Self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) have long been associated with older Australians and small business owners looking for greater control over their retirement savings.

But recent data suggests the sector is undergoing a quiet transformation.

Alongside tax reforms and persistent compliance challenges, younger people are slowly moving into the SMSF space. While 85 per cent of SMSF members are 45 years or older, there’s been significant growth in members aged between 25 and 34 years from just 2.4 per cent two years ago to around 10 per cent now.ⁱ

Almost 8,000 new SMSFs were established in the three months to the end of March 2025 with the number of new members increasing by 13,000. Australia’s SMSFs hold an estimated $1.02 trillion in assets with 26 per cent invested in listed shares and 16 per cent in cash and term deposits.

A new tax era

The new Division 296 super tax, due to apply from 1 July 2025, is aimed at those with total superannuation balances exceeding $3 million. An extra 15 per cent tax will apply to earnings on the portion of a member’s balance above $3 million, effectively lifting the tax rate on those earnings to 30 per cent.

What makes Division 296 particularly contentious is the inclusion of unrealised gains. For example, a share portfolio the SMSF holds has seen positive returns. Trustees may face tax liabilities on paper profits, even if assets haven’t been sold. This may cause issues for SMSFs holding illiquid assets such as property or farmland that has increased in value.

SMSF Australia and other industry bodies have raised concerns about fairness, complexity and the potential for unintended consequences.

Trustees with high balances should begin planning now before 30 June 2026, to consider asset rebalancing, contribution strategies and the timing of withdrawals. SMSF Australia recommends obtaining advice about your specific circumstances.ⁱⁱ

The advice gap

Despite the increasing complexity of SMSF regulation, the vast majority of trustees continue to operate without professional advice. While the number of SMSFs using financial advisers has grown to 155,000, up from 140,000 in 2023, some 483,000 are not using a financial adviser. ⁱⁱⁱ

This could lead to costly mistakes, especially when navigating contribution caps, pension strategies or related-party transactions. SMSF Australia says that while there’s no legal requirement to obtain advice from a licensed financial planner, “unless you have the skills and expertise to do this yourself, it is certainly conventional wisdom to do so”.iv

The compliance burden

Every SMSF must undergo an annual audit by an approved SMSF auditor. This includes verifying the fund’s financial statements and ensuring it is compliant with super laws. Trustees are also required to value all fund assets at market value as at 30 June each year, using objective and supportable data.

For property and other complex assets, valuations can be time-consuming and costly. The ATO recommends using qualified independent valuers when assets represent a significant portion of the fund or are difficult to assess. Auditors may request evidence such as comparable sales, agent appraisals or formal valuation reports.^v

Failure to maintain accurate records or provide sufficient documentation can result in audit delays, contraventions or penalties. Trustees must also ensure their investment strategy is regularly reviewed and documented, particularly when starting pensions or making significant contributions.

Looking ahead

As the SMSF sector evolves, trustees face a dual challenge: adapting to new tax rules and maintaining rigorous compliance. For those considering an SMSF – or already managing one – the message is clear. Getting financial advice can give you peace of mind when the rules are regularly changing.^vi

With Division 296 to contend with and a younger demographic stepping in, the sector is poised for both growth and greater scrutiny.

Whether you’re a seasoned trustee or just starting out, now is the time to review your fund’s structure, seek expert guidance and ensure your paperwork is in order. The future of SMSFs may be more dynamic than ever, but it will also demand greater diligence.

Contact us if you have any questions.

i Highlights: SMSF quarterly statistical report March 2025 | Australian Taxation Office

ii Understanding Div296 I How will taxation of unrealised gains work

iii New SMSF trustees propel uptake of financial advice, but $1 trillion sector still has significant advice gaps | Vanguard Australia

iv What are the rules for Financial Planners giving SMSF Advice? – SMSF Australia

v SMSF administration and reporting | Australian Taxation Office

vi About SMSFs | Australian Taxation Office

Super guarantee rate now 12%: what it means for employers

From 1 July 2025, the superannuation guarantee (SG) rate officially rose to 12% of ordinary time earnings (OTE). This is the final step in the gradual increase legislated under previous reforms.

