Tag Archives: Retirement

UK Pension – Transfer to Australian Self-Managed Superannuation Fund

We have had success in transferring UK pensions over to an Australian self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF).

There is now an age restriction of 55+ for the members of an SMSF who would like to transfer their pension from the UK, and a deed upgrade will need to occur, however we do see a large increase of Australians working in the UK and having pension scheme balances, that used to feel ‘lost’ upon returning to Australia.

If this is something that you think you could benefit from or would like further information, please contact our office.


Is your SMSF adequately diversified?

SMSF trustees need to truly understand diversification and better diversify their portfolios.

The benefits of a well-diversified portfolio are numerous but the key ones that SMSF trustees should focus on are the benefits of mitigating volatility and short-term downside investment risks, preserving capital and the long-run benefits of higher overall returns. By spreading an SMSF’s investments across different asset classes and markets offering different risks and returns, SMSFs can better position themselves for a secure retirement.

However, did you know that 82% of SMSF trustees believe that diversification is important but in practice many do not achieve it?

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Have you considered what you will do if an unexpected event occurs?

Your SMSF is a long-term plan.  Much can happen during this time including illness, incapacity or death of a member.

It is best practice to have contingency plans in place to deal with unexpected events. For example, if a fund member dies, leaving you as the sole member are you happy to continue with the SMSF?

Outlined are some issues to consider planning for as trustees.  Leaving the planning to when, and if an event happens may be too late.

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End of the financial year – is your SMSF ready?

With the end of the financial year fast approaching, now is the perfect time to ensure everything is in place for your SMSF before 30 June. The following are some superannuation strategies that you might want to know more about to get the best out of your SMSF.

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Transfer Balance Cap reporting – what does it mean for you?

From 1 July 2017, superannuation fund members are subject to a $1.6 million transfer balance cap (TBC) which limits the tax exemption for assets funding superannuation pensions.

The TBC encompasses a significant amount of monitoring for an individual.  This monitoring is to be facilitated by the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) event-based reporting framework.

Event-based reporting is a significant shift in SMSF administration processes. Therefore, it is essential SMSF trustees understand the event-based reporting framework and get it right.

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Property and my SMSF

Property and my SMSF

Directly held property makes up approximately 19% of all SMSF assets, indicating that many SMSF trustees consider it’s an important and significant part of a diversified portfolio.  There are numerous strategies and ways for property to form part of an SMSF’s investments and each must be carefully considered.

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Accountants Daily Australian Accounting Awards 2018

Brooke Hepburn-Rogers and Stellar Super Pty Ltd has been shortlisted for the prestigious Accountants Daily Australian Accounting Awards 2018.

Brooke Hepburn-Rogers and Stellar Super have been shortlisted as a finalist to win 2 awards in the Superannuation Specialist Accountant of the Year and SMSF Firm of the Year at the 2018 Australian Accounting Awards, hosted by Accountants Daily.

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Personal Superannuation Contributions – 10% rule repealed

Personal Superannuation Contributions – 10% rule repealed 

With the end of the financial year fast approaching, it is time to start thinking about income tax deductions.

Under the new Government changes to super, effective 1 July 2017, the 10% maximum earnings condition for personal superannuation contributions was removed for the 2017-18 and future financial years.

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Franking credits and your SMSF

You may have noticed significant media coverage recently regarding the Australian Labor Party’s proposed policy to stop SMSFs from receiving tax refunds for the franking credits they receive in conjunction with the dividends paid from Australian companies they own.

First of all, what are franking credits and how do they benefit SMSFs?

Under the Australian tax system companies pay 30 per cent tax on their profits. When these profits are then passed on to their shareholders in the form of dividends, the company also hands the shareholders a credit for the tax the company has already paid (the “franking credit”). The individual shareholder then pays tax on the profit they received from the company less the credit for the tax the company has already paid.  The franking credit ensures that the company profits are taxed at a shareholder’s marginal tax rate.

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Property and my SMSF

The directly held property makes up approximately 19% of all SMSF assets, indicating that many SMSF trustees consider it’s an important and significant part of a diversified portfolio. There are numerous strategies and ways for property to form part of an SMSF’s investments and each must be carefully considered.
Continue reading →