The Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) decision to amend the wholesale investor classification that will allow some SMSF trustees to be included in this category has been described by a superannuation consultant as unusual in comparison to the general protectionist attitude towards the sector.

The Financial System Inquiry’s (FSI) concern over lack of portfolio diversification within superannuation funds, resulting in a recommendation to ban the use of gearing inside SMSFs, was a worrying development, according to an industry expert.

Fractional property investing could provide the solution for SMSF trustees looking to invest in the asset class if the government acted upon the Financial System Inquiry’s recommendation to ban limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBA), according to the head of a funds management house.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued two interpretive decisions reinforcing its stance on zero interest loans issued to SMSFs. ID 2014/39 and ID 2014/40 both deal with situations where an SMSF acquired assets via a zero interest loan; the first being a limited recourse borrowing arrangement (LRBA) of several million dollars to purchase shares […]

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has cancelled 440 SMSF auditor registrations for not satisfying the competency exam needed to retain their registration.

The SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) has thrown its support behind the government’s announcement that the register of financial advisers would include information about the practitioner’s qualifications and any memberships of professional associations.

SMSF auditors must realise who they are actually working for and communicate that to the entire industry in order to demonstrate the real value of the process, according to a specialist practitioner servicing the sector.

Technical retirement savings advice provider McPherson Super Consulting has appointed former Australian Taxation Office (ATO) superannuation assistant deputy commissioner Stuart Forsyth as a company director.

Accountants operating as sole practitioners do not need to be concerned about perceived capacity constraints in becoming licensed and adding financial advisory services to their businesses, an industry licensee has said.