What’s changed?

Old rate: 11.5% (up to 30 June 2025)
New rate: 12% (from 1 July 2025)

This increase affects cash flow, payroll accruals and employment contracts, especially where total remuneration includes superannuation.

Employer checklist

• Update payroll software: ensure systems are calculating 12% SG correctly from 1 July 2025 pay runs
• Review employment agreements: if contracts are set to inclusive of super, the take-home pay of employees may reduce unless renegotiated or the employer decides to bear the cost of the increased SG rate
• Budget for higher super contributions: consider possible cash flow impacts
• Remember that significant penalties can be imposed for late or incorrect SG payments, including loss of deductions, interest and other administration charges.

Personal superannuation contributions

The annual concessional contribution cap will remain at $30,000 for the 2025/2026 financial year. The annual non-concessional contribution (NCC) cap is set at four times the concessional contribution cap meaning it will also remain at $120,000.

Although the annual NCC cap has not changed, NCCs can now be made by individuals with a total super balance (TSB) of less than $2,000,000 on 30 June 2025 (assuming they have not reached the age 75 deadline and any prior bring forward periods are considered). This is due to the fact that the upper TSB limit links to the general transfer balance cap (TBC) which has increased to $2,000,000.

The relevant TSB amounts for NCCs in the 2025/2026 financial year are summarised in the table below:

Personal deductible contributions

A superannuation fund member may be able to claim a deduction for personal contributions made to their super fund with personal after-tax funds. A member will normally be eligible to claim a deduction if:

• The member makes an after-tax contribution to their superannuation fund in the relevant financial year
• They are aged under 67 or 67 to 74 and meet a work test or work test exemption
• They have provided the superannuation fund with a valid notice of intent to claim
• The super fund has provided the member with acknowledgement of the notice of intent to claim

Notice of intent to claim

If the member is eligible and would like to claim a deduction, then they must notify their super fund that they intend to claim a deduction.

The notice must be valid and in the approved form – Notice of Intent to Claim or vary a deduction for personal super contributions (NAT 71121).

The tax legislation provides a notice of intent to claim will be valid if:

• The individual is still a member of the fund
• The fund still holds the contribution
• It does not include all or part of an amount covered by a previous notice
• The fund has not started paying a super income stream using any of the contribution
• The contributions in the notice of intent have not been released from the fund that the individual has given notice to under the FHSS scheme
• The contributions in the notice of intent don’t include FHSSS amounts that have been recontributed to the fund.

What you need to consider

The member must provide the notice of intent to claim to the fund by the earlier of:

• The day the individual lodges their income tax return for the relevant financial year; or
• 30 June of the following financial year in which the individual made the contribution.

However, if a super fund member provides a notice of intent after they have rolled over their entire super interest to another fund, withdrawn the entire super interest (paid it out of super as a lump sum), or commenced a pension with any part of the contribution, the notice will not be valid.

This means the individual will not be able to claim a deduction for the personal contributions made before the rollover or withdrawal.

Updated superannuation and tax thresholds: 2025/2026

Remaining unchanged

The following thresholds will remain unchanged for the 2025/2026 financial year.

Title Searches

Title searches are now an annual requirement for the SMSF Auditors to be satisfied that:

• The ownership of the property is held in the correct name.
• Evidence that there are no charges over the property, to ensure the fund complies with SIS Regulation 13.14.

From 1 July 2025, the SMSF Auditors will be requesting a title search each year for each property held by the SMSF. The title search will need to be dated after the audit year-end. This means that for the 30 June 2025 year-end audit, a title search will need to be dated 1 July 2025 or later.

