The Instant Asset Write Off (IAWO) is once again in the spotlight as we approach the end of another financial year. For assets costing less than $20,000, small businesses have been able to take advantage of this valuable tax deduction — but this concession is expected to end on 30 June 2025. After that, the write-off threshold will significantly drop back down to just $1,000.

The current rules apply to assets purchased and used (or installed ready for use) before 30 June 2025, for businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $50 million.

For those who haven’t previously accessed this concession, it’s crucial to understand how you can benefit from it before it disappears.

What is the instant asset write-off?

A deduction is generally available for purchases your business makes. The instant asset write off however changes the speed at which you can claim a deduction. Right now, businesses can immediately deduct the cost of assets up to $20,000 in the same financial year the asset was first used (or installed ready for use). On 1 July 2025, this $20,000 deduction limit reduces back to $1,000. When we say “immediately deductible” we mean that your business can claim a tax deduction for the asset in the same income year that the asset was purchased and used (or installed ready for use). The deduction is claimed on the business’s tax return.

If your business is registered for GST, the cost of the asset needs to be less than $20,000 exclusive of GST. If your business is not registered for GST, it is $20,000 including GST.

Assets costing $20,000 or more can be allocated to a pool and depreciated at a rate of 15% in the first year and 30% for each year thereafter.

The instant asset write off only applies to certain depreciable assets. There are some assets, like horticultural plants, capital works (building construction costs etc.), assets leased to another party on a depreciating asset lease, etc., that don’t qualify – check with our tax accountants first if you are uncertain.

Also, you need to be sure that there is a relationship between the asset purchased by the business and how the business generates income. You can’t for example just go and purchase multiple television sets if they have no relevance to your business.

How can you access the $20,000 instant asset write off

There are a few issues to be aware of if you want to utilise the instant asset write off:

Does your business qualify?

To access the instant asset write-off, your business needs to be a trading business (the entity buying the assets needs to carry on a business in its own right). It also needs to have an aggregated turnover under $10 million. Aggregated turnover is the annual turnover of the business plus the annual turnover of any “affiliates” or “connected entities”. The aggregation rules are there to prevent businesses splitting their activities to access the concessions. Another entity is connected with you if:

• You control or are controlled by that entity; or
• Both you and that entity are controlled by the same third entity.

Should you spend the money now?

If there are purchases and equipment that your business needs, that equipment has an immediate benefit to the business, and your cashflow supports the purchase, then in many cases it will make sense to go ahead and spend the money – you have until 30 June 2025 before the deduction threshold drops back to $1,000.

The $20,000 immediate deduction applies as many times as you like so you can use it for multiple individual purchases. But, your business still needs to fund the purchase for a period of time until you can claim the tax deduction and then, the deduction is only a portion of the purchase price.

Assets must be ready to use

If you want to access the $20,000 immediate deduction, you have to start using the asset in the financial year you purchased it (or have it installed ready for use). This prevents business operators from stockpiling purchases and claiming tax deductions for goods they have no intention of using in the short term. So, if your business purchases an asset on 20 May 2025, it needs to be used or installed and ready to use by 30 June 2025 to qualify for the immediate deduction.

Second-hand goods qualify

The instant asset write-off does not distinguish between new or second-hand goods. For example, second-hand machinery may qualify if it meets the other requirements.

The immediate deduction can be used more than once. Assuming all the other conditions are met, an immediate deduction should be available for each individual item costing less than $20,000. Just be careful of cashflow.

Be careful of contracts

You need to ensure that any contract you sign makes your business the owner of the asset and that the asset can be used or installed and ready to use by the business on or before 30 June. The rules require you to “acquire” the asset before 30 June so the wording of the contract will be important.

Assets for business and pleasure

Where you use an asset for mixed business and personal use, the tax deduction can only be claimed on the business percentage. If you buy an $18,000 second hand car and use it 80% for business and 20% for personal use, only $14,400 of the $18,000 is deductible.

