A Self-Managed Super Fund offers flexibility and control no retail or industry fund can match. You choose the investments, set the strategy and decide how your retirement savings are deployed.
That control comes with a regulatory framework that does not forgive shortcuts. The ATO expects trustees to maintain accurate records, lodge on time, satisfy the sole purpose test, observe contribution caps and keep the fund compliant every year. We handle the operational, compliance and tax obligations of your fund accurately, consistently and on time, so you keep control without carrying the full reporting burden yourself.
SMSF trustees have the same legal obligations as the trustees of a $100 billion industry fund, but without the compliance infrastructure. Every obligation falls on you, and the ATO holds you personally responsible. Fund disqualification, personal penalties and loss of tax concessions are not theoretical risks for funds that operate without proper administration. We are a chartered accounting practice, not a standalone administration factory, so your fund's administration is informed by tax, structuring and estate planning context, and maintained year-round rather than batched after 30 June.
From fund establishment through to annual reporting, pension management and ongoing regulatory monitoring.
Where your balance has grown beyond the point a retail or industry fund offers meaningful flexibility, an SMSF gives the control and investment breadth you need, and the compliance stakes that come with it. We work with medical professionals, legal practitioners, senior executives and business owners who want investment flexibility across direct property, unlisted investments and international equities, tax planning integrated with personal and business affairs, control over contribution and drawdown timing, professional oversight of every obligation, and records that are always audit-ready.
SMSFs are frequently used alongside family trusts, companies, investment entities and estate plans, so the fund does not operate in isolation. For family groups, the administration integrates with the broader work across tax, structuring and succession, coordinated contribution strategies across members, pension and accumulation phase management aligned to each member's timeline, death benefit planning consistent with the estate plan, related party transaction monitoring, and a consolidated view of the family's wealth position.
Every investment decision, contribution and pension payment should be supported by contemporaneous documentation. When these are missing, the audit becomes difficult, and the auditor may be required to lodge a contravention report with the ATO.
Exceeding the concessional cap means the excess is assessed at your marginal rate plus interest. Exceeding the non-concessional cap triggers tax at 47 percent. For 2025-26 the concessional cap is $30,000 and non-concessional is $120,000 per member, and tracking these across multiple sources requires accurate, current records.
Funds in pension phase must pay at least the minimum pension each year. If the minimum is not paid by 30 June, the pension is deemed to have ceased, with potential loss of the ECPI exemption on the fund's investment income for the entire year.
Every SMSF must be independently audited each year. If records are incomplete or disorganised, the audit takes longer, costs more and is more likely to result in qualified opinions or contravention reports. A well-administered fund makes audit straightforward.
| Age | Minimum pension drawdown |
|---|---|
| Under 65 | 4% |
| 65 to 74 | 5% |
| 75 to 79 | 6% |
| 80 to 84 | 7% |
| 85 to 89 | 9% |
| 90 to 94 | 11% |
| 95 and over | 14% |
Many administrators collect records after year-end and process everything in a batch, so issues are found after the event. We maintain records throughout the year, so compliance is proactive and trustees have visibility.
Income during accumulation is generally taxed at a flat 15 percent, including investment income and employer contributions. Capital gains on assets held more than 12 months receive a one-third discount, an effective CGT rate of 10 percent. For high-income earners above $250,000, Division 293 imposes an additional 15 percent on concessional contributions, assessed personally rather than within the fund.
Once a member commences an account-based pension, the investment income attributable to the pension assets is exempt from tax, including interest, dividends, rent and capital gains, through the Exempt Current Pension Income provisions. For funds with members in both phases, the ECPI calculation can require the segregated or proportionate method with an actuarial certificate.
Benefits paid to a tax dependant are tax-free regardless of components. Benefits to a non-tax-dependant adult child are taxed on the taxable component at 15 percent for the element taxed in the fund, plus 30 percent for the untaxed element. Proper structuring of binding death benefit nominations and reversionary pensions is critical.
The sole purpose test under section 62 requires the fund be maintained solely to provide retirement benefits, with non-complying funds taxed at 45 percent plus Medicare levy. Trustees must formulate and give effect to an investment strategy, keep records for at least five years, and have the fund audited annually by an approved SMSF auditor.
Prime Partners are chartered accountants with offices in North Sydney and Orange. Our team has the depth to handle complex funds with LRBAs, related party transactions, in-specie contributions, multiple pension members or death benefit strategies, where transaction processing is not enough and technical judgment is required. Fund disqualification, personal penalties and loss of tax concessions are real risks for funds without proper administration, and our compliance-first approach means trustees can have confidence their obligations are being met.
Whether you are establishing a new fund, transitioning from another administrator, or looking for year-round compliance support, we are here to help.
Get in touch→Prime Partners is a chartered accounting business. We do not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence and do not provide financial product advice. SMSF administration and tax services are provided under our accounting and tax agent registration. Investment advice should be obtained from a licensed financial adviser.
Once a month we send our latest thinking on tax, business, and the moments that shape a year. Practical, considered, and written for people who would rather understand the why than chase the headline.
