract v. multi-factors –– Part 2

The law in relation to who is an employee or independent contractor has developed over many years both here in Australia and overseas. Several recent Australian High Court decisions provide greater clarity on this distinction which we discuss below. Employee v contractor ­­– PAYG & SG – Part 1 Note that this is the second [read more]