Considering an SMSF? Understand what's involved first.
General information for Australians weighing up whether a Self-Managed Super Fund suits their circumstances. If you’d like personal advice on SMSF suitability, we can help you work through it.
SMSF advice for your full situation.
A Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) is a private superannuation fund that the members run themselves. It can offer greater flexibility over investment choice, including the ability to hold direct property and specific shares, but it also comes with ongoing compliance obligations, running costs, and trustee responsibilities.
Whether an SMSF is appropriate for you depends on your balance, your goals, your capacity to take on trustee duties, and several other personal factors. We don’t issue SMSF products and we don’t receive commissions for recommending setup. Any advice we give on SMSFs is personal advice, documented in a written Statement of Advice, with our fees disclosed upfront.
Suitability assessment
We’ll discuss whether an SMSF structure is likely to suit your circumstances, taking into account your balance, goals, appetite for administrative involvement, and other relevant factors.
Setup & structure
If an SMSF is appropriate for you and you decide to proceed, we’ll help coordinate the setup, including trust deed preparation, ATO registration, and rollovers from existing super accounts.
Investment strategy
SMSFs are legally required to have a documented investment strategy. We’ll help you think through the investment approach that fits your goals and the compliance requirements that apply.
Ongoing support & specialists
SMSF administration typically involves an accountant, a fund administrator, and a legal expert. We’ll help coordinate with these specialists so responsibilities are clear.
An SMSF is not the right structure for everyone.
An SMSF may be worth considering where the trustee wants direct control over specific investment decisions, where there are compelling reasons related to property, business premises, or estate planning, or where a large balance means the running costs become proportionally reasonable. These factors need to be considered alongside the administrative, legal, and compliance obligations that come with being a trustee.
A personal advice engagement with us is designed to help you understand these factors in the context of your specific circumstances, so you can make an informed decision.
Circumstances where an SMSF is often considered.
These are common situations where people explore whether an SMSF suits them. Whether it does depends on personal circumstances, something a personal advice engagement would help you understand.
Combined balance suggests cost-effectiveness
As a general guide, SMSFs are often considered by members whose combined balance makes the fixed running costs proportionally reasonable. The specific threshold depends on the particular cost structure of the SMSF arrangement and the member’s circumstances.
General guidance only, individual cases vary
Looking at direct property ownership
An SMSF is one of the structures that can hold direct property (including commercial property that a related business operates from). There are specific rules, including strict borrowing restrictions and the sole purpose test, that apply.
Subject to compliance with super law
Family or joint arrangement
SMSFs can have up to six members, which some families consider for pooling super, joint investment strategies, or estate planning purposes. Multi-member arrangements come with additional considerations around member agreements and dispute resolution.
Members: Up to 6
Three steps to a clear SMSF answer.
Take the quiz
General questions about your situation to give you an indication of what might be worth exploring. This is general information only, no personal advice is provided at this stage.
Free strategy call
A no-obligation conversation to understand your circumstances and what you’re looking for. If we’re a good fit, we’ll explain what an SMSF suitability engagement would involve and our fees.
Honest recommendation
If you engage us, we’ll gather detailed information about your situation, prepare a written Statement of Advice on SMSF suitability, and walk you through our recommendation. You decide whether to act on it.
SMSF questions, answered straight.
The information below is general in nature and doesn’t take into account your personal circumstances.
What is an SMSF?
A Self-Managed Super Fund is a private superannuation fund where the members are also the trustees (or directors of a corporate trustee). Members make the investment decisions and take on legal responsibility for the fund’s compliance with superannuation law. An SMSF can have up to six members under current rules.
Is there a minimum balance to set up an SMSF?
There’s no legal minimum, but balance is a practical consideration. SMSFs have fixed running costs, administration, audit, and ASIC fees, which need to be weighed against the member’s balance. Whether a particular balance makes an SMSF appropriate depends on cost structure and individual circumstances.
What can I invest in with an SMSF?
Direct shares, managed funds, term deposits, residential and commercial property, gold, even art, provided everything complies with the fund’s investment strategy and the ATO’s sole purpose test. The flexibility is the main reason people choose SMSFs.
Is an SMSF more expensive than a regular super fund?
In dollar terms, usually yes, annual admin and audit can run $2,500 to 4,000+. But as a percentage of a large balance, it can be cheaper than retail funds with percentage-based fees. We’ll run the numbers for your specific situation before you commit.
Who's responsible for the SMSF?
You are. As trustee, you’re legally responsible for the fund’s compliance with super law, even if you outsource the admin. The ATO can impose serious penalties for breaches. That’s why we make sure you understand what you’re signing up for before we set anything up.
Can I buy property through my SMSF?
Yes — under specific conditions. You can buy commercial property your business operates from, residential property as an investment, or property using a limited recourse borrowing arrangement. Each comes with strict rules. We’ll walk you through what’s allowed, what’s risky, and whether it makes financial sense for you.
Let's work out whether an SMSF suits you.
A free 15-minute call to discuss your situation and explain what a personal advice engagement would look like. No personal advice is given on the call, and there’s no obligation to proceed.