Independence is certainly a hot topic these days – right now, the conversation is specifically for auditors. But it’s also been a big area of discussion for advisers in the past.

Today is a pretty important day in the Heffron world – it marks 20 years since one of our most influential staff members joined us, Leigh Mansell.

In the last days of Parliament, there were super related measures still to be passed into law and others still in the pipeline. They have now retired for the year and the ATO is shutting down for the year, so what is the status of these measures?

We’re still waiting. These are the rules that would allow a non-concessional bring forward to commence any time up to the end of the year in which the member turns 67 (rather than 65).

On occasion, an SMSF will change the makeup of their trustee. Perhaps a fund with individual trustees wants to take advantage of the benefits of a corporate trustee, or the change might be needed due to death, incapacity or other circumstances.

Meg explains how our passion to make our knowledge more accessible drove the creation of the Toolkit and Companion.

I’m a relatively passive trustee of my SMSF – my partner looks after the day to day running of the fund and I simply sign the financials each year. Am I exposed to penalties should something go wrong?

If your beneficiaries are adult children and there is no spouse, there are five big tax savings. When you die, there are rules about how, and to whom, your superannuation benefit can be paid.

The “Costs of operating SMSFs 2020” report prepared by Rice Warner and released by the SMSF Association today was a breath of fresh air.

My client is the trustee of an SMSF. He’s unhappy with the performance of the fund’s investments and is proposing to undertake a course to improve his investment knowledge. Can his SMSF pay the course fees? If so, would they be tax deductible?

I think I’m still recovering from our first ever virtual Super Intensive Day last week. Thank you so much to all of you who joined us in our big adventure.

A standard account based pension can offer members the opportunity to take commutations – a lump sum now in exchange for lower income stream payments in the future. Why do we care whether it’s a partial commutation or a full commutation?