You don’t get $20,000 back on tax as a refund

The instant asset write off is a tax deduction that reduces the amount of tax your business has to pay. It enables your business to claim a deduction for depreciating assets in the year the asset was purchased and used (or installed ready to use).  If your business is likely to make a tax loss for the year then the bigger deduction might not provide any short-term benefit to you.

MGI has a number of expert tax accountants and consultants who can provide you with the most up to date tax advice to help you reduce your tax. If you have any questions speak to your MGI advisor today on 07 3002 4800.

This article originally appeared in Your Knowledge by Knowledge Shop and was updated in May 2025 to reflect the new dates and thresholds now in place.

Disclaimer

MGI refers to one or more of the independent member firms of the MGI international alliance of independent auditing, accounting and consulting firms. Each MGI firm in Australasia is a separate legal entity and has no liability for another Australasian or international member’s acts or omissions. MGI is a brand name for the MGI Australasian network and for each of the MGI member firms worldwide. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

With the end of financial year just around the corner, SME business owners should now be planning to ensure you reduce your tax bill and get all your financial ducks in a row. While these strategies may not all be applicable to you, we’ve put together 10 tips that may help you to reduce your tax commitments before 30 June.

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1.    Immediate Tax Deduction for Assets Costing Less Than $20,000

The recent Federal budget has delivered some “no brainers” for small business taxpayers looking at how to reduce tax prior to year-end. The immediate tax deduction for assets costing up to $20,000 provides “easy pickings”. If you need to buy capital assets, you only have three financial years to take advantage of this concession, and the first of those years finishes shortly.

How does it work?

In dollar terms, previously an asset costing a small business $20,000 would have been able to be depreciated at 15% per annum in the first year and then 30% per annum subsequently, meaning that the tax deduction in year one would be only $3,000, $5,100 in year two and reducing in each subsequent year. Assuming a 30% company tax rate, the business owner would have saved only $900 in tax in year one, $1,530 in the next year and reducing thereafter. Now, they will get a tax saving in year one of $6,000, being 30% of the $20,000. This represents a cash flow saving of $5,100 in year one.

“Bear in mind that this saving applies every time a new asset is acquired for under $20,000, so if a business bought multiple assets, each costing under $20,000 but totaling say $100,000 over the course of the year, then the cash flow saving would be five times the above figure, or $25,500.

Also remember that the asset must be less than $20,000. If it costs $20,000 or more you miss out altogether, but can still claim depreciation over a number of years.

It’s also worth mentioning that the instant asset write off is expected to reduce back down to $1K from 1 July 2025 – so this may be your last chance to take advantage of this level of tax deduction.

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2.    Maximise Deductible Super Contributions

Making sure you maximise your deductible (or concessional) super contributions is “an oldie, but still a goodie” when it comes to how to reduce tax.

Super contribution limits have increased slightly, from $25,000 to $30,000, this year. This represents a great opportunity for a mum and dad business to put up to $60,000 into super and in the process, save themselves up to a maximum of $28,200 if they are paying the top marginal tax rate of 47%. Even if they operate through a company structure, there is still more than $10,000 in tax saving, and this benefit is available each and every year that contributions are made, so it can really add up over time.

Super contributions are only deductible if made during the year, so make sure your super fund receives the contributions well before 30th June to allow for potential bank processing delays.

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3.    Transfer Surplus Wealth into Super

Not only should you focus on maximising deductible super contributions, but also consider maximising non-deductible (or non-concessional) contributions when looking at how to reduce tax. The tax effectiveness of superannuation is hard to ignore. Therefore, the more of your private wealth you can get into super, the less tax you’ll pay so take advantage of the $120,000 yearly limit on the amount you can contribute to super without getting a tax deduction. You might think – “why bother, I don’t get a tax deduction for these contributions”, but this is a strategy that can reap real dividends.

Once the contributions are invested into the super fund, earnings are only taxed at a maximum of 15% (or nil once you commence a pension), providing huge tax benefits over time due to compounding.

You can also elect to use the “bring forward” rule and bring forward three years’ worth of contributions and contribute up to $360,000 in one go. There are also significant asset protection benefits to this strategy.