Property Valuations

Property valuations must always be recorded at market value and the ATO made a point of reminding SMSF trustees of this last year when they issued over 16,000 letters where an asset was held at the same value for several years.

For residential properties, the process is relatively simple as we will generate an automated desktop valuation through our SMSF processing software.

For commercial properties or farmland, an independent valuation must be obtained within 6 months of 30 June e.g. for the 30 June 2025 year-end audit, it would need to be dated between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025. For the next two years after the independent valuation was obtained, the following alternate valuation methods can be applied:

• Net capitalisation method – if evidence is provided of an appropriate market yield, this yield can be applied to the current rent.
• Annual growth rate – if evidence is provided of an appropriate annual growth rate, this rate can be applied to the last independent valuation.
• Comparative sales – recent comparable sales for similar properties in the area can be used.

With the 2025 tax season now underway the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is reminding taxpayers to be careful when claiming work related expenses. This is in reaction to a spate of claims that didn’t quite pass the ‘pub test’. To give you a few examples of what didn’t get through…

• A mechanic attempting to claim an air fryer, microwave, two vacuum cleaners, TV, gaming console and gaming accessories as work related expenses
• A truck driver seeking to deduct swimwear purchased during transit due to hot weather
• A fashion industry manager attempting to claim over $10 000 in luxury branded clothing and accessories for work related events

These claims were deemed personal in nature and lacked a sufficient connection to income earning activities. The advice here would be – if in doubt leave it out or run it by us.

2025 Priorities

The ATO is focusing on areas where frequent errors occur including:

• Work related expenses: as above, claims must have a clear connection to income earning activities and be substantiated with records including receipts or invoices. Even if an expense seems to relate to income earning activities, it can’t normally be claimed if it is a private expense. There are a wide range of common expenses that normally don’t qualify for a deduction.
• Working from home deductions: taxpayers must prove they incurred additional expenses due to working from home. The ATO offers two methods for calculating these deductions: the fixed rate method and the actual cost method (more detail below).
• Multiple income sources: all sources of income, including side hustles or gig economy work must be declared. Each source may have different deductions available.

Working from home deductions

For those working from home there are two methods to calculate deductions:

• Fixed rate method: claim 70 cents per hour for additional running expenses such as electricity, internet and phone usage even if you don’t have a dedicated home office. This method can only be used if you have recorded the actual number of hours you worked from home across the income year. A reasonable estimate isn’t enough.
• Actual cost method: claim the actual expenses incurred, with records to substantiate the claims. This method potentially enables a larger deduction to be claimed, but the record keeping obligations are more onerous.

It’s important to note that double dipping is not allowed. For instance, if you claim deductions using the fixed rate method you can’t separately claim a deduction for your mobile phone costs.

As always, if you’re unsure or need help with your tax return please reach out.

ASIC Annual Review Fee Update – Effective 1 July 2025

Each financial year, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) adjusts its fee schedule for company registrations and ongoing annual reviews in line with indexation provisions.

For the 2025/26 financial year, effective from 1 July 2025, the updated ASIC annual review fees are as follows:

• Proprietary Company: $329 (previously $321)
• SMSF Special Purpose Trustee Company: $67 (previously $65) and the 10-year advance payment is no $463 (previously $452)

Click here to obtain full list of 2025 ASIC fees that may be relevant to your business.

With the cost of living on the rise, it’s more important than ever to have a financial safety net that protects you and your family in case the unexpected happens.

Most Australian employees have some form of life insurance, often through their superannuation fund, but many of us tend to ‘set and forget’.

To make the most of your life insurance policy, it’s useful to understand how it works, and how premiums and payments are affected by tax.

Various types of life insurance

Life insurance is an umbrella term for a range of policies that cover different situations. They include:

• Life cover, which pays out after your death to someone you have nominated.
• Income protection covers you if you’re unable to work because of illness or injury.
• Total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance provides medical and living costs if you become permanently disabled.
• Accidental death and injury cover pays a lump sum if you die or are injured.
• Critical illness or trauma insurance pays a lump sum to cover medical expenses for major medical conditions.
• Business expenses insurance covers ongoing fixed business costs if you’re a business owner suffering serious illness or injury.

