I expect this month, all eyes will be on the Government’s Economic Reform Roundtable (19 – 21 August).
While cynics might say it will be just another talkfest (and maybe it will), the agenda certainly spans some weighty issues – making our economy more productive, building resilience in the face of global uncertainty and strengthening the budget.
“Building a better tax system” occupies most of the last day and it will be interesting to see where the debate lands when it comes to superannuation taxes. I assume it was deliberate that the Government deferred introducing new Division 296 tax legislation into Parliament until after the roundtable. But I’m not sure that means we should be optimistic it will be improved. The Grattan Institute will be headlining the roundtable so I don’t think we should expect anything positive for SMSF members and trustees.
At Heffron, we’re trying to ignore distractions and focus on getting our content finalised for our Super Intensive Day. I have reached that (common) point in my preparation where I am sick of spreadsheets, sick of thinking about my topics and slightly panicked about getting it all done in time. We’ve been running this day in various different forms since 2007 so I’m going to have to rely on past experience to reassure myself that it really will all come together on the day. If you have anything you’d really like us to cover – it's not too late to make a suggestion. While we have set our agenda, you may be surprised at how your particular question could fit neatly into one of the sessions we have planned. We’re always grateful for ideas.
We’ve added a new twist this year in that our Super Intensive Day will be the first event we run entirely via our new platform (ticket sales, hosting, post event quizzes, CPD tracking and even CPD certificates). I mentioned this last month but for those who are coming – keep your eye out for emails and prompts for action. Even if you attend events with us regularly, things will look different this year.