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4.    Make Your Super Truly Super

This is one that can literally save your estate hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax, so don’t miss this one! Whilst you’ll need to die (sometime) to reap the rewards from this one, your kids will truly thank you.

This strategy is particularly relevant if you are aged between 60 and 65, but can still work for others depending on their circumstances.

Most super fund members build up their super fund balance by making tax deductible super contributions. These are simply contributions for which you or your employer has obtained a tax deduction. When these are paid out to non-dependents on your death (e.g. adult children) they are taxed at 15%. With an average SMSF having a balance of around $1m, the potential tax savings could be up to $150k for a typical mum and dad fund.

Assuming you are able to meet the eligibility conditions, this strategy involves withdrawing these “taxed” amounts from your super fund and re-contributing them as “untaxed” amounts. By taking advantage of the “bring forward” rules discussed noted above, you can re-contribute up to $360,000 per member and then, if you need to, do it again in three years’ time (if you need to) once the “bring forward” rule timeframe expires.

But beware, there are quite a number of “i’s” to dot and “t’s” to cross, so get professional advice before doing this.

If you’re currently drawing a pension from your self-managed super fund (SMSF) make sure you’ve paid yourself the minimum pension required by law. Where there is also a maximum limit (e.g. those aged under 60) make sure you also haven’t exceeded that maximum limit.

If you don’t meet these limits the ATO view seems to be that the fund must pay 15% on its earnings rather than zero. According to ATO statistics, the average size of a SMSF is about $1m. So getting this wrong could work out to be a very expensive mistake.

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6.    Take Advantage of Capital Losses

If you’ve made some capital gains during the year don’t just accept that you’ll have to pay tax on them. When looking at how to reduce tax, if you’ve got assets (particularly shares) where their current market value is less than what you paid for them, consider selling them and realising the loss. This loss can then be offset against the capital gains you’ve made on other assets.

With Capital Gains Tax (CGT), timing is everything. You don’t want to pay tax on a capital gain this year and then have a loss next year. If you don’t have capital gains next year you may not be able to use the loss and may have to carry it forward for years before you can use it.

Also, if you’re looking to sell an asset at a profit make sure you’ve held it for more than twelve months. The 50% CGT discount only applies if an asset is owned for more than 12 months. A 50% discount could amount to a lot of money if you’ve got a large gain.

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7.    Trustees of Trusts Beware

If you operate through a trust structure make sure you’ve decided (and documented) how you’re going to distribute the trusts income before 30th June.

Many trustees may not be aware that most trust deeds will require the trustee to decide and minute what portion of its 2025 income it’s going to distribute to which beneficiary. The ATO is paying increased attention to this and if you haven’t minuted where you’re distributing your income you could end up paying tax at the top marginal tax rate of 47%. Your accountant should be talking to you about how much income you’re going to make and the most tax effective way to distribute this income.

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8.    Make Effective Use of Dividend Imputation Credits

If you have a company in your business structure you may have imputation credits that you can stream out to shareholders in a tax effective way. If so, take the opportunity to pay these out.

If some shareholders have little or no income in the current year, paying them dividends will literally “pay dividends”. This is because their marginal tax rate may be quite low. Franked dividends carry a credit for the tax previously paid by the company on those profits at 25 or 30%, depending on your corporate tax rate (called imputation credits). By paying dividends to shareholders with low income, they may actually get a refund of these excess imputation credits – so real cash back from the ATO.

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9.    Write Off Bad Debts

This one might not seem very exciting but the effective writing off of bad debts is crucial when it comes to how to reduce tax and get a deduction.

Many business owners think they can write the debt off after the end of the financial year (e.g. when doing their tax return months down the track) and still get a deduction. Not so. Bad debts must physically be written off prior to 30th June and you should document your reasons and decision to do so in case you’re queried by the ATO later. You should also write the bad debt out of your debtors’ ledger before 30th June.

But be careful, this deduction only applies to accruals basis taxpayers. If you’re a cash basis taxpayer and only report income when physically received then you can’t write off a bad debt because you haven’t booked the income to start with.