Tax benefits and deductions

The premiums for most types of life insurance are not tax deductible, but there are exceptions. Premiums for income protection held outside of super are tax-deductible and inside super for the self-employed. Business expenses insurance premiums are also tax deductible.

The tax treatment of benefits paid out by policies also varies according to the type of policy and your situation, so it’s important to talk to us. Generally, life cover paid to someone who’s financially dependent on you (typically a spouse and children under 18 years) is not taxed. But if the beneficiary isn’t your financial dependent, they can expect to pay tax.

Income protection insurance payments must be declared on your tax return and will be taxed at your marginal rate, just like your usual salary. Business expense insurance payouts also taxable.

Lump sum payments made through other policies are not taxable.

Inside super or outside?

Some of these insurances, particularly life cover, income protection and TPD, can be purchased through your super fund. Most people have a basic level of cover held this way, but you should check to see if it’s adequate for your needs.

If you are aged under 25, have a super balance of $6,000 or less, or your account is inactive, you will need to “opt in” if you want insurance cover.

If you have a self-managed super fund (SMSF), you’re required to consider whether to hold life insurance for each of the fund’s members, although there’s no obligation to buy.

Super pros and cons

You’ll need to do the sums for your circumstances, which is where an adviser can assist, but there may be an advantage to using your super to pay the premiums. The main reason is cost.

Sometimes, the buying power of larger super funds allows them to negotiate competitive pricing for insurance products.ⁱ It’s not always the case, so you’ll need to shop around to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Another potential financial benefit in paying the monthly premiums out of your super account, is that you’re using funds taxed at 15 per cent. Whereas, if you pay the premium from your own bank account, you’d be using funds already taxed at your marginal tax rate, which may be higher. That means your pre-tax dollars are working harder and you’ve still got your cash in the bank.

The main drawback to paying insurance premiums through super is that you’ll be reducing your super balance, which means less for retirement. However, you could choose to boost your balance using salary sacrifice or personal contributions.

Your safety net checklist

1. Decide on who and what needs to be financially protected if something should happen to you.
2. Weigh up the best type of life insurance to meet your needs and shop around.
3. Be clear about any tax implications of an insurance payout.
4. Make sure the policy benefit is adequate and check it annually.

Deciding on the type of life insurance you need can be tricky, so give us a call to discuss your insurance needs.

i Insurance through super – Moneysmart.gov.au

With the new financial year comes a fresh wave of superannuation changes that could make a real difference to your retirement savings.

Let’s unpack what’s changing – and how to make the most of it.

The SG rate hits 12%

One obvious lift to retirement incomes is the increase in the Super Guarantee (SG) rate from 11.5 per cent to 12 per cent. That means more going into your super account.

Your employer must now pay 12 per cent of your ordinary time earnings into your chosen super account. So, it’s a good idea to check your first pay slips for the new financial year to make sure the changed rate is applied.

If you have a salary sacrifice arrangement, note that the SG calculation applies to your total salary, as if the arrangement was not in place.

For a quick update on what the change will look like for your super balance, check the MoneySmart calculator.

More for retirement phase

Beyond your regular contributions, the amount of super that can be transferred into the retirement phase – known as the general transfer balance cap (TBC) – has increased from $1.9 million to $2 million from 1 July 2025.ⁱ

If you exceed the cap, you’ll need to transfer the excess back to your accumulation account or withdraw it as a lump sum – plus, you may pay tax on the earnings.

If you’ve already started a retirement income stream, you’ll have a personal TBC – your own individual limit, which may be less than the general TBC. Your personal cap is based on the general cap at that time you started, adjusted for how much you’ve used and any indexation you’re entitled to.ⁱⁱ

For example, if you started a pension with $2 million on 1 July 2025, you’ve used your entire cap. The cap doesn’t limit the amount you can hold in super. If you have more than the cap available, the remainder can be left in your super fund’s accumulation account.

