The ATO is conducting research into the uptake of the COVID-19 minimum pension drawdown relief measure among SMSFs.

SMSF trustees should be cautious in using a deceased member’s pension to claim tax exemptions and take timely action to cash it out instead.

Advisers should check if pensions are grandfathered when stopping and starting ABPs to avoid potentially devastating outcomes for some clients, an SMSF technical expert says.

The latest ATO statistics have shown SMSF members in retirement have historically been drawing down more than the minimum pension required.

The ATO has released guidance intended to help funds navigate the new TBA debit calculation for commutations of market-linked pensions, which was passed as law in June.

SMSFs with a lifetime pension in place could face conflicting legislative instruments due to the current economic climate, a technical expert has said.

The negative impact COVID-19 has had on investment markets could result in solvency issues for SMSFs with complying defined benefit pensions, a leading actuary has said.

Rolling over a market-linked pension from an SMSF can create hard-to-escape traps for members with low balances, as well as those with very high balances.