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10.    Bring Forward Future Expenses

If your cash flow is strong, consider bringing forward expenditure that you would otherwise have to outlay in the months following 30th June. By bringing this expenditure forward a month or two you effectively get a year’s tax benefit because you’re saving tax now rather than in twelve months’ time.

Some common expenditure that can be brought forward might include the June quarter super guarantee contributions for your staff. Super is only deductible when paid, so if you’re having a good year consider paying these before 30th June. They would normally be payable by 28th July anyway and depending on the size of your payroll, the tax savings could be significant. Expenditure on other consumables could also be brought forward but bear in mind you may not necessarily need to have physically paid for an item in order to obtain a tax deduction. Simply ordering the item (and definitively committing to the obligation) will generally be sufficient, except for super.

The above represent a number of opportunities for how to reduce tax for this financial year. However, this is obviously general advice and it’s always best to get your accountant to review what is the most appropriate course of action for you. But time is of essence, and to make sure that you have sufficient time to take advantage of the above strategies, it’s best you start planning for end of year now.

MGI has a number of expert tax accountants and consultants who can provide you with the most up to date tax advice to help you reduce your tax. If you have any questions speak to your MGI advisor today on 3002 4800.

MGI refers to one or more of the independent member firms of the MGI international alliance of independent auditing, accounting and consulting firms. Each MGI firm in Australasia is a separate legal entity and has no liability for another Australasian or international member’s acts or omissions. MGI is a brand name for the MGI Australasian network and for each of the MGI member firms worldwide. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

Flipping houses has become a hot topic in Australia thanks to shows like The Block but if you think it’s a quick route to tax free profits, you should think again. Unfortunately tax law in this country doesn’t allow you to ‘flip’ a property without paying tax even if you’re living in it. You may have heard the term ‘flipping‘ but what is house flipping and why is it a focus for the Australian Taxation Office?

What is House Flipping?

Flipping houses means buying a property, making improvements or renovations to increase its value and then selling it for a profit. The goal is to complete the process quickly to maximise returns while minimising holding costs like mortgage repayments, rates, and maintenance.

Successful house flipping requires careful planning, budgeting, and understanding of the property market. Investors need to factor in purchase costs, renovation expenses, selling costs, and potential tax implications to ensure the project is profitable.

Most people think that they can move in to a property, renovate it, and then sell it without paying tax. The main residence exemption – the exemption that protects your family home from tax – does not apply if your primary purpose is to ‘flip’ the property for a profit. The fact that you are living in the property does not mean it’s exempt from tax.

What is the Main Residence Exemption?

The main residence exemption is a tax rule from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) that allows homeowners to avoid paying capital gains tax (CGT) when they sell their primary home. This exemption applies if the property has been your main residence for the entire time you’ve owned it and meets certain conditions.

Key Points:

✅ You must have lived in the property as your main home.
✅ The land size must be 2 hectares or less.
✅ The property must not have been used to produce income (e.g., renting it out or running a business).

If you only lived in the home for part of the ownership period or used it for income, you may be eligible for a partial exemption, meaning you might still have to pay some CGT.

This rule is important when it comes to flipping houses as the ATO is cracking down on those who repeatedly buy, renovate, and sell homes while claiming the main residence exemption. If the ATO considers property flipping to be a business activity, profits may be taxed as income rather than being eligible for the CGT exemption.

Some people reading this are probably thinking, but who is going to know? How can the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) really know what my intention is when I buy a property to live in? Generally, the ATO is looking for a pattern of behaviour or a declaration of intention. For example:

• You are not employed and earn your income moving in, renovating then selling
• You have a pattern of renovating and selling properties
• Your loan documents on your mortgage suggest the property is for flipping and not for the long term
• You go on national television stating that you are looking to move in, renovate and flip the property (hello The Block contestants).

The ATO’s guide on property is clear: “If you’re carrying out a profit-making activity of property renovations also known as ‘property flipping’, you report in your income tax return your net profit or loss from the renovation (proceeds from the sale of the property less the purchase and other costs associated with buying, holding, renovating and selling it).”

