Accounting firm Count Financial has begun preparing for potential capacity constraints that will be faced by the industry as the deadline for SMSF accountants to become licensed draws closer.

The ATO has published a fact sheet detailing its approach to treating income from assets purchased under a related-party loan as non-arm’s-length income, while at the same time warning SMSF trustees not to treat its latest interpretive decisions (ID) on the subject as definitive.

The Australian economy is facing some challenging times in the coming year due to the end of the commodities boom, but good investment opportunities will still present themselves in other areas, according to a global fund manager. “Our outlook for the Australian economy has been more downbeat than the consensus for some time and we […]

An SMSF strategy expert has recommended trustees with a limited recourse borrowing arrangement (LRBA) in place set up a small related-party loan as a safety measure to guard against the uncertainty surrounding the current superannuation gearing rules.

The growth rate of residential property around the country is showing signs of slowing, according to sector researcher Future Estate. Quoting statistics from RP Data, Future Estate said home values rose across the country by only 8 per cent on average in the quarter ended November 2014. “Over the last year, home values rose on […]

A leading law firm has advised proactive action within an SMSF and communication with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) are the most effective means of dealing with a fund contravention.

Changes made late last year to the draft legislation tabled in parliament governing the refund of excess non-concessional contributions (NCC) have provided further clarity on how the rules will operate and a positive result for SMSF trustees already drawing a pension.

An improvement in two major troublesome compliance areas has been reflected in recent SMSF research performed by financial services firm Partners Wealth Group.