Articles by Jason Spits

financial advice

FAAA upgrades planner search tool

Financial Advice Association Australia FAAA Find a planner Money & Life Tania Milnes

The Financial Advice Association Australia has enhanced the tool consumers can use to find a planner, making it easier to search by a range of criteria and allowing them to personalise the information available.

read more
Business News, financial advice, Technology

IFPA signs digital advice partnership

IFPA Institute of Financial Professionals Australia Pippa McKee MoneyGPS George Haramis single-topic financial advice digital advice

The Institute of Financial Professionals Australia has created a new partnership that will allow its members to offer online advice without needing to hold their own licence.

read more
Downsizer

Downsizer favoured by women

ATO Downsizer contributions superannuation women

Women have led the use of downsizer contributions since they were first introduced and have added more into their superannuation than men taking advantage of lower age limits.

read more
Auditing, Compliance

ASIC auditor referrals remain steady

SMSF auditors ATO ASIC Referrals independence standards APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants

The ATO has continued to refer auditors to ASIC at a steady pace, with key reasons in the last year related to breaches of independence obligations.

read more
AAT

AAT decision will create precedent

Administrative Appeals Tribunal AAT ATO decision impact statement SMSF trustee banning Gordon Merchant Merchant and Commissioner of Taxation Coronica and Commissioner of Taxation Sladen Legal Phil Broderick Terence Wong

An AAT decision to overturn the banning of an SMSF trustee for a one-off mistake is likely to be referred to in other cases, despite the ATO downplaying the outcome.

read more
Death benefits, Tax

Use Div 296 to open death tax discussion

Division 296 tax death benefits SMSF Self-managed superannuation Large balances Heffron Meg Heffron

The potential impact of the proposed Division 296 impost should be a trigger to open conversations around death benefit taxes and reducing large balances as both will carry a cost for fund members.

read more
ASIC, financial advice

Ex-SMSF adviser jailed for dishonest conduct

SMSF adviser dishonest conduct Bradley Grimm ASIC Banning Ostrava Equities

Action to ban an adviser for dishonest conduct in 2016 has reached its conclusion with the former practitioner sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.

read more
Tax, TPB

PM called on to fix tax agent code

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand CPA Australia Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination Stephen Jones Ainslie van Onselen Chris Freeland

A group of industry bodies representing tax agents has called on the Prime Minister to address changes to a new code of conduct in a move that bypasses the relevant minister ahead of a meeting later this week.

read more
financial advice, Financial Planning

Advice boosts value for clients

Financial advice Value of advice Russell Investments Neil Rogan Value of an Adviser Report

Financial advice added around 6 per cent more value to clients in the past year, with the key aspect being the professional direction and guidance advisers provide.

read more
In-house assets

In-house asset breach not deferrable

SMSF auditors Self-managed superannuation In-house assets 5 per cent limit SIS Act Red Willow Super Marjon Muizer

Breaches of the in-house asset rules cannot be treated as an end-of-financial-year event, despite some auditors stating this is so, but have an impact on a fund the moment they take place.

read more

Copyright © SMS Magazine 2025

ABN 80 159 769 034

Benchmark Media

WordPress website development by DMC Web.