People often make the assumption that any gain made from property flipping will be exempt from tax as long as the property is their main residence for the entire ownership period. However, this is only the case where the property is held on capital account. A property would generally be held on capital account if it is bought with the genuine intention of using it as a private residence or rental property for the foreseeable future and there is evidence to back this up.

The ATO indicates that someone who is renovating a property with the intention of selling the property again at a profit could be taxed on revenue account in which case the main residence exemption does not apply.

The guide identifies three main scenarios and the general tax implications:

• Personal property investor – this is someone who purchases a property with the primary intention of using it as a long-term rental property or private residence. If this person undertakes renovations and then sells the property earlier than originally planned, then they should still generally be able to argue that the sale is dealt with on capital account, which means that the main residence exemption and/or Capital Gains Tax (CGT) discount could apply.
• Isolated profit making undertaking – this is someone who buys a property with the primary intention of carrying out renovations and then selling the property when the work is completed. Someone in this category is likely to be taxed on revenue account with no access to the main residence exemption or CGT discount.
• Business of renovating properties – this is someone who is flipping houses on a regular or repetitive basis and where the activities are organised in a business-like manner. As with the category above, there is generally no access to the main residence exemption or CGT discount.

Just because you live in the property for all or part of the ownership period does not automatically mean that the profits from sale are exempt from tax. The main residence exemption can only reduce capital gains; it cannot reduce amounts that are taxed on revenue account.

MGI South Queensland have a team of specialist tax accountants who are able to offer tax advice on all matters relating to property. In addition if you are looking at wealth management strategies, we can help you to build your wealth portfolio and protect your assets. Contact us today to ensure you don’t attract the unwanted attention of the tax office.

When it comes to purchasing an investment property, a big decision you’ll need to make is whether to use super to buy the investment property.

Unfortunately there is no one size fits all answer. It depends on what you are trying to achieve and the resources you have at hand. When it comes to purchasing an investment property, a big decision you’ll need to make is whether to purchase the property inside or outside of super.  Unfortunately there is no one size fits all answer. It depends on what you are trying to achieve and the resources you have at hand.

Do you have what it takes to purchase a property through an SMSF?

There are much higher set up costs associated with purchasing a property through a self-managed super fund. As an example, you may need to have a combined superannuation balance of at least $200,000 to purchase a property worth approximately $600,000 to cover:

• the cost of setting up an SMSF
• high bank fees
• and the required deposit (lenders are requiring 30% deposit or more when purchasing through your SMSF).

If you can only just scrape together this balance it may not be in your best interest to tie up most of your super in an illiquid asset. Let me explain.  Typically a property loan goes for 30 years, so unless you have many working years ahead of you, you’ll need to consider whether you have enough cash left in superannuation to cover pension payments. Secondly superannuation balances can be used to provide a much needed payout should you be diagnosed with a terminal illness.  If all your superannuation is tied up in property you will not be able to access this quickly in the event of a terminal illness.

Is superannuation the best option?

If superannuation is a viable option, the next step is to consider why you are purchasing an investment property and whether purchasing through superannuation will allow you to achieve your objectives. To determine this let’s look at the benefits of using super to buy investment property.

Benefit of purchasing an investment property inside superannuation

1. Using your superannuation balance to get a deposit

   For most of us, superannuation is one of our biggest long-term investments. You may well need to access this to be able to afford the deposit for your investment property. In this case purchasing through super is your only option. However if you have enough cash inside and outside of super then it pays to keep considering the benefits under each.

2. Minimise tax paid on investment earnings

   Especially if you have a high yield property it may be appealing to purchase the property through your superannuation where any income earned will be taxed at 15% rather than your personal tax rate which is generally much higher.

   If you plan to hold the asset until your superannuation is in pension phase, you may pay no tax on capital gains if your balance is under the $1.9M transfer balance cap. This can be a significant saving compared to an asset owned outside of superannuation, where you’ll pay tax at your marginal tax rate on the taxable capital gain.

   If you don’t hold the asset until retirement you will pay 15% tax on two thirds of the capital gain on a property held for more than 12 months.