You can check your cap in ATO online services, which records all the debits and credits that make up your balance.

Special rules apply for defined benefit income streams.

More qualify for after-tax contributions

The change in the general TBC to $2 million may also allow you to increase non-concessional (after-tax) contributions using the bring-forward rule. While the $120,000 annual limit on non-concessional contributions hasn’t changed, eligibility for using the bring-forward rule now applies to those with a total superannuation balance below the general TBC of up to $2 million.

The rule allows you to bring forward the equivalent of one or two years of your annual non-concessional contributions cap ($120,000), allowing you to make contributions two or three times more than the annual cap.

No change to contribution caps

While more investors may now be eligible to access the bring-forward rule, the caps on both concessional (before tax) and non-concessional contributions haven’t changed.

The tax paid on contributions depends on whether you’re paying from before-tax or after-tax incomes, you exceed the contribution caps, or you’re a high income earner.ⁱⁱⁱ

The concessional contributions cap is $30,000 and if you have unused cap amounts from previous years, you may be able to carry them forward to increase your contribution in later years. You can make up to $120,000 in non-concessional contributions each financial year and you may be eligible for the bring-forward rule allowing up to $360,000 in one contribution.

Not sure how the rules affect you? Talk to us today about how to stay ahead and make the most of your retirement savings plan.

i Transfer balance cap | ATO

ii Calculating your personal transfer balance cap | ATO

iii Concessional and non-concessional contributions | ATO

iv Better targeted superannuation concessions – factsheet (PDF)

v ASFA Fact Sheet: Understanding Div 296

At its latest meeting, the Reserve Bank Board announced it was leaving the cash rate unchanged at 3.85 per cent.

Please click here to view the Statement by the Monetary Policy Board: Monetary Policy Decision.

The RBA had been widely expected to cut rates again after a decline in inflation and softer GDP growth.

With the cash rate 50 basis points lower than five months ago and wider economic conditions evolving broadly as expected, the RBA judged that it could wait for a little more information to confirm that inflation remains on track to reach 2.5 per cent on a sustainable basis.

Please get in touch if you would like to review your finance options.

It has been a long time coming, but the Government finally passed legislation increasing the instant asset write-off threshold for the year ending 30 June 2025 to $20,000. This was announced back in the 2024-25 Federal Budget but the Government faced a number of hurdles in terms of passing the legislation.

This basically means that individuals and entities who carry on a business with turnover of less than $10m can often claim an immediate deduction for the cost of depreciating assets (eg, plant and equipment) that are acquired during the 2025 financial year as long as the cost of the asset, ignoring GST credits that can be claimed, is less than $20,000.

If you are thinking about purchasing an asset before 30 June 2025 with the hope of claiming an immediate deduction, then please reach out to us to confirm the position. The rules contain a number of tricks and traps which we can help you to navigate.

The threshold is due to drop back to $1,000 from 1 July 2025 unless further legislation is passed to provide another temporary increase to the threshold or a permanent modification.

From 1 July 2025, the federal government plans to introduce a new tax rule—Division 296, which will affect Australians with large superannuation balances.

Under the proposal, if your total super balance exceeds $3 million, the earnings on the portion above that threshold will be taxed at 15%, on top of the existing 15% tax that already applies. This brings the effective tax rate to 30% on earnings linked to balances above $3 million.

It’s important to note:

• The $3 million cap applies per individual, not per account.
• This tax is based on unrealised earnings, meaning it includes investment gains even if you haven’t sold the asset.

This change won’t impact the majority of Australians, but for those with higher super balances—often self-managed super fund (SMSF) members—it may affect long-term planning strategies.

If you’re unsure whether this affects you or your retirement plans, now is a good time to speak with your financial adviser.