SMSFs offer more control over your money; you make the key decisions around where to invest. You also benefit from flexibility and choice, you construct your fund‚ investment strategy and enjoy more investment options.

SMSFs offer potential tax advantages, depending on your personal circumstances and investment strategy, and you can also pool your super with family or other fund members to create cost savings.

We recommend you seek advice from a financial planner to see if a SMSF is appropriate for you and then give us a call and we will walk you through the process.

Your SMSF can have up to six members.

SMSF investment portfolios can include many of the following investments:

• Cash management accounts
• Term deposits
• Residential property
• Commercial property
• Industrial property
• Property purchased with borrowed funds (limited recourse borrowing)
• Property partnerships with non-related parties
• Managed funds (Australian and international)
• Listed Australian shares
• Listed unit trusts (property, investment)
• Listed investment companies
• Overseas listed shares

You can use your SMSF to invest in a range of things including residential or commercial property, shares, term deposits, managed funds etc.

The Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) guidance suggests an existing superannuation savings balance of $200,000 to start an SMSF. This includes the superannuation assets of all members, for example the combined existing superannuation balances of a husband and wife needs to be at least $200,000.

Yes, most people can now instruct their employer to pay their super contributions into a SMSF. If you change employers, you can instruct your new employer to pay into your SMSF.

An SMSF can accept the exact same types of super contributions as a retail or industry super fund:

• Voluntary contributions, eg salary sacrifice and non-concessional contributions
• Rollovers or transfers from your existing superannuation funds
• Spouse contributions
• Co-contributions