3. Asset protection

   If you are looking for additional asset protection superannuation can be a great way to go. Assets held in superannuation are generally protected in a lawsuit and are not at risk of creditors.

4. Diversification

   Owning an investment property can provide diversification to your investment portfolio, which can help spread risk. This can be particularly useful if your superannuation fund is heavily invested in traditional assets like stocks and bonds.

5. Long-Term Growth

   Property has historically shown the potential for long-term capital growth. This can help your superannuation account grow over time, potentially providing a source of retirement income.

6. Purchasing your business premises (rather than renting)

   If you are a business owner who is looking to purchase your business premises, superannuation can be a very appealing option. Business premises are generally high yield rental properties. By purchasing the premises in an SMSF business owners can minimise tax paid on rental income and can secure an asset for their retirement without changing their business cash flow.

Benefits in purchasing outside of super

1. Greater negative gearing opportunities

   You can claim interest on a loan to acquire a property in a SMSF, however, the tax benefits here are less because:
   – Generally the banks will only loan you 50 – 70% of the purchase price so you will have a smaller loan
   – You are only paying 15% tax on superannuation earnings where as you are paying anywhere up to 45% on personal income tax.

   Therefore if a property will be significantly negatively geared, and if you have a high personal tax rate, then it is likely that you will achieve a better tax outcome purchasing outside of superannuation.  But to make an educated assessment, you would need to “do your numbers” using some assumptions.

2. Flexibility in how you use the property

   There are a number of additional restrictions on how you can use properties held by SMSFs. Firstly you or any fund member’s related parties cannot live in or rent the property. The exception to this is a commercial property which can be used to house a fund member’s business. Also there are restrictions on improving a property that has been acquired by a SMSF using a loan.

3. Regulatory Changes

   The rules governing superannuation investments can change over time. There’s a risk that future changes in regulations could impact your ability to invest in property through your super.

4. Borrowing Risk

   If you borrow to purchase the property within your superannuation fund (using a limited recourse borrowing arrangement or LRBA), you may be exposed to additional risks if the property’s value declines, as you’re still responsible for repaying the loan.

5. Less complicated

   If you use super to buy an investment property, particularly if it is a commercial property, it requires time-consuming paperwork and regular valuations. If ease of investment is a top priority you should think carefully before purchasing property through an SMSF.

   At the end of the day whether you should use superannuation to purchase an investment property will come down to what you want to achieve. Superannuation may well present an opportunity to purchase a property that you could not do otherwise. It can also provide tax savings and better asset protection. It is definitely worth having a conversation with an experienced MGI adviser, particularly if you are a business owner, to explore whether you should be looking to at super to fund your next property investment.

Give the team of SMSF Accountants at MGI South Queensland a call or book an appointment for a review of your super strategy today.

Disclaimer

This article was first published in December 2017 and has been updated and republished in May 2023.

The content above has been prepared by Accountable Financial Solutions Pty Ltd (“Accountable”), ABN 36 146 520 390. The above information is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice. Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained above, Accountable, its officers, employees and agents disclaim all liability (except for any liability which by law cannot be excluded), for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the information contained on this website or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information.

Data recently released by the Australian Tax Office (ATO) confirm that Australians have continued their love affair with self managed superannuation funds (SMSF’s). 

The ATO publishes quarterly information about SMSF’s. Here’s a summary:

At 30th September 2021, there were nearly 600,000 (598,452) SMSF’s with just over 1.1m members (1,123,949), averaging 1.87 members per fund. With 53% of male members and 47% of female members, most SMSF’s appear to be your typical “mum and dad” super fund. Just on 70% of SMSF’s are two member funds, around 23% are one member funds, with the balance being three and four member funds. 

Based on the most recent data available (2020 year), the average value of a SMSF is around $1.3m, with an average value per member of around $695k. This compares favourably with the average super fund balance of all Australians, which for those aged between 40 and 55, is between $121k and $214k for men and between $92k and $157k for women. (1)

The ATO data indicates that SMSF’s hold more than $860 billion in wealth, with around $29 billion in borrowings and a further $6.7 billion in other liabilities resulting in total net SMSF assets of around $825 billion. So, where is all this money invested? 

