The anticipation of upcoming superannuation legislation meant advisers must ensure trustees were informed of any changes that affected SMSFs and their responsibilities, according to AMP SMSF head of policy and technical Peter Burgess.

The belief SMSF trustees were using their super savings irresponsibly in retirement and withdrawing their superannuation as a lump sum as soon as they could is unsubstantiated, says the sector’s peak professional body.

The SMSF Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) is developing a framework for one-on-one technical support for its members, according to its technical director.

Online access to SMSF data is set to increase sharply, with close to 50 per cent of SMSF accountants interested in offering clients and advisers a web-based solution.

SMSF service provider onlinesmsfaudit.com.au has launched an automated cloud-based system aimed at reducing audit times and improving quality.

Specialist superannuation administration software provider Supercorp has launched an automated lawyer-backed SMSF legal documentation service on its SMSF application, superMate, in partnership with legal firm McCullough Robertson.

Compared to overall inflows, financial planners are investing a lower proportion of SMSF inflows via platform, according to research findings from Investment Trends.