The ATO has made a call to professional accountants to help identify and manage illegal early access to superannuation by members of
self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs).
In general, access to your super is only possible if:
Early access to superannuation is only possible in very limited circumstances such as terminal illness, permanent incapacity, and severe
financial hardship and there are very strict protocols to follow before any amounts are paid out.
One of the benefits of an SMSF is the control that it provides to members. The flip side of full control is the temptation to dip into the
super account and approve transfers without proper controls.
There are two common ways illegal early access occurs:
Illegal access to the SMSF’s account or assets is not difficult to identify and generally will be picked up by your auditor. Where illegal
access has occurred, not only is it likely that your retirement savings have been lost or impaired, but you are likely to face additional
tax, penalties and interest, and be disqualified as a trustee. In addition, your name will be published online.
One of the signs that there is a problem is when SMSF annual returns are not lodged on time or at all so ensure you are up to date with your
SMSF compliance.
When the time comes to sell, if you’ve got the budget to style your property, you might find that it can really help entice buyers.
If your goal is to buy a property in the new year, then it’s important to not let a Christmas splurge get in the way of your real estate dreams.
While we all love giving presents, if you’re looking at potentially applying for a home loan in the new year, it’s important that you don’t do any damage to your chances of getting finance by overspending
Here are the 5 signs you personally should look out for when deciding whether or not you should hire a professional bookkeeper.
Demand for second-hand vehicles and equipment has reached record levels, as supply chain problems have made new products difficult to obtain.
Record low vacancy rates have seen industrial rents jump 30 percent across Sydney and more than 20 percent in Melbourne.
The surge in commercial lending is the largest annual growth since 2009.
17 NOV 2022 @ 3:30-5:00pm
Come and warm our newly extended and renovated office space at Smart Business Solutions in Mornington alongside Bruce Billson, Small
Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman.
Many are looking at ways to get their repayments down. The best thing to do is speak to a finance broker who can compare your options and find a loan product.
If you’ve owned a home for a number of years, you might be able to access some of the equity to use as a deposit for another home.
With the RBA’s ongoing cash rate hikes, mortgage rates are also continuing to climb.
With Spring selling season in full flight, thousands of homeowners across Australia are looking at how they can make their homes more appealing to buyers.
While many people are excited about the idea of buying their first home, it can also be overwhelming knowing that you have to eventually pay off a large mortgage.
Legislation before Parliament will lift penalties for serious or repeated privacy breaches, and provide new powers to the Australian Information Commissioner.
The increase in interest rates is starting to take effect helping to restore price stability. However, in its statement, the RBA said that it will be a challenge to return inflation to 2-3%
If you’re famous and make an income from your fame and image, the way the ATO believes you should be taxed on the income you make may change.
In July, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) reported a new wave of ‘Tax refund SMSF scams’.
Consumer price inflation rose by 1.8% in the June quarter, and by 6.1% on a rolling 12-month view. Whilst high, these measures were below consensus expectations. In turn, this prompted hopes that local interest rates might not need to increase as much as previously feared.
With seven months before the 2023-24 Budget released in May 2023, this Budget is a shuffling of the deck not a new set of cards.
The traditional diversification strategies of super funds are failing, and a worsening inflation.
The Optus data breach is top of mind for a lot of Australians, particularly those who have had their data breached.
The Queensland Government has backed away from an amendment that would have seen the land tax rate for investment property in Queensland.
The value of cryptocurrency assets inside Australian self managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) increased by 589.9%.
UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced a series of tax cuts, including the reduction of the top personal income tax rate.
New guidelines for professional services firms - lawyers, architects, medical practitioners etc., came into effect on 1 July 2022.
National Cabinet agreed to end the mandatory isolation requirements for COVID-19 effective from 14 October 2022. Each state and territory has, or will, implement the end of the isolation rules.
Come and see what happens when the precision of accounting and foresight of financial planning collide.
Your partners in wealth accumulation, protection and management for today and beyond.
A secured loan is a form of finance backed by collateral. For most businesses, the collateral takes the form of real estate, either commercial or residential.
Interest rates are rising as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) looks to aggressively hike the official cash rate to help slow growing inflation.
Property has a long-term track record of capital growth, which is why it is a favourite asset class for hundreds of thousands of Australians.
If you’re in the market to buy a property, or looking at refinancing your current home loan, one of the most important things to consider is trying to obtain a pre-approval from a lender.
Rabobank’s Australian Agricultural Price Outlook shows that agricultural land prices across Australia rose by 27% in 2021.
With the now abolished land tax in Queensland it is interesting to note that it was never going to have the same impact on commercial property compared to residential.
For the sixth consecutive month, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has made the decision to increase the nation’s official cash rate, which now sits at 2.60%.
Supply chain pressures and inflation have dominated conversations about investment markets for much of the past year. Reporting season gives Australians a comprehensive look at how these forces are affecting businesses – and what they mean for investors.
For Shannon Smit and the team at Smart Private Wealth, providing a service centred around client education is one of their most important objectives. It is viewed as their defining point of difference.
The Australian government has reinvigorated the 120% skills training and technology costs deduction for small and medium business.
Clients with self managed superannuation funds (SMSF) often ask what assets the SMSF can acquire.
There are two key components at play in the sale of a business: structuring the transaction; and positioning the business to the market.
The tax system currently allows Australia to tax payments made by an Australian customer in relation to technical services provided by an Indian firm.
23:59 UTC on 20 September 2022 is the cut-off to register for your .au direct domain.
You’ve worked hard for what you have – it’s time to protect it for the next generation.
If you’re running a small business and need funds to either run the day-to-day operations of the business or to expand, there are a few different options for funding.
If you’re a manufacturer, then you’re likely often faced with the prospect of needing to upgrade your equipment and working out the best way to pay for it.
Most car buyers will normally think about the type of car they want to buy and then wait until they have done a test drive.
Tenants are slowly returning to CBD offices around the country as businesses get back on track.
Industrial property could be an effective way to hedge against Australia’s highest rate of inflation in decades, according to an expert.
Property prices across Australia have risen sharply over the past 20 years and the rapid increase has made it a lot harder to get into the property.
Buying your first home can be a daunting experience. It will likely take a number of months to get your financials in order and navigate the property search.
As the value of homes has steadily increased over the years, more borrowers have turned to Lender's Mortgage Insurance (LMI).
| The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has handed down its 2026 Annual Wage Review, and the numbers are in. From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage will rise by 5.97%, and modern award minimum rates will increase by 4.75%. |
Now's the time to review what strategies you can use to minimise your tax before 30 June.
.png)