Well, around $149 billion (or around 18%) is invested in cash and term deposits. A further $238 billion (or around 29%) is invested in listed shares and $53 billion (6%) in listed trusts. A further $134 billion is invested in property, with most of that (around $88 billion) invested in non-residential property. 

Interestingly, the proportion of SMSF funds invested in cash and term deposits is highest amongst smaller balance SMSF’s, perhaps reflecting a more conservative approach given the recent volatility in share markets. 

Around $63 billion of SMSF wealth was invested in limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBA) – basically, assets purchased by SMSF’s using allowable debt. This could be either shares or property. The appetite for LRBA’s appears to be highest in SMSF’s with between $200k and $1m in assets, with an average of around 15% of fund assets comprising LRBA’s. 

SMSF trustees have also embraced crypto-currency, with around $230m held in crypto. This has grown steadily since the ATO commenced to measure investments in crypto.

There appears to have also been an increasing appetite for international shares, which now stands at around $12.5 billion. 

Interestingly, around half a billion dollars ($509m) is invested in collectables and personal use assets. 

In terms of member ages, there is a relatively even distribution between members aged 35 to 84, but relatively small representation from members aged under 35, perhaps indicating the lack of superannuation savings from this age group to be able to justify the establishment of a SMSF. 

Interestingly, the 2021 financial year saw a near 20% surge in new SMSF’s established with 25,760 new funds established. However, the number of wind-ups of SMSF’s in 2021 halved from the levels of the previous two years, resulting in a significant increase in the number of net establishments. So it appears that Australian’s love affair with SMSF’s may have longer to run yet.

(ASFA figures as at July 2019).

If you need the support of a specialist SMSF accountant, the team at MGI are here to help.

Employers  – Super Choice Rules will change from 1 November 2021

If you are an employer, you’ll have an extra step to take if you have new employees who start from 1 November 2021 and they don’t choose a super fund.

You may now need to request their ‘stapled super fund’ details from the Australian Tax office (ATO).

A stapled super fund is an existing super account of an employee that follows them as they change jobs.

This change aims to stop your new employees paying extra account fees for unintended super accounts set up when they start a new job.

What you need to know

You may need to request stapled super fund details when:

• your new employee starts on or after 1 November 2021
• you need to make super guarantee payments for that employee, and
• your employee is eligible to choose a super fund but doesn’t

You may still need to request stapled super fund details for some employees even though you don’t need to offer them a choice of super fund. This includes if your employees are temporary residents or they’re covered by an Enterprise Agreement or Workplace Determination made before 1 January 2021.

You and your representatives can request stapled super fund details for your employees if you have full access to ATO Online services for business (previously called the Business portal) or contact us to complete this step for you.   It is important that if you are accessing the information via online services, that you review and update any online accesses to protect the privacy and safety of your employees’ personal information.

You must meet your choice of super fund requirements and any stapled super fund obligations by the quarterly due date or you may face penalties.

What you need to do from 1 November 2021

Step 1: Offer your eligible employees a choice of super fund

You need to give your eligible new employees a Super standard choice form and pay their super into the account they tell you on the form. Most employees are eligible to choose what fund their super goes into.

There is no change to this step of your super obligations.

Step 2: Request stapled super fund details

If your employee doesn’t choose a super fund, you may need to log into the ATO Online services for businesses and go to ‘Employee Super Accounts’ to request their stapled super fund details or contact us to complete this step for you.

The ATO will provide your employee’s stapled super fund details after they have confirmed that you are their employer.

If the ATO provide a stapled super fund result for your employee, you must pay your employee’s super using the stapled super fund details the ATO provide you.

Step 3: Pay super into a default fund

You can pay into a default fund, or another fund that meets the choice of fund obligations if:

• your employee doesn’t choose a super fund, and
• the ATO have advised you that they don’t have a stapled super fund.

If you have any queries in relation to the above, please contact one of the team at MGI South Qld.