The government has released exposure draft materials for public consultation to implement measures in the Your Future, Your Super package of reforms announced in the 2020–21 Budget. The exposure draft legislation includes amendments for the following: Single default account — The draft..Read More
As part of package of miscellaneous amendments, Treasury are consulting on a measure which proposes that trustees of SMSFs finalise their accounts and statements 45 days prior to the lodgement due date of their annual return. The proposed draft regulation would, from the 2020-21 financial year on..Read More
The ATO has reminded that self-managed super funds (SMSFs) unable to meet their lodgment date should obtain a deferral before the due date. An SMSF that is more than two weeks overdue on any annual return and has not requested a deferral will receive a status on the Super Fund Lookup of “Regula..Read More
The ATO has clarified that self-managed super funds (SMSF) auditors do not need to modify their independent auditor’s report (IAR) for the 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 income years regarding non-arm’s length expenditure incurred by a fund of a general nature. Practical Compliance Guideline P..Read More
ATO officers will consider various factors including voluntary disclosure, seriousness of a contravention and actions taken to rectify it, when deciding on remission of penalties imposed on self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trustees, under guidance in Law Administration Practice Statement PS..Read More
The ATO will not impose penalties if it is satisfied that SMSF trustees find it difficult to obtain the required valuation evidence for fund assets due to the impacts of COVID-19. Auditors should however consider the need to modify Part B of their audit report and lodge an Auditor/actuary contrav..Read More
SMSF auditors have until 1 July 2021 to ensure their firms comply with the requirements of restructured APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards). The Code and the updated Independence Guide indicate that for in-house audits of SMSFs, the practice o..Read More
The Commissioner has clarified how superannuation funds should report death benefit rollovers, in light of the recent retrospective legislative changes to the treatment of the untaxed element of death benefit superannuation lump sums . The Commissioner has set out how funds should report death ..Read More
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released guidance on the interaction between JobKeeper payments and satisfying the work test. The work test provides that individuals aged 67 to 74 years must be gainfully employed on at least a part-time basis in a financial year to mak..Read More
The Government has allowed individuals affected by the financial impacts of COVID-19 to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation in the 2019-20 income year and a further $10,000 in the 2020-21 income year on a tax-free basis. The application period for the 2020-21 income year will be extended..Read More