-
SMSF compliance: What are trustees’ responsibilities?
Control and flexibility are major drawcards of self-managed super funds, but it’s not a free-for-all. Rules apply and non-compliance can be costly.
-
SMSF property ownership options and opportunities
Despite rule changes around borrowing to invest in residential property, there are still many ways SMSFs can invest in property.
-
SMSF arm’s-length rules, NALE and NALI explained
Here’s how to ensure all your fund’s transactions are conducted at arm’s length, and avoid costly tax penalties along the way.
-
AI and SMSFs: What trustees should know
AI is becoming an increasingly important part of the SMSF landscape. Dr Evan Morrison, Head of the Innovation Lab at Hub24, discusses the opportunities, risks and practical ways trustees can use AI to improve efficiency and decision-making.
Upcoming webinar
Making the most of your SMSF in FY27
Thursday 16 July 2026 at 11:00 am AEST
FY 2027 is already shaping up to be a monumental year for SMSF trustees and members. With increases to contribution caps and further indexation to the pension limits, now is the time to be putting in place your contribution, pension, and investment strategies for the 2027 financial year.
You may also need to prepare your SMSF for Division 296 tax, which starts on 1 July 2026. SMSF trustees need to understand and maximise the transitional rules for FY 2027
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Watch our previous webinar, SuperGuide members Q&A: June 2026
Q&A of the month
Q: I was told by a friend that, when a SMSF has parents and children, the parents can leave the death benefits after they have passed away to children without incurring tax liabilities, albeit, the children can’t touch the benefits until they retire. Sounds too good, can you please comment?
A: Your friend is unfortunately mistaken.
When a super fund member dies (including a member of an SMSF) their superannuation balance becomes a death benefit. Death benefits are subject to a rule under superannuation law known as ‘compulsory cashing’ (Superannuation Industry Supervision Act regulation 6.21). This means that the balance must be paid out of the superannuation system as soon as possible, either as a cash lump sum or in the form of an income stream (pension).
It is not possible for an SMSF to retain the assets of a deceased member to pass them to other members of the fund, except in the case when the beneficiary chooses to receive the death benefit in the form of a pension. The pension must make income payments at least once a year to the beneficiary.
The option to take a pension is only available to the deceased’s spouse, an interdependent person, a financial dependent, a child under 18, a child under 25 who is financially dependent, or a disabled child. When a non-disabled child recipient of a death benefit pension turns 25, the pension must cease and the remaining balance is paid as a lump sum out of super.
If the trustee of an SMSF breaches superannuation law, perhaps by failing to comply with the compulsory cashing of death benefits, serious penalties apply. These penalties can include the fund being declared non-complying. If an SMSF is found to be non-complying, the entire balance is subject to 47% tax.
There are, however, strategies to reduce tax to adult children who inherit super, including the recontribution strategy, a full withdrawal prior to death, and directing super benefits via the estate.
Learn more about death benefit nominations and tax on death benefits
Calendar reminders of the month
July 1
Super guarantee (Payday Super): From 1 July 2026, employers will be required to pay their employees’ superannuation guarantee (SG) at the same time as their salary and wages. This new law replaces the existing quarterly payment requirements. Learn more about payday super.
Division 296 tax commencement: 1 July 2026 is the start date for the new Div 296 tax rules for member balances above $3 million. These rules will result in an additional 15% tax being levied on super fund earnings on member balances above $3 million. Learn more about how the Div 296 tax operates.
Pension reviews: Now is the time to calculate the minimum pension payment for members in retirement phase. This is based on the member’s age on 1 July and their (prior) 30 June pension balance.
For some members, the minimum pension percentage factor may have increased. For example, a member who turned 65 in the last 12 months would now have an increased minimum pension factor of 5%, up from 4% last financial year. You can refer to the minimum pension factors in the table above.
For all pension members, your minimum pension payment requirements would rarely be the same from year to year due to changes in your pension account balance. You therefore need to consider adjusting any direct debit arrangements where pension payments are made automatically. The main consideration is to ensure that at least the ANNUAL minimum amount is paid out to the member by the end of the financial year ahead, that is, 30 June 2027.
Investment strategy: It would also be a good time to start thinking about your SMSF’s investment strategy for the year ahead. What do your investments look like? Do you need to consider rebalancing if your asset allocations are out of whack? Will the SMSF need to start paying any member(s) a pension this financial year?
Are there any other big events, such as new trustees, that might be on the cards this year? You’ve just closed off one financial year, so no need to jump onto these things straight away, but do put them on the radar.
July 14
Payment summaries: SMSFs paying pensions to members where tax has been withheld will need to provide the relevant members with their payment summary for the prior financial year by this date.
July 15
ASIC fees: For SMSFs with a corporate trustee, take note of your fund’s relevant (ASIC) corporate trustee annual review fee date. This date varies, so we have slotted it in here, early in the financial year, to remind you to check this date and to make a note of it. There may be a late fee if you don’t pay it on time.
July 28
Transfer balance account reporting: Where any transfer balance event has occurred between 1 April 2026 and 30 June 2026, you are required to report these events by lodging a transfer balance account report (TBAR) by this date.
GST lodgement: Where your SMSF is registered for GST, your BAS is now due.
