Self managed super funds are worth considering if a broader investment choice; concessional tax rates; flexibility to adjust your investment mix; transparency and complete visibility over performance; and the desire to combine your super assets with other members is important to you.

 

WHAT IS A SELF-MANAGED SUPER FUND?

  • It has less than 5 members;
  • Each individual trustee of the fund is a fund member;
  • Each member of the fund is a trustee;
  • No member of the fund is an employee of another member of the fund, unless those members are related;
  • The trustee can be a corporate entity;
  • No trustee of the fund receives remuneration for his or her services as a trustee; and
  • A SMSF is registered with, reports to and is regulated by the Australian Taxation Office.

Self managed superannuation funds comprise 20% of the superannuation industry and, at 31 December 2003, had approximately $125 billion in assets under management. There are around 300,000 self managed super funds, and the number of funds is growing at about 2,500 a month. The average account balance of a self managed super fund is $235,000. As individuals' super assets have grown, many people have sought to gain control over the day-to-day management of their superannuation.

The membership spread among self managed super funds is:

  • One member 21%
  • Two members 65%
  • Three members 7%
  • Four members 7%

While there are numerous benefits to establishing a SMSF, there are also some considerations to take into account. To decide if a SMSF is the right decision for you contact us for an appointment.

 

"My husband and I have been clients since 2005 and we trust the advice we receive both to maintain the focus on our SMSF investment strategy, and as a sounding board.  ActonAdvice works in conjunction with our SMSF's other advisers, both accounting and legal to give us the best result.

With ActonAdvice we feel we have someone proactively advising us. Lynette highlighted some possible estate planning issues where asset protection we have in place could have been undermined. It’s important to have confidence that your financial planner has the expertise and attention to detail needed to look after your hard earned finances."

- Michele